Covering the Boer, First and Second World Wars, this
fascinating new book reproduces letters and articles
published in parish magazines from across Cornwall between
1889 and 1951. News travelled slowly, so letters sent home
were considered interesting and informative to both loved
ones and the local community. The majority of letters were
written by officers to their families, and provide a
fascinating insight into conditions on the front line when
official news was scarce and often out of date. Some include
graphic descriptions of conditions in the trenches at Suvla
Bay and subsequent withdrawal from the Gallipoli
Peninsula in 1915. During the Second World War, little was
reported on the progress of the actual fighting, as the
government was concerned that such information may end up in
enemy hands. As a result, the publication of these letters
and articles became a vital source of information for those
on the home front.