As part of their project in commemoration of the Armistice which ended the First World War, the children of present day Caerleon in S Wales imagined the letters and poems they might have written to and from the Front during the war. Both primary schools, Charles Williams Church in Wales School and The Lodge Primary School, spent the 2018 summer term learning about life both at home and at the Front. In collaboration with Caerleon Remembers, which is co-ordinating the Remembrance Day events, 150 children were asked to try to compose letters and poems to imaginary WW1 servicemen fighting amongst the bomb craters, barbed wire and mud filled trenches of Flanders, sending the soldiers messages of hope and telling them about life back home in peaceful Caerleon. Some wrote letters to fathers at the Front, some chose to write home to families from the Front. Others wrote poems about the war, and many chose to illustrate their imaginings. Caerleon Remembers decided to include all contributions, in order to show the depth of knowledge these children have taken in about life in the trenches and at home. The result is this deeply moving book. As both Head Teachers say, `Fortunately, the children of Caerleon have not experienced the effects of war first-hand and we pray that this remains so. For our children, war and conflict is often confined to books and screens; it is something that happens elsewhere and it is something that only affects adults. This project has allowed our children to begin to understand that war, both in the past and present, affects all people everywhere, including the young, and that its legacy has long-lasting consequences. As imagined letters to and from the front were drafted, our children began to better appreciate the emotional cost of war, the love of family and the sanctity of peace. We would like to thank Caerleon Remembers for giving us this opportunity.'

 

There are 166 pages in this book. It is an anthology. This book was published 2018 by Saron Publishing .

These are authored by the Year 5 and 6 children at the two primary schools in Caerleon, S Wales. Having spent some time learning about the First World War and life on the Home Front, they expressed their feelings in vivid imaginings, expressed through poems and letters. The Head Teachers of both schools are very conscious of the effect such a project has had on the children, who now appreciate the true cost of war, both home and away. They are grateful to Caerleon Remembers for allowing them the opportunity to publish this work.

This book has the following chapters: Elin Edwards Isobel Jones William Callaghan Jayden Francis Cody Berry Joseph Thirsk Evan Giles Grace Knight Jayden Attard Evie Tilley Khadija Islam Lachlan Heaven Danielle Blanks Libby Broder Evie Hennah Felicity Clayton Lucy Cooke Iwan Hanlon Nicole Morris Manon Trenchard Dylan Williams Layla Cornwall Luke Healey Spencer Meringolo Michael Henderson Abbie Johnson Finn Jenkins Connor Lawrence-Jenkins Freya Evans Shayna Passaro Ava Madeleine Czajkowski Imogen Farfarakis Mitchell Rendle Olivia Rouch Imogen Abbott Noah Lewis Jarvis Magda Bajor Poppy Stewart Oliver Mayor Zack Hennah Nicholas Santwris Jasmin Spiteri Mahadh Hussain Jacob Perry Olivia Keiley Ibrahim Ahmed Ben Davies Isabelle Canning Oliver Williams Gwendoline Theux Alfie Barber Ellie Williams Jessica Walton Cerys Llewellyn Alex Johnson Abigail Randall Owen Thom Scarlett Cargill Mariam Akhtar Maisie Charles Clemency King-Holford Nicholas Holbrook Lucas-Nuno La'Venture Darcie Mae Stinton Ruby Williams Loui Jackson Daniel Parker Aled Maunder Nico Powell Meagan Louize Worrall Molly Kent Lola Hunt Piotr Gruszczynski Finley Hurley-Bowditch Fatcha Islam Evie Watkins Ben Burnap Robert Skyrme Abigail Davies Cerys Gale Jimmy Morgan Alexia Hutchison Amelia Graham Rhydian Alston Ellie Rosen Cherish Smith Megan Stuckley Ethan Robinson Alex Mogford Jasmine Miles Melissa Goulbourn Oliver Tugwell Ellis Robinson William Harding Ashton Stroud Ollie Burns Emilia Hopkins Jacob Nash Harry Field Charles D'Leny Elsie Leslie Maddy Williams Callum Westwood Isaac Long Luca Benavente Mollie Rolfe Nevan Rea Oliver Hackford Caitlin Sweet Josh Childs Joseph Didwell Ryan Lowe Lucy Jones Patrick Andrew Bailey Davies Sophie Zhang Mollie Bailey Ethan Duke James Cox Robyn Roderick Daniel Stroud Theo Cobb Finley Cummings Harri Notley Poppy Dumbleton Iwan Herbert Lewis James Power Brooklyn Hill Mark Yeboue Jessica Ash Emily Sung Ruby Wade Leah Reji Taylor Drew Caster Childs Cian John Arwyn Heaven Saif Din Cerys Davies Madoc Lane Jet Thomas Louis Hewet Carys Giles Tomos Hughes Owen Healey Harry Broughton Daniel Abbott Charlotte Brian Said Clancy Jayden Omotosho