Elsie and Mairi Go to War by Diane Atkinson (2014 Reading Challenge)

[Nigeyb]

BYT 2014 Reading Challenge: World War 1 Centenary


2014 will mark 100 years since the start of the First World War. Here at BYT we plan to mark the war and its consequences by reading 12 books that should give anyone who reads them a better understanding of the First World War.

The First World War was a turning point in world history. It claimed the lives of over 16 million people across the globe and had a huge impact on those who experienced it. The war and its consequences shaped much of the twentieth century, and the impact of it can still be felt today.

The BYT 2014 Reading Challenge will be our way of helping to remember those who lived, fought and served during the years 1914-18.

There's a thread for each of the 12 books.

Welcome to the thread for...



Elsie and Mairi Go to War: Two Extraordinary Women on the Western Front by Diane Atkinson
(Category: History)

You can read the books in any order. Whilst you're reading them, or after you've finished, come and share your thoughts and feelings, ask questions, and generally get involved. The more we all participate, the richer and more fulfilling the discussions will be for us all. Here's to a stimulating, informative, and enjoyable BYT 2014 Reading Challenge.

[Val]

I started this today. The first two chapters are family background and biographical notes, which I did not find particularly interesting, so that I kept noticing incidences of sloppy editing. The book picks up once the two women get to Belgium in chapter three.

[Nigeyb]

Thanks Val. As ever. Please keep the rest if us posted with your thoughts and insights.

[Nigeyb]

I've just ordered a copy of this from my library - and also noticed Val's 2 star review which concludes "It did not make for a good reading experience".

I tend to agree with many of Val's reactions to books. Ah well, low expectations can be a good starting point.

[Nigeyb]

I am getting increasingly frustrated with the flippant style of this book which really doesn't seem to its subjects justice, and dwells on far too many irrelevant details.

[Nigeyb]

Finished!


The jolly hockey sticks style jarred with me. To an extent the "larks" described in the book, at least in the early stages of World War One, were in keeping with the prevailing mood. It had been a long time since Britain had been involved in a proper war and, with so many people desperate to do their bit, Mairi Chisholm, an 18 year-old upper-class Scottish motorcyclist, and her friend Elsie Knocker, a 30 year old single mother, were no different. Somewhat improbably Elsie and Mairi were recruited by a socialist, vegetarian, idealistic nudist to work in a privately managed ambulance corps. Their lack of medical skills didn't inhibit them, and they spent much of their time handing out patent medicines and mugs of soup and hot chocolate.

There are some interesting aspects to this book. The extent to which, in the war's early stages, so much was improvised. And, as I've already hinted, the extent to which the war was exciting and fun for these two women, indeed it seems to have been something of a playground for them. Elsie and Mairi enjoyed playful conversations with German soldiers, and lovely suppers with flowers, chocolate and champagne. Before long Elsie and Mairi became celebrities, collecting medals from Belgian and English dignitaries. At the Battle of Passchendaele, Elsie and Mairi were gassed and finally evacuated, and they returned home.

I have read ten books about World War One in the last few months and much of what is described in this book comes over as a completely different conflict. There is a fascinating book to be written about this aspect of World War One, perhaps using Elsie and Mairi's experiences as the springboard for a broader study, however this book felt flippant and lacking in substance. Perfectly readable, but too much like a ripping fun-filled yarn, which is completely inappropriate and demeaning for a story that takes place during World War One with all of its associated suffering and tragedy.

2/5

[Val]

Nigey: You said 'this book felt flippant and lacking in substance.'

I said 'the information was not selected or sorted for relevance or theme.'

I think we are both agreed that 'There is a fascinating book to be written about this aspect of World War One' and that this isn't it.

[Nigeyb]

^ Absolutely Val.


Vera Brittain's book is far more thoughtful and insightful. A broader study of the role of women in WW1, that includes the contribution of Elsie and Mairi, could be fascinating. My main complaint about this book was the tone of the thing which really jarred with me.

[Val]

I suppose it is understandable that the women would write in their diaries about the high points in what must have been a grim and depressing existence, the dinners and flirting instead of the casualties. I don't think the author needed to focus on them though, or the many fund-raising tours, or the outbreaks of ill-feeling when they were probably all too tired and stressed to be reasonable.
Vera Brittain wrote her memoir several years after the events she is recounting and she also referred to her diaries and letters from the time, but she has used them to reflect on and select from, not included every social engagement, fit of pique or idle thought.

