Newfoundland In The First World War

In 1914, the dominion of Newfoundland was unprepared for war: it had no army, no military department, and most residents had never even seen a soldier. Yet tens of thousands of men and women, driven by patriotism, duty, and a thirst for adventure, rose to the challenge—and in doing so left an indelible mark on world history.

Newfoundland in the First World War traces the many connections between Newfoundland and the conflict of 1914-1918. Stories of savage battles, heriosm, heartbreak, triumph, and sacrifice are recounted in faithful detail, made vivid by dozens of archival photographs, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.

As you turn these pages, you’ll follow the Newfoundland Regiment from the now legendary “First Five Hundred” volunteers, to the horrors of battles including Gallipoli and Beaumont-Hamel, and learn how the the war shaped Newfoundland politics and culture.

You’ll will explore Newfoundland’s other military forces, including it aviators, the Merchant Navy, the Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve, and the Forestry Corps, and get to know the important roles of women during conflict, both overseas and at home. You’ll glimpse the realities of life in the trenches, contributions by the home front, and the profound and lasting effects of the events of the First World War.

The interactive book includes 12 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.