REVIEW: They Fought in Colour

They Fought in Colour
Author: The Vimy Foundation

Because World War I is so far in the past and all of the Canadian soldiers who fought in it are now dead, it's hard to put that history into perspective. Black & White photos from that era somehow make the people seem less real, separating us from them. So the Vimy Foundation has colorized photographs of Candadian forces from 1914-1918 to bring them to life. This book gives information on Canadian forces in the war, the battles they fought in, the roles of soldiers and nurses, training, trench warfare, field hospitals and other aspects of The Great War.

The photographs in this book are amazing. I read this book on my Ipad just so I could zoom in on pictures to better see the faces of the troops. So many gave their lives....and now are almost forgotten. This book serves as a remembrance to all of those who gave their lives. They aren't just historical notes from 100 years ago that don't matter anymore.....they were women, men, sons, daughters, spouses, sweethearts.....people. The colorized photos bring these faces and places back to life. I found myself wondering what each person was like, did they miss the family and friends they left behind, and did they survive the war or not.

The information is presented tastefully. There are no photos of deceased troops, graphic injuries or mistreatment of POWs. Most of the photos are of troops, events, trenches between battles and training events. Everything presented in this book is respectful to the individuals involved. The text is in English and in French.

I can't even imagine how scary trench warfare was for the troops...or the new perils soldiers faced like tanks and poison gas. Not to mention the illness and physical toll it took on them.....trench foot, the flu epidemic, battle related injuries. It must have been pure hell. This book reminded me to be thankful of the sacrifices of all soldiers....those in the past and those still serving today.

I very much enjoyed this book. The photographs are accompanied by interesting information about Canada's overall participation in the war. Any history buff or those who had a family member who fought in The Great War will love this book. Beautiful photos and great information.

**I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book from Dundurn via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**