The Secret History of Soldiers: How Canadians Survived the Great War, Tim Cook. Published by Allen Lane, Toronto, 2018. First Edition. 8vo up to 9½” tall., 472pp. black and white photos, bibliography, index. Grey cloth boards with black titles. Volume is in fine unread condition; light shelf wear to jacket.
There have been thousands of books on the Great War, but most have focused on commanders, battles, strategy, and tactics. Less attention has been paid to the daily lives of the combatants, how they endured the unimaginable conditions of industrial warfare: the rain of shells, bullets, and chemical agents.
In The Secret History of Soldiers, Tim Cook, Canada’s foremost military historian, examines how those who survived trench warfare on the Western Front found entertainment, solace, relief, and distraction from the relentless slaughter.
These tales come from the soldiers themselves, mined from the letters, diaries, memoirs, and oral accounts of more than five hundred combatants. Rare examples of trench art, postcards, and even song sheets offer insight into a hidden society that was often irreverent, raunchy, and anti-authoritarian.
