Love Letters During The First World War

With valentine's day just gone I thought it would be the perfect time to reflect on what love was like during the first world war. Although I have been lucky enough so far to not have gone through a wartime, I have heard people over the years say that in war your feelings are stronger. People learn to live for the moment, for who knows what is around the corner. 

During the first world war, letters played an huge and important part in communication. Phone lines were expected to be used to help the war effort only and not for personal conversations. With many of Britain's men fighting in the trenches of a foreign land, it was the letters written that kept people together. 

Women would often write to there sweethearts, telling them all the news from home, in return, soldiers would thank them for the gifts they had received and would ask for news of certain family members or friends. For the women, it felt like their responsibility to inform their loved ones that they were thought of at home and not forgotten. 

When many of us think of love letters today, we think of the of the top type usually shown in movies. However, the love letters of the first world war were more than that. They contained dreams and hopes for the future, of something to look forward to when the war was over. They created a bridge between peace and war, they made the horrors of war soldiers were witnessing more just. 

Yet these letters were not only read between two sweethearts. They would also be read by somebody else who would censor each and every letter to ensure no news or plans would reach the enemy.  often meant that letters were even more shortened than they originally were and some sentences were often broken and hard to understand. 

Over the last couple of years, many of the love letters written during the first world war have been made public, either in books, tv programmes and online. By reading these letters you can get a real sense of what life was like to be in love during wartime. From the happy times to the sad times, these letters can make you feel like you are living alongside them. 

If there is one thing you do this month, I would recommend researching some wartime love letters (they aren't hard to find) and read them. They really put things into perspective and show us that all the money spent and tackiness of valentine's day is not needed. All that matters in that the one you love is safe and well.

Life In Rural Britain During World War 1

The outbreak of World War 1 changed the lives of British people throughout the country. In rural Britain, small tight communities could often be found. The indirectly led to the surge in young men volunteering to fight - after all, they didn't want to be seen as a Shirker.With men volunteering in their flocks, farms and local businesses were left without a huge amount of their workforce. This was to become more serious as it was left to farmers to feed the nation as U-boats sunk more and more ships carrying much needed supplies to Britain. 

Not only did farms loose they menfolk, they also lost their horse power with most horses become requisitioned by the War Office. Without this huge strength, it would take on average a minimum of 15 people to harvest a field full of crop. By 1915, the Women's Land Army was set up with women joining from all around the country to do something new and different to help the war effort. Although thousands volunteered for the Land Army, farmers were reluctant to allow women to farm their land as 'it wasn't there place' and they 'wouldn't be strong enough' to cope with the physical work. 

Farms now had the workers to cope with demand which is great as by 1917, the Cultivation Of Lands Order meant that the government could demand that farmers plough new land to increase food production. At vast amount of this land had never been ploughed before and so the work was strenuous and the hours long. As much as farmers hated to admit it, without the help of the Women's Land Army, they would have been hugely behind with their quoter. 

It wasn't just farms that the war effected, but family homes as well. People that had gardens were encouraged to start a vegetable garden which helped vastly when rationing was introduced. By growing their own vegetables they were able to add to their allotted amount. Women were encouraged not to waste food and could face a hefty fine if they were found to be wasting food. By living in the country, anything that would have normally been wasted could be given to local farms to use as pigs swill. 

Many neighbours in rural areas pulled together to help each other. Whether it was swapping food and other items to being there for someone when they receive the devastating news war can bring. Reports can be found post-war where firm friends and local groups had been formed through their experiences of the war. 

Join me next time when I explore what life was like for those that live in the City.