Belfast Boys - by Richard S Grayson (Paperback)

About the Book

The compelling story of West Belfast's involvement in fighting on the Western Front throughout the First World War.

Book Synopsis

This is the story of men from either side of West Belfast's sectarian divide during the Great War. Richard S. Grayson follows the volunteers of the 36th and 16th divisions who fought on the Somme and side-by-side at Messines, recovering the forgotten West Belfast men throughout the armed forces, from the retreat at Mons to the defeat of Germany and life post-war. In so doing, he tells a new story which challenges popular perceptions of the war and explains why remembrance remains so controversial in Belfast today.

Review Quotes

A brilliant book.
Irish Times

Grayson has used an innovative method to provide an immensely readable history of a locality swept into continental events. His diligent research allows him to detail the lives and community conflicts that they re-entered upon their return. It should be read by all with an interest in Irish history, and indeed those with an appreciation for solidly researched, well-crafted scholarship.
Irish Post

Highly readable.
History Ireland

Mention in The Times, December 2009
Irish News

Richard Grayson paints his picture of religious co-operation from a human perspective - focusing on the young squaddies who fought and died together.
Books Ireland

That rare thing, a book that says something new about the Irish experience of World War One. The book deserves a wide audience and is well researched and written. The scholarship, though extensive, is lightly worn and the book is very readable. Wherever possible, the soldiers and their families speak for themselves.
Sunday Business Post

Willingness to find common ground and move forward through remembrance has clearly played a role in the imperfect but essentially stable peace process. By writing an accessible and even-handed account of the wartime experience of the men of West Belfast, Richard Grayson has made a small but valuable contribution to that process.
Times Higher Education

[An] important study.
Tribune

An original and valuable work of scholarship, confirming the importance of history, not least to those who have so often been its victims.
Royal United Services Institute Journa

In this book, Grayson takes a new tack in studying the First World War: instead of looking at the men in specific units, he began with a particular area and then looked to see where the men from that area fought. The result is this compelling story of the involvement of West Belfast's men fighting on the Western Front over the entire course of the war and of their lives post-war. This new story challenges popular perceptions of the war and explains why remembrance of the First World War remains so controversial in Belfast today.
Contemporary Review

About the Author

Richard S. Grayson is Professor of Twentieth Century History at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK.