BOOK REVIEWS
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DARTFORD AND THE GREAT
WAR |
Gethyn Rees has researched well and fully to produce this little history of what he describes as a "busy town" which had "not yet taken on the appearance of another London suburb which it practically is today." He begins at the very beginning - describing the plight of Dartford people who were among those who found themselves in Germany as the situation in Europe worsened and who had to make their way home before their escape-routes closed. From here he goes on to describe the day-to-day happenings in Dartford as matters progressed - the call-up of reservists, the suspicion attached to local Germans, recruiting and the mobilisation of local business to cope with the demands of the war. Later, there was the anxiety felt by local people as their loved-ones went away to the war, and there was the grief caused by the letters from the Front, telling how many of these loved ones would never come home again. The whole story is told in a very readable style, making use of contemporary documents, newspaper articles, letters and photographs. (And there is an interview with Dartford's last surviving Great War veteran.)
In many ways, what happened in Dartford is typical of what happened in many other British towns and cities, which is one of the reasons why I found Gethyn Rees's story so interesting, but there is more to come, because as the war progressed, external influences brought some quite unusual war experiences to Dartford. To begin with, there was its location. It was an important point on the Thames, close to London and a major stop on the route to Dover and the other Channel Ports. This made it a good place to build hospitals and there were many in the Dartford area, bringing with them soldiers from all over the world. There was also a small aerodrome even before the war, and this was taken over by the army and extended for use in training pilots. So a lot went on in Dartford, and Gethyn Rees covers it all in his book.
The second half of the book serves as a memorial roll to the Dartford men who died in the war. There are personal details for all the men, and there are photographs of almost all of them.
Dartford and the Great War
is published by DWS Print Services
Paperback, 224 pages - illustrated with many photographs
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