Motherhood, Loss and the First World War: (Introduction)

In the summer of 1914, Europe and much of the wider world descended into an industrialised war of unprecedented violence and destruction. The extraordinary firepower of modern weapons led to the emergence of military stalemates on the Eastern and Western fronts, and later on the Italian Front and at Gallipoli, that would see levels of bloodshed and loss that simply had no parallel in the history of war. By the time the guns fell silent in November 1918, over ten million soldiers, sailors and airmen had lost their lives and millions more had been physically disabled or psychologically traumatised. The experience of fighting in such a costly war was often stressful, exhausting and frightening and we are naturally impressed today by the resilience and self-sacrificing spirit of the men who served in the conflict. In Britain and other countries, they continue to be remembered with reverence, respect and gratitude.

... As the decades passed, British commemorative culture evolved and tended to focus exclusively on the dead and the sacrifices made by mothers became increasingly overlooked. Indeed, during the centenary commemorations, there has been little or no mention of the mothers whose lives were transformed by grief during and after the war. By helping us explore the ways in which British mothers experienced and attempted to come to terms with wartime grief, this resource pack reminds us of their sacrifices and shines valuable light on one of the more tragic and compelling aspects of the First World War.