Please remember that this character's life story is completely made up including the experience he had as a soldier and his views on the war. This project was designed to make children understand the realistic side to a soldier's life during World War 1 and hopefully give them an insight into the real life of a soldier, just by thinking like one! Thank you, Enjoy!

1. Diary Entries
War Poem Looking back
Letters
Newspaper
Article

2. Sergeant
Morrison
I was 15 when I first joined the army. I looked older
than I was which was an advantage but the main
reason why they accepted me was because my dad
was one of the Sergeant's that ran one half of the
base so he managed to pull a few strings so I was
sure to get a place. My mother had died from cancer
18 months before the war started. My mum had
always wanted me to join the army because she
wanted me to be like my dad. She also thought it
would build a stronger bond between me and my Dad
as she knew she wouldn’t make it and didn’t want me
to feel alone, but also because he was away all the
time and we hardly spoke whilst he was on the job.
Although I wasn’t considered as a ‘tough and
dangerous’ person, my mum’s dream of me becoming
a soldier was too important to me and couldn’t be left
unaccomplished.
That was before I knew what it was actually going to
be like...The thought of being a soldier was basically
the biggest achievement you could possibly have
done, alongside scientific discoveries and saving
peoples lives. It could have been the best adventure
to go on whilst being a teenager. But it wasn’t all how
the newspapers said it was, it was hell on earth. And
nothing, I repeat NOTHING good came out of fighting
in WW1. But if I’m honest, Mum’s the only one that got
me through the toughest times in the war and stopped
me from many suicidal attempts. I used to pick up the
gun every night and point it to my head, each night I
got closer and closer to pulling the trigger but thinking
of her and how proud she would be if I didn’t give up
meant everything to me and motivated me to keep my
head up and believe that I could last another day.
Date of birth: 15/05
Age at the start of
the war: 15
Where from in
Britain: Kent
Job before war
started: Unemployed
BACK

3. Dear Diary,
I can’t believe we’re at war with Germany!
It’s just soo exciting and the best part is, we’ll
be back by Christmas! I leave in 2 days and I
can’t wait! It’s going to be the biggest
adventure ever and all the boys back home are
going to be soo jealous!
The best thing about it is, I come back home in
a few months knowing that I’d accomplished
and fulfilled my mother’s dream of me
becoming a soldier which would have made the
few months away from home extremely
worthwhile. One of the other things that’s
great about me joining the army is that when I
return, the lads will finally look at me in a
respectful way, like I’m worth something.
Words can’t describe how that would make me
feel.
Life just can’t get any better!
2 4
3

4. Dear Diary,
So…it’s been 6 months since the war started and
I can honestly say I’m having the time of my
life! Sadly the war is taking longer than planned
so I couldn’t spend Christmas with Dad at home
but it’s fine, I guess. One Christmas away from
home won’t hurt, will it?
Also, because I’m not over the age of 16 I can’t
fight just yet, but It’ll happen! Since I’m still at
the military base for a few more months, they
gave me my own room with my own bathroom,
kitchen and everything! They were right, this is a
home from home!
I’ll continue to write as much as I can until the
war ends and so I’ll be able to look back at this
diary and read over my amazing experience in
the war.
How wonderful.
1 4
3

5. Dear Diary,
So it’s been a while since I’ve written in this
and that’s because I’ve been busy fighting! I’m
not going to waste my time in this entry
talking about the conditions because as
distressing as it is, I just feel like I want to die
at this stage, honestly. Everything I thought
the war was going to be like is the complete
opposite of the reality.
The main thing I wanted to talk about is the
extreme weaponry used by the soldiers. The
Germans seem to have machine guns, chlorine
gas, blimps which carried bombs ect. The
British only seemed to have rifles, shells and a
couple of machine guns! I don’t see how we
can win the war with the Germans wiping us
out with their gear.
Why aren’t we well equipped like them?!?
No wonder why men are being forced to
join, the Germans are completely thrashing us!
2 4
1

6. Dear Diary,
The war has finally come to an end. About
time, no? I’m
leaving without a father, a severe head injury
which results in common dizziness and
memory-loss. I’m extremely lucky I didn’t get
trench foot, my body would be too weak to
handle it.
I feel completely used. Used to an extent that I
cannot even live a normal life because I will not
be able to do things I could do before. I will
have to be put on medication.
And most importantly I won’t even remember
how all of this happened to me! But I will still
remember the pain.
I will not have the slightest picture in my head
but I would be able to feel the pain I felt at that
time.
And that honestly, just breaks my heart.
2 1
3

