Hi guys, quick request to be pointed in be right direction for some reading material!
In a few months, my theatre group at university will be putting on a production of Journey's End. Before cracking on with the rehearsal process, I was hoping to get myself properly prepped for the mindset of a British soldier in the trenches in WWI.
Aside from details of trench warfare and army life during that period, I'd be interested in material detailing the buildup and context of the war, the outbreak of the war and anything providing a detailed overview of various military specifics (details of army compositions, equipment and weaponry, vehicles and technology available at the time).
My current knowledge about this period is unfortunately woefully low and limited to Horrible Histories and the fourth season of Blackadder, so even 'baby's first WWI' books/articles would be most welcome!
Many thanks in advance!
As far as first hand accounts go, Robert Graves' Goodbye To All That is perfectly written and brutally honest. If you want to understand the mindset of a junior officer before the war, going into the war, during the war and after; this is the perfect book.
You'll probably want to take a look at The WWI section of our book list, especially the section on the British. As for the buildup and context of the war, I personally recommend Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August as a good place to begin.