Comparatively little is known about the musical cultures of the British armed forces during the Great War.
This talk will look at the vital presence of music in a range of military contexts, including military camps, ships, aerodromes and battlefields, canteen huts, hospitals and PoW camps.
Emma Hanna argues that music was omnipresent in servicemen’s wartime existence and was a vital element for the maintenance of morale.
She will show music was used in a wide range of contexts. It was not in any way ephemeral and was unmatched in its power to cajole, console, cheer and inspire during the conflict and its aftermath.
This study is a major contribution to the understanding of the wartime realities of the British armed forces during the Great War.