With the anniversary of The Great War upon us this year, I have been watching a lot of good TV (thanks History Channel) and reading a lot of material that touches upon the conflict. Some of it has only recently come to light. Photos from the period are also fascinating. The colourization of old footage from the trenches(and the resetting of the film speed) have humanized the conflict again. There is a lot of material extant for anyone with an interest beyond the predictably sentimental discourse of political leaders.

A few shots of Recruitment Offices in 1914 caught my eye on the weekend. I guess I remain surprised at the enthusiasm and bravura with which young men embraced the mad rush to war. Jumping into their Georgian shoes is no easy thing, for the times were much different to our own. Some things, of course, will always remain the same. Tomorrow, I will print a poem I wrote over the weekend which reflects on some the photos I have seen recently and for which, in advance, I offer an apology.