7. Dear Great Aunt
and Uncle Morris,
How’s things back at the town?
I miss you so much. And thank
you for the birthday card! I
appreciate all your support
because it’s motivated me in
ways you can’t even imagine so
thanks for that.
Training is going great by the
way, I’ve got my own set of
troops now! The officer’s say I’m
not allowed to fight just yet, so I
lead a bunch of 18year olds, I
guess that’s good enough for
now, it’s really fun!
I haven’t seen Dad in a long
time! They were rushed into No
Mans Land last Tuesday and I
haven’t heard from him since. I’m
sure he’s well and just busy .
I hope to hear from you soon!
Much Love
Michael
Dear Great Aunt and Uncle Morris,
How’s things?
I have some news that will just break
you, like it broke me. We lost a solider,
whilst heaven gained an angel. It kills
me to say this but…
Father has passed. He was shot in No
Mans Land, first by the enemy and
second by…one of our own. He fell to
the ground, a (British) soldier saw him
struggling and figured he was too weak
to continue so he fired at him several
times till he died. Father let out a few
screams but for a second did that
soldier stop with guilt, you bet not.
How could he?…
He was one them. He trained them.
Supported them. Looked after them.
DOES HE DESERVE THIS?
DO I DESERVE THIS?
DO WE DESERVE THIS?!?!
I know what you’re thinking, of course
I’m going to avenge my father’s death.
When I find out who the traitor is, I’ll kill
him, he’s going to suffer, just like
Father did without a doubt.
Hope you’re well
Much Love
Michael

8. ANTHEM1 FOR DOOMED YOUTH
What passing-bells2 for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle
Can patter out3 their hasty orisons.4
No mockeries5 now for them; no prayers nor bells;
Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs, –
The shrill, demented6 choirs of wailing shells;
And bugles7 calling for them from sad shires.8
What candles9 may be held to speed them all?
Not in the hands of boys but in their eyes
Shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes.
The pallor10 of girls' brows shall be their pall;
Their flowers the tenderness of patient minds,
And each slow dusk11 a drawing-down of blinds.12
“Anthem for Doomed Youth”, written by Wilfred
Owen, shows us the horrors of war and how
unfortunate it is to die in war. Owen fought in
World War I and wrote this poem while in a
hospital recovering from shell shock. “Anthem
for Doomed Youth” solemnly discusses death
in war and shows how those who die in war do
not receive the normal ceremonies that are
used to honor the dead. Owen was able to
express how he felt about those who died
while fighting in war, and he successfully
communicates a moving message to his
readers in “Anthem for Doomed Youth”.

9. Interview with
Sergeant M Morrison:PART1
“So, Sergeant Morrison, first of all,
how did you feel about the war
while it was going on?”
Well, at the beginning of the war, as you
may know…the government used
propaganda as a strong source to hook
people into the idea of joining the
army. They told people that it was
like a ‘home from home’ and that
‘you’ll be back by Christmas without a
doubt’. This obviously wasn’t true as
it went on for 4 years. But the
propaganda tricked us into thinking it
was all luxury. At the beginning of
the war we thought it was going to be
easy and an adventure. But when we
actually got to the battlefield it was
absolutely atrocious.
Truly and utterly horrendous. And day by
day sleeping in the trenches, I began
to realise how meaningless the war was
but I wasn’t able to escape as I was
likely to get caught and then shot and
I didn’t want to risk that.
PART
2

10. Interview with
Sergeant M Morrison :PART2
“How do you feel about the war now
that you’ve seen the results?”
To be completely honest, my views on
WW1 will never change. I never
signed up with the intention of
‘winning’. I just wanted to make my
mother proud and I’m not being
immodest or anything but I do feel
as if I did make her proud. Despite
winning the war, it doesn’t feel
like an actual victory seeing as we
were dragged into the whole
situation. WW1 was the most horrific
and shocking experience I had ever
been through throughout my teenage
years. I will always have strong
hate for the government at that time
for providing false information
through the propaganda posters, they
absolutely disgust me.
PART
3

11. Interview with
Sergeant M Morrison :PART3
“If the war happened again, would you
do anything differently this time”?
Definitely, I wouldn’t sign up to fight.
I’d apply to work in a factory or
something. I’d take any job as long as
it got me out of fighting in the war.

12. The British Times
At last! At last!
The war is over. Millions of innocent lives lost, we shall remember this day. World
War One ended on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month. This date shall
never be forgotten. Each year we will host a ceremony and take a moment to cherish
and show our appreciation and respect to those lives that gave their lives for the war.
It is important to know how much the war effected us. We must, as a country, never
forget this terrible tragedy and hope that something like this will never happen again.
Britain was most definitely not to blame for the start of the war anyway, we just had
gotten dragged into it.
Here we have an exclusive statement made by a British Soldier from WW1
during an interview.
“Remembrance Day should be an important event every year. I believe it’s really
respectful to give at least a minute silence to remember those who fought for our
country, even if it was by force. Despite the horrific conditions each and every
soldier, worker and helper gave as much as they could to make sure the Triple
Alliance won the war. It’s extremely necessary for children of this generation, the
next generation, the generation after that and so on to keep in mind of how lucky they
are to be where they are today and how they got here and who made it happen. It’s all
about the HISTORY Thank you.”