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'What was it really like to serve in the British Army during the Second World War? Discover a soldier's view of life in the British Army – from recruitment and training to the brutal realities of combat. Using first-hand sources, James Goulty reconstructs the experiences of the men and women who made up the 'citizen's army'. Find out about the weapons and equipment they used; the uniforms they wore; how they adjusted to army discipline and faced the challenges of active service overseas. What happened when things went wrong? What were your chances of survival if you were injured in combat or taken prisoner? While they didn't go into combat, thousands of women also served in the British Army with the ATS or as nurses. What were their wartime lives like? And, when the war had finally ended, how did newly demobilised soldiers and servicewomen cope with returning home? The British Army that emerged victorious in 1945 was vastly different from the poorly funded force of 865,000 men who heard Neville Chamberlain declare war in 1939. With an influx of civilian volunteers and conscripts, the army became a 'citizen's force' and its character and size were transformed. By D-Day Britain had a well-equipped, disciplined army of over three million men and women and during the war they served in a diverse range of places across the world. This book uncovers some of their stories and gives a fascinating insight into the realities of army life in wartime. AUTHOR: James Goulty is a military historian with special interest in the training and combat experience of the British Army during the 20th century. He holds a masters degree and doctorate in military history from the University of Leeds and is a member of the Army Records Society and Western Front Association. SELLING POINTS: . The book examines what it was like to serve with the British Army during 1939-1945, via a series of thematically based chapters. These cover recruitment and training, and reveal what it was like to experience active service overseas, plus shed light on issues such as discipline and morale, prisoners of war, medical care and post-war demobilisation. . The author uses contemporary sources, from rules and regulations to official documents and training manuals, to individual experiences preserved within personal diaries, letters and a variety of other sources. 25 illustrations

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9781781592984

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James Goulty holds a masters degree and doctorate in military history from the University of Leeds, and he has a special interest in the training and combat experience of ordinary soldiers during the world wars and Korean War. His previous publications include Second World War Lives: A Guide for Family Historians and The Second World War through Soldiers Eyes: British Army Life 1939-45.

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