For the first time, the story of Jersey in the First World War is revealed. Whilst the island's role in the Second World War is well documented, a generation earlier another devastating war had struck Jersey, jeopardising the lives and liberties of its people.

Dominating the history of the Island of Jersey is the story of its occupation by German forces in World War II. Twenty years earlier, however, another devastating war had struck the Island, affecting the lives and liberties of its people. Central to this story was the Jersey Contingent. In 1915, this band of 300 young men volunteered to fight for King and country in a war beyond the comprehension of most. Feted as heroes, they proudly took their place in the trenches of the Western Front. But the war was to have a devastating effect - both on the Contingent and their Island. Soon the volunteers were not only fighting the enemy, but also waging a bitter struggle for continued recognition and support from home. This book tells the moving but ultimately tragic story of one small and unique unit caught in the maelstrom of World War I.