Quality Military History and Aviation Books!
Author(s): Mike Osborne
While the Home Guard of the First World War has entered national mythology, the Volunteer Training Corps (VTC) has been almost forgotten.
With the Regular Army and Territorial Force raised for home defence and committed on the Western Front, those ineligible to serve were keen to protect the country from invasion.
The young and the old, and those keeping the war effort going in factories, shipyards and communications, formed companies to train as soldiers. Initially denied uniforms, weapons, ranks or funds, these volunteers raised cash to equip themselves, and were eventually accepted by the military.
Up to a million civilians, many already working long hours, put in drills, guard-duties and gave up Sundays/holidays to attend training camps. They released trained soldiers for service overseas and trained recruits prior to enlistment.
Alongside were the many medical, transport, ARP, police and youth organisations, which also did their part to keep the home fires burning. Primarily about the Volunteer Training Corps, Grandad’s Army: Volunteers Defending the British Isles in the First World War tells the largely untold story of these voluntary organisations.
| BOOK ISBN | 9781781558188 |
| FORMAT | 234 x 156 mm |
| BINDING | Hardback |
| PAGES | 286 pages |
| PUBLICATION DATE | 4 March 2021 |
| TERRITORY | World |
| ILLUSTRATIONS | 9 black-and-white and 10 colour photographs |
