The dominion of Newfoundland was not
prepared for war in 1914: it had no army and most residents had never even seen
a soldier. Yet tens of thousands of people, driven by patriotism, duty, and a
thirst for adventure, volunteered.
Newfoundland
in the First World War traces the role Newfoundland
played in the conflict. Stories of battles, heroism, heartbreak, triumph, and
sacrifice are recounted in faithful detail, brought to life by dozens of
archival photographs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings. It follows the
Newfoundland Regiment from its beginnings, through the horror of Beaumont
Hamel, and onto other battlefields. Also covered are Newfoundland’s other forces,
including aviators, the Merchant Navy, the Naval Reserve, and the Forestry
Corps. It also includes the roles of women, both overseas and at home in
Newfoundland. Readers glimpse the realities of life in the trenches, work done
on the home front, and the profound and lasting effects of the war.
This interactive book includes 14 pullout
facsimile documents, including
• Letters and postcards between soldiers
and their loved ones
• Pages from a soldier’s scrapbook
• Excerpts from the notebooks of Cluny
MacPherson, inventor of the gas mask
Available May 2016
