This is a piece of propaganda produced by the government that is encouraging the women in britan to join the women's land army labeling it as 'national service'. This image is useful to us as we can see a stereotypical image of a women at the time and get an Idea of what they would have worn which we can take into account when creating scenes and working on physicality. The image also highlights how important religion was at the time which is useful when writing scripts as It is something we could include and also helps us when thinking what would have influenced people's views at the time. 

WW1 rationing

Rationing was introduced towards the end of World War One, it became compulsory in February 1918. At the beginning of the war people began to panic buy fearing there would be good shortages, however calmed down quickly and the issue of food wasn't brought up again until much later in the war.

Rationing was introduced by the government when British ships carrying food began to get sunk by German u boats ( submarines). It meant that the government had to look for alternative sources of food and so came about the ideas of 'grow your own' and 'eat less'.

'Grow your own' was mainly seen in WW2 however was used to an extent in WW1. It encouraged women and children to plant their own vegetables and was a peice of propaganda that presented this in a 'fun' and 'positive' light. 'Eat less' was more commonly used. It was again a piece of propaganda however this time suggested the public cut down on what they were eating. One of the most famous prices of it is 'eat less bread'.

Ration lines were found in local shops and varied  in length throughout the day depending on what was available and where. Each member of the public was given a ration book in which held the amounts of each product they were allowed. They were a very frustrating place to be. Meat ration lines were proberly the most hectic as they didn't determine the type of meat you would receive and it would all depend on what was avalible when you got there.

 

Rationing is primarily seen as a negative thing however it did hugely improve the diet of people all around the country.

All this information is useful to us in our rationing piece as it allows us to acurately display on our faces how the people would have been feeling and what actions they may have been performing. One of the most key bits of information is that it was introuced at the end of the war as from this we know that the excitement of war would have worn off and people would instead be praying for it to end. 

The first world war is often referred to as the first machine war. lorries and tractors were used to pull the weaponry required for trench warfare and tanks were also invented taken from the idea of the steam tractor which introduced 'mechanized warfare'.

airplanes also started to be used for the first time carrying bombs and performing reconnaissance in place of cavalry which used to be 'the eyes of the army'. most casualties were caused by heavy artillery and machine guns which were being used on a large scale for the first time.

there was even an art movement called futurism which depicted the war in the with emphasis on machines even men were mad angular like parts of machines they operated.

an example of futurism showing men returning to the trenches like a train.

knowing about the machinery in the war is useful to the devising process as it allows us to see what the men would have been working with and how we could make it physical on stage. images like this are very abstract and are helpful as they show the war in a different experimental light.

communication

During the great war communication was vital whether it was between soldiers and their families or planes and ships. however all communication regarding the war and tactics had to be very closely guarded so it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands. many different techniques were used including:

• telephones
• radio
• letters
• visual communication
• pigeons 
• Morse code

fashion in world war one

During world war one womens fashion changed dramatically, with a lack of fabric and money people had to 'make do and mend' patches on clothing became a common site and fashion became more practical and some what mere masculine. women had to take on the work that the men had left behind in the factories and fields, therefore many were often dressed in uniforms that would consist of plain colors and cheep fabrics.

The trench coat was also invented, the name came about as it was used by soldiers in the trenches as it was thought to be a practical coat that wouldn't get covered in dry mud and would also keep the soldiers warm. as well as being warn in the trenches it was also worn at home by women and is still seen today.

Knowing about fashion at the time is helpful in devising a piece as it aids you in picturing a character and how they would have looked. knowing soldiers only form of 'armor' is a coat allows you to imagine just how vulnerable and scared they would have felt. also by knowing that hand me downs and patches were common sight you can come to terms with just how poor people of the time were and how limited they were because of rationing.

Conditions in the trenches

"There was nothing glamorous about trench life. World War 1 trenches were dirty, smelly and riddled with disease. For soldiers life in the trenches meant living in fear. In fear of diseases (like cholera and trench foot) and of course, the constant fear of enemy attack.

Trench warfare WW1 style is something all participating countries vowed never to repeat and the facts make it easy to see why."

- section from 'life in the trenches'

This information is useful to us as it shows the danger the soldiers were facing not only whilst fighting but whilst sleeping and eating. It also shows how the governments were putting there men at risk in so many ways making them fight a battle that wasn't theirs. knowing this allows us to understand the constant fear soldiers were dealing with and the shock they would face when arriving at the trenches. For most men fighting seemed like an honour so the contrast would have been great between their reaction before and after they had arrived.

         THE TRENCHES -WW1 

During world war one soldiers at war would live in trenches for long periods of time whilst fighting. These trenches became there home as well as their safest place. The only thing separating them from themselves and their enemy's was no man's land so war was constantly surrounding them. Their only escape was the letters they would receive from their loved ones and games they could play, such as cards, with their fellow soldiers whilst not fighting. In this picture we can see the harsh reality of what it is like, men, loved ones and friends are laying dead on the ground whilst one man is sleeping another aiming his gun at a target. I believe this image is helpful to us during the devising process as it shows the haunting images soldiers were seeing on a day to day basis and how brave they had to be. It also represents how ugly war can be which would be an interesting theme to display in a piece of theatre.