Africa versus Europe: how the two British theatres compared 1914-1918

Keywords: Africa, Western Front, Home Front, Empire, Colonies

Abstract

Although the African theatres of the First World War are receiving more attention than in the past, they are still relatively unknown. As in 1914-1918, the territories remain exotic side-shows for those interested in the main theatre of war, that in Europe, and for British researchers, it is the Western Front. This essay aims to alert readers to the similarities and differences between the British forces which served on the Western Front with those who served in the African theatres of 1914-1918, proving that “War is always hell. Only the setting changes.”

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Author Biography

Anne Samson, Independent scholar, Reino Unido
Anne Samson, Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHS), completed her PhD at Royal Holloway, University of London in 2004. Since 2011, she has coordinated the Great War in Africa Association and is a member of various World War One related organisations. Her main area of research is the First World War in Africa with specific interest in East, Central and Southern Africa. She was a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission of Enquiry into Inequalities in Commemoration during 2020 and has published widely on the Great War in Africa.

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Published
2022-09-19
How to Cite
Samson, A. (2022). Africa versus Europe: how the two British theatres compared 1914-1918. Historia & Guerra, (2), 78-98. https://doi.org/10.34096/hyg.n2.11084
Section
Articles