'History isn't all dates and declarations. Weird War One compiles eccentric materials that reveal another side of the Great War. Among the objects: an army ration biscuit that was so hard someone turned it into a Christmas card and a "Man-Carrying Kite" that promised to allow its user to survey the battlefield from the air' - Wall Street Journal A collection of the weird, the wonderful and the downright eccentric from deep within IWM’s First World War archives Covering themes including: inventions and gadgets, flight, animals, spies and camouflage, Weird War One showcasing IWM’s rich collection. Flick through the book to find out more about dazzle camouflage, shovel shields, trench gardening, invisible ink and kaiser toilet roll. Some of the entries are amusing, like the story of a ventriloquist’s dummy that boosted men’s morale in the trenches and, later, saved its master’s life. Others inspire awe, such as the cunning creation of a fake Paris to the city’s north to foil German bombers that might fly overhead—complete with railroad tracks, soiled factory rooftops, a replica of the Gare du Nord station, and even a fake Champs-Elysées. From this miscellany emerges a fun and surprisingly informative sketch of the wartime experience. Details Author: Peter Taylor Hardcover: 160 pages Date published: November 2015 Language: English ISBN: 978-1904897842 Product Dimensions: 18.0 x 18.0 cm