[Nigeyb]

^ Yes, I think it is understandable, and with that in mind, Diane Atkinson does them a disservice by adopting the style of the diaries, and by including so much superfluous (and occasionally unflattering) information.

Although it's a short book I thought there was a lot that could have been edited out.

One minor (but representative) sentence... The soup, sardines, meat, chocolate shape (blancmange), fruit and champagne were served on a red and white gingham tablecloth.

Who needs to know that? Sadly, there's plenty more similar content.

[Val]

Yes, that is exactly the sort of thing that should have been left out, although the story would have to be a chapter in a book, not a whole book, if all the superfluousness and trivia were removed.

[Barbara]

Elsie and Mairi had interesting experiences and their story is worth knowing. However, the writing in this book was really poor. It seemed like a rough draft. I was actually shocked to discover that Diane Atkinson has written several books--I assumed this was her first and wondered how she had found a publisher for it. It needs extensive editing. I laughed out loud when I read this comment in chapter 5. "We are bound to say that the tone of the narrative does not altogether please. It is too kittenish...one seems to hear the writer going off into a giggle whenever a handsome man comes into the story. That is a jarring note and it is a great pity that it should have been struck, for the adventure itself is a very fine one, and moves on a plane in which giggling is really quite out of place." This was from a review of a 1916 book about Elsie and Mairi. It could have been written about this one. The book sounded promising, but it simply didn't deliver.

[Judy]

I've started this today and am enjoying it so far, despite having lowered my expectations a bit after seeing the comments in this thread. The family background was interesting to me, but then again I am fascinated by the Victorian period. I'll be interested to see how it all develops.

[Judy]

I meant to say, what an amazing life Elsie had already had even before the war - living abroad, divorcing her violent husband, training as a nurse and midwife and nursing the poor in London slums, which must have been good training for her work at the front, as well as riding a motorbike and winning races.

[Judy]

I just found an interesting 12-minute radio piece on the BBC World War One at Home website about Elsie and Mairi, which includes several sound clips of Elsie speaking about their work - she sounds quite elderly here, determined and humorous. There are also contributions from author Diane Atkinson.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01sf5jq

[Judy]

Better still, here's a detailed interview with Mairi recorded in the 1970s on the Imperial War Museum website - sadly just a sound recording rather than a video, but fascinating stuff!

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/ite...

[Nigeyb]

^ Great finds Judy - you're a marvel.

[Barbara]

Wow, Judy, these were great! Thanks so much.

[Judy]

Thanks, Nigeyb and Barbara, very kind of you - must admit I haven't listened to all of the Mairi interview, since I think it's an hour long in all, but the part I listened to was very interesting!

[Judy]

I've now finished this book and must say I found it a very interesting read, even though at times the writing is rather disjointed and confusing, as others have said.

Elsie in particular strikes me as a fascinating character, and I was impressed by the way she went on and on serving in different ways until she finally, reluctantly, retired at 75. I was amazed to discover that her second husband ended up as a Nazi spy, while she was busy serving in the Second World War.

[Judy]

Just in case anybody in the UK is checking the site at this moment! My mum has just rung me and said there has just been an item about Elsie and Mairi on tonight's Channel 4 news, with a recording of one of them speaking and an interview with Mairi's great-niece.

I'm going to watch it on Channel 4+1 - not sure if it will also be available on catch-up.

[Judy]

Just saw the item on the Channel 4 news - it was really interesting and includes a brief clip of Elsie and Mairi on their motorbikes and another tiny clip of them at their post, plus footage of the area where they worked, snippets from interviews and the great-niece's memories. It has also been put up on the Channel 4 website:

http://www.channel4.com/news/on-film-...

Altogether, 700 hours of footage of the First World War has been put on the Imperial War Museum website - quite an undertaking.

[Barbara]

Thanks, Judy. Very interesting.

[Judy]

I've written my review of this one, which I did really like:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Nigeyb]

Thanks Judy - an interesting take on the book and a well written review that I enjoyed reading.

[Judy]

Thanks, Nigeyb, kind of you to say so.