Staffordshire's War

Voices of the First World War

This is the story of Staffordshire’s First World War. Using a wide range of sources, including the Mid-Staffordshire Military Appeal Tribunal papers, letters, diaries, journals, local newspapers and autobiographies, this book draws together the vast array of experiences of Staffordshire locals. It explores, among other things, the role of women and children on the home front, how individual lives were changed dramatically by war, and the preparation for peace and ‘reconstruction’. The First World War was not just about the Tommy fighting in the trenches – some had a very different experience; for example Emma Sproson from Wolverhampton who was a former suffragette. The home front and everyday life is also considered. This remarkable collection of personal accounts gives a valuable insight into this county’s First World War.