Board game: Recruiting for Kitchener's Army

Category

Museums & Galleries Item

Item no

36554

Title

Board game: Recruiting for Kitchener's Army

Description

Board game. made of board with paper playing surface. Folds down the centre. Board printed in colour. Based on a map of a soldier's journey. Includes rules of the game and an image of a soldier from a Scottish regiment, a heavy gun and military insignia.

Date

1916

Type

Toy

Location

Museum of Edinburgh

Accession number

MC35.86

In this game, players aim to reach Dover ready for transport to the Front. Obstacles in the way include having 'smoker's heart' or 'defective' teeth. These health issues were a very real barrier to effective service. An article in The Scotsman of July 1915 reported the claim that more was being spent on soldiers' teeth than on munitions.

Lord Kitchener was the British Secretary of State for War in the early stages of the War. He was responsible for a massive recruitment campaign for the New Army, made up of volunteers as opposed to existing regular or Territorial troops.

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Related subjects

Events > Wars > World wars

People > Military activities > Soldiers

Places > Scotland

Places > United Kingdom

Toys > Indoor games > Board games