Local author Dan Black will be at the Merrickville Book Emporium this Saturday, January 18th, from 11 am to 2 pm signing copies of his recent book, Old Enough To Fight