When the Office Went to War : War Letters From Men of the Great Western Railway

"During the course of the First World War, staff of the Great Western Railway's Audit Office sent letters and photographs back to their employer in Paddington, which were in turn collated into monthly "newsletters" by those who stayed at home to keep Britain moving. Today these newsletters give a unique insight into the Great War - these soldiers were writing to inform and entertain their colleagues rather than to comfort a worrying parent or to confess their love to a distant partner - and bring a distinct band of individuals to life. The story is told chronologically to recreate the suspense in the Audit Office as the remaining few waited to hear from their colleagues at the Front."--Publisher description. The First World War largely directed the course of the twentieth century. Fought on three continents, the war saw 14 million killed and 34 million wounded. Its impact shaped the world we live in today, and the language of the trenches continues to live in the modern consciousness. One of the enduring myths of the First World War is that the experience of the trenches was not talked about. Yet dozens of words entered or became familiar in the English language as a direct result of the soldiers'experiences. This book looks at how the experience of the First World War changed the English language, adding words that were both in slang and standard military use, and modifying the usage and connotations of existing words and phrases. Illustrated with material from the authors'collections and photographs of the objects of the war, the book will look at how the words emerged into everyday language. The First World War largely directed the course of the 20th century. Fought on three continents, the war saw 14 million killed and 34 million wounded. Its impact shaped the world we live in today, and the language of the trenches continues to live in the modern consciousness. One of the enduring myths of World WarIis that the experience of the trenches was not talked about. Yet dozens of words entered or became familiar in the English language as a direct result of the soldiers experiences. This book looks at how the experience of World War Ichanged the English language, adding words that were both in slang and standard military use, and modifying the usage and connotations of existing words and phrases. Illustrated with material from the authors collections and photographs of the objects of the war, the book will look at how the words emerged into everyday language. In August 1914 the GWR was plunged into war, the like of which this country had never experienced before. Over the years that followed life changed beyond measure, both for the men sent away to fight and the women who took on new roles at home. Not since 1922 has the history of the GWR in the First World War been recorded in a single volume. Using modern data-bases and enjoying greater access to archives, Sandra Gittins has been able to produce a complete history which traces the GWR from the early, optimistic days through the subsequent difficult years of the Great War, including Government demands for war manufacture, increased traffic and the tragic loss of staff. From GWR ships and ambulance trains to the employment of women, every part of the story is told, including the saddest of all, which is represented by a Roll of Honor. "This book examines the first- and second-hand experience of the First World War and how it changed standard English, adding words that were in both slang and standard military use, and modifying the usage and connotations of existing words and phrases. Several words became associated specifically with the propaganda or official language of the war, some were adopted as a result of operations in parts of the world far from Flanders, and some had only a short life as part of English. In contextualising and tracing the history of what these words meant to the men in the trenches, the book presents the effect the war had on the English language"--Preface Complete history which traces the GWR from the early, optimistic days through the subsequent difficult years of the Great War, including Government demands for war manufacture, increased traffic and the tragic loss of staff. From GWR ships and ambulance trains to the employment of women, every part of the story is told, including the saddest of all, which is represented by a Roll of Honour. --Taken from back cover August 1915 October 1915 November 1915 January 1916 March 1916 May 1916 August 1916 November 1916 March 1917 October 1917 March 1918 August 1918 Conclusion.