How did they train ?

Teachers’ Briefing Notes.

This worksheet focuses on the rawness of the civilian recruits and the need to train them for war in the shortest possible time. (Some recruits were selected for specialist training at other UK camps). An endless variety of drills aimed to turn each man into a virtual robot who responded to commands with unquestioning obedience. Was this objective reached? If so, at what cost, mental or physical, to the young men in question? As a set book ‘Private Peaceful’ by Michael Morpurgo. though fictitious, realistically portrays the effect such training and wartime experience had on a sixteen-year-old farm boy.

J.O.H. 

July 2012

Content last updated 

28 November 2012