Legacies of the First World War – Building for total war 1914–1918

The First World War has been described as the first total war, a conflict in which a country’s entire people and resources were harnessed in pursuit of final victory. This book sets out to uncover and study the physical remains left across England after World War I. Contributors examine archaeological and architectural remains found at practice trench lines, munitions works, government factories, army and POW camps, airfields and airship stations, and coastal battlefields, and consider as well the importance of the home front, where new armies were trained and equipped, armaments manufactured, wounded treated, and food grown and harvested. Written by a team of experts, this book brings together discoveries from these sites and helps to mark the contribution and sacrifice not only of those who served in the armed forces, but also of those who provided support behind the scenes.