Covering the Boer, First and Second World Wars, this fascinating new book reproduces letters and articles published in parish magazines from across Cornwall between 1889 and 1951. News travelled slowly, so letters sent home were considered interesting and informative to both loved ones and the local community.

The majority of letters were written by officers to their families, and provide a fascinating insight into conditions on the front line when official news was scarce and often out of date. Some include graphic descriptions of conditions in the trenches at Suvla Bay and subsequent withdrawal from the Gallipoli Peninsula in 1915. During the Second World War, little was reported on the progress of the actual fighting, as the government was concerned that such information may end up in enemy hands. As a result, the publication of these letters and articles became a vital source of information for those on the home front. Likewise, the parish magazine documented changes on the home front, including evacuations, rationing, blackout, Civil Defence, and the changing role of women.