Boy Soldiers of the Great War, written by Richard Emden, is a very interesting book about the First World War. When I first saw the title, I was immediately intrigued by the story behind it.

This non-fiction tells the story of the many young soldiers who fought in the First World War before the age of eighteen. Their stories make you stop reading and think how horrific this war was and marvel at the fact that it was allowed to happen that boys on such a young age could fight in this war. The book is characterised by the many details and photographs of the boys involved.

Definitely recommended for anyone who wants to know more about the First World War and especially about the soldiers who fought in it.

I reviewed a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

This factual account of the involvement on the front line of underage boys is a part of WWl that has, in the general sense, been overlooked until recently. The author has been extremely diligent in his research on this subject and the details of the individuals involved demonstrated that degree of patriotism instilled in that generation that sadly is less evident today. For young teenagers to actively volunteer for active service by lying about their age coupled with the recruiters who tended to be less than honest in accepting the untruth as they were driven by the lure of a recruitment bonus, allowed these young men to face the horrors of the Western Front, Gallipoli or the Middle East. The fact that a vey few were rescued from that fate by parents who had no idea where their sons had disappeared until they were overseas or discovered by concerned Commanding Officers, shows that the majority of the 400,000 underage soldiers performed magnificently. Some of these brave lads distinguished themselves in various ways, promoted to NCO and commissioned rank before they were 18 years old, others survived until the end of the War only to have been killed in that last few weeks.
A tale of bravery, foolhardy dreams and determination in young men that reminds us in the 21st Century that those values should never be forgotten or undervalued in our society today. A fascinating read that enhanced my knowledge of this pivotal period in world history and of that generation.