The story of the deserters of World War I who were executed in the morning and later pardoned almost a century later has often been mentioned, but these 306 soldiers represent a small proportion of the deserters. More than 80,000 cases of desertion and absence were tried in courts-martial on the home front, but these soldiers have been overlooked. In this challenging and methodically researched narrative, Andrea Hetherington restores the truth by describing the deserters who disappeared from barracks and camps in Great Britain at an alarming rate.

It reveals how they used a range of survival strategies, some saying goodbye to any connection with the army, while others hid within the community. The reasons for desertion varied. Some were already living a life of crime, while others were conscientious objectors who refused to respond to their calls. Boredom, protest, problems at home, or physical and mental disabilities all played a role in the men's decision to escape.

Andrea Hetherington's timely book gives us a vivid picture of a long-ignored aspect of World War I.