Behind the Wire: Prisoners of War 1914-18

By Robert Jackson

A unique story of POWs in World War I.

Covering traumatic capture on the battlefield, internment in POW camps, escape attempts, punishments, day-to-day boredom and meagre rations, Behind the Wire is a gripping, comprehensive history of the remarkable experiences of POWs in the First World War.

Opening with the desperate scene of the brutally cold, wind-swept POW camp at Wittenburg in December 1914, where 16,000 prisoners were dying in from exposure and malnutrition, Jackson weaves together official reports and first-hand accounts to reveal the immense challenges faced by all belligerent nations in housing their prisoners of war, and how the men behind the wire did all they could to survive and one day return home.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Jan 1, 1992
• ISBN: 9781472802705

Robert Jackson

Born in 1941 in North Yorkshire, Robert Jackson was educated at Richmond School, Yorkshire. He is a full-time writer and lecturer, mainly on aerospace and defence issues, and was the defence correspondent for North of England Newspapers. He is the author of more than 60 books on aviation and military subjects, including operational histories on famous aircraft such as the Mustang, Spitfire and Canberra. A former pilot and navigation instructor, he was a squadron leading in the RAF Volunteer Reserve.