These true stories of life in the front line of World War 1 are packed full of detail of the daring exploits of the young men who took part in them. Drawn from letters and diaries and therefore including first hand accounts, these stories capture the anguish, dread and the excitement of the young men who took part in the desperate action on a number of fronts including in the trenches in France, in the deadly battles against the German fleet at sea and in the recently formed Royal Flying Corps. In was in the latter that the German’s newly fangled and deadly dangerous tanks were encountered. An additional War Report at the end of each chapter adds further authentic detail making this a rich source of information as well as a collection of exciting stories.
A Piece of Passion from Editor, Andrew Simmons World War I: Scottish Tales of Adventure is an amazing book that brings to life vividly what is was really like to be in the thick of combat during the First World War – on land, on sea and in the air. Allan is a brilliant communicator who is able to bring out different aspects of the experience, so it’s not just the bravery and the heroism that come through – he also conveys the horror and the fear that must have permeated the battlefield. As a trained historian, he is also meticulous about historical detail and context, which to my mind make him one of the best children’s authors writing today.
World War I: Scottish Tales of Adventure is a gripping collection of eight true-life stories from the battlefields of the First World War (1914–18). It recounts the terrible struggle for survival in muddy trenches where young soldiers dodged bullets, poison gas and highexplosive shells while waiting for the order to go over the top and face the enemy. It brings to life the thrills and spills of the Royal Flying Corp, where airmen flew daring reconnaissance missions under heavy fire. It tells of brave doctors and nurses who treated the wounded in makeshift wards in tents amid the bombs and gunfire. These stories of excitement, heartache, heroism and victory, all based on personal diaries, letters and memoirs, bring to life a variety of Scottish war stories from the Western Front, Gallipoli and Africa in a way that will leave young readers informed, moved and inspired.
Allan Burnett writes books for children and adults including the acclaimed And All That series of blood-spattered historical biographies; World War 2: Scottish Tales of Adventure based on Allan's first-hand interviews; and Invented In Scotland. He contributes to a number of newspapers and magazines, having worked as a writer, features commissioning editor and deputy foreign editor at The Herald and Sunday Herald group.
Allan was born and brought up in the Western Isles, and educated at the University of Edinburgh. By night working as a caped ghost-tour guide, by day he earned a distinction for his postgraduate thesis on constitutional history and literature. These days he gets dressed up as a rogue medieval courtier or imprisoned U-Boat officer, among other guises, to tell Scottish history tales and create literacy projects with heritage sites and schools. He lives in Glasgow with his wife and daughter.
