Epitaphs of the Great War: The Somme - Hardcover

"Wearne's project is a reminder not just of how personal these headstones were, but how controversial. Like the piles of shoes on display at Auschwitz, the cemeteries in France and Belgium build the mass out of the individual. They commemorate both the scale of the slaughter and the humanity of those who were killed. The same is true of Wearne's inscription project. From the inspiring to the harrowing to the humdrum, the epitaphs chosen remind us of the millions of individual lives that were cut short."--Daily Telegraph "A wide range of soldiers have been selected, from different backgrounds and of different ranks, and through their stories Wearne conveys an impressive amount of detail about various aspects of the war. This book shows you the breadth of feeling and emotion that this actually permits, and serves as a poignant reminder of the anguish and grief of the relatives trying to come to terms with the loss of their loved ones."--WWI Geek "All battlefields are personal. For proof of this look no further than this gentle book by Wearne. I like it because it lacks any judgement. Quite clearly she has deep feelings about the war, but they do not intrude. But the author sticks to the personal inscriptions of the bereaved made a century ago. Their grief, their tributes do not need further enhancement. Explanation: yes. Interpretation: no. The device is simple as it is brilliant. Take an inscription from a soldier's grave and make him real for a new generation. Wearne achieves this here." --War History Online

Epitaphs of the Great War: The Somme is an edited collection of one hundred headstone inscriptions from those who paid the ultimate price during this infamous battle which marked a turning point in the public perceptions of the war in Britain.