Dimensions
130 x 200 x 20mm
One of the crucial factors which kept Tommy going on the
Western Front was his facility to see what was comic in the
horror, deprivation and discomfort of trench warfare, an
attitude which blossomed further in the rest areas behind
the lines. The nature of the comedy ranged from gentle irony
to a rougher hilarity that produced on belly laughs. Such
laughter could arise from extreme physical pain and
discomfort, from the provision of sustenance and from
matters relating to dress, equipment and weapons. A further
source of fun was bizarre events not dissimilar to situation
comedy and pantomime. Moreover, a whole culture of humour
surrounded Tommy's words and songs, and many trench pets -
cats, dogs, horses, goats, even rats - were in on the joke
in one way or another. Nor was it only the British soldiers
who managed to find something to laugh about in the trenches
- the Germans could sometimes see the funny side as well. A
Bloody Picnic provides an unusual perspective on how
soliders coped with the grim realities of the First World
War.
