Elsie and Mairi Go to War

A compelling story of famous but forgotten heroines: two exceptional Edwardian ladies in the front line mud and mayhem of World War I – Kate AdieDiane Atkinson has uncovered the lives of two extraordinary women who brought medical comfort and relief to the wounded of World War I. Her book is as absorbing as it is thorough, as entertaining as it is warm-hearted. A terrific story – Joan BakewellThe true story of best friends Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm who, when the First World War broke out, set up a first aid post on the Western Front. Their courage frequently made the headlines in Britain and both were awarded medals for their bravery. This biography is a fitting tribute to their role on the frontline – Charlotte Vowden * Daily Express *A terrific, true story, brought vividly to life * Mail on Sunday *Brilliantly readable * Lancashire Evening Post *

Diane Atkinson was born in the North-East and educated in Cornwall and London, where she completed a PhD on the politics of women’s sweated labour. At the Museum of London she worked as a lecturer and curator specializing in women’s history. She has an MA from the University of East Anglia in Life-writing. She is the author of Suffragettes in Pictures, Funny Girls- Cartooning for Equality and Love and Dirt- The Marriage of Arthur Munby and Hannah Cullwick, which was published in 2003.