A month after the Armistice, Prime Minister David Lloyd George promised to make Britain a 'land fi t for heroes'. At the time, it was widely believed. Returning soldiers expected decent treatment and recognition for what they had done, yet the fi ne words of 1918 were not matched by actions. The following years saw little change, as a lack of political will watered down any reform. Beggars in trench coats became a common sight in British cities. Soldiering On examines how the Lost Generation adjusted to civilian life; how they coped with physical and mental disabilities and struggled to find jobs or even communicate with their family. This is the story of men who survived the trenches only to be ignored when they came home. Using first-hand accounts, Adam Powell traces the lives of veterans from the first day of peace to the start of the Second World War, looking at the many injustices ex-servicemen bore, while celebrating the heroism they showed in the face of a world too quick to forget.

About the Author
ADAM POWELL has taught British and European History for over twenty-five years, and has been interested in the First World War since he was a student. He is also a tour guide on the Western Front. Growing up near an impoverished First World War veteran gave him the inspiration for Soldiering On, his first book for The History Press.

Reviews
Adam Powell's Soldiering On is a significant addition to a subject area that has received too little scholarly work in the past. Not only is this book a rich and accessible resource for the history of British veterans in the interwar years, the book's themes will resonate today as we continue to send young men and women to war and deal with personal traumas and stress of its aftermath. Powell provides a wider and broader context - from the pre-war world of Edwardian England to the worldwide impact of the twentieth century's first global conflict - within which to examine the reality of returning veterans. From individuals' stories to government policies (or lack thereof), Soldiering On bears powerful witness to the human cost of war. -- Susan Werbe
"This meticulously researched and well-written book offers a glimpse into the problems faced by our ancestors as they returned home from war." -- Mark Simner * Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine *



Book Information
ISBN 9780750991476
Author Adam Powell
Format Paperback
Imprint The History Press Ltd
Publisher The History Press Ltd