When I think of the role of birds in wartime, the immediate thought is the work of the Pidgeon. While they & the Canary both feature in a later chapter, this book has brought some fascinating, & surprising, stories to my notice.
From a government politician to the man in the trench, birds brought great joy & comfort in the most harrowing of circumstances. Many soldiers were also keen Ornithologists who would report sitings of birds & nests that incredibly could still be found on the battlefields of Europe.
The author reveals some amazing reports of birds simply carrying on with their business despite the sound of gunfire, & the horrendous conditions of the once farmlands, that became battlefields.
The true wonder of nature, shines throughout these chapters.
The chapter on how the RSPB had to battle to save the sparrow from a nationwide cull, was something I had never heard of.
I have found this book an absolute joy from cover to cover. It has brought my own interests of nature & military history together in a way I never thought possible.
The author has also similarly covered birds in the Second World War, & it will definitely be a future read. This one has been fascinating and I do highly recommend it.
The book is available from Pen & Sword Books, who I must thank for this review copy.