This Pitkin Guide explores the reality, and unpacks the myths, of ‘Tommy’, the British soldier on the Western Front in the First World War. It looks at every aspect of his personal experience – uniform, kit, trench cuisine, health and hygiene, pay, training and weaponry. It conveys the horrors of the early days of industrial warfare, from machine guns and artillery barrages to close-quarters combat within the enemy trenches and bunkers, and much much more.

As well as the most visible aspects of the Tommy’s experience, it also delves into more hidden worlds, and answers key questions. What did the Tommy do on his rest periods behind the frontlines? What caused him to suffer from shell shock, and how was he treated? How was he punished for disciplinary offences? These questions and many more are answered through a factual narrative.