DEAR LIZZIE

World War I saw thousands of New Zealand men sail from their shores to fight for the "Old Country".

Those who returned rarely spoke of their experiences and friends and family were often left to wonder just what they had seen.

One such soldier was Ira Robinson. However, he was a frequent letter-writer, mainly to his sister Lizzie.

These letters have been passed down through generations of his family and have now been collected together and edited by his grand daughter, Chrissie Ward.

Ira Robinson was a keen observer of his surroundings and of the people around him, and his letters reveal vivid details about the conditions of the soldiers and the civilians of the time.

He describes the life and habits of soldiers in camp, in hospital and in action, including the infamous battle of Passchendaele. And his pen portraits of the desultory existence of the peasants in France, and the hardships of the villagers in England make fascinating reading.

Illustrated with Ira's own drawings and with photos of military and social interest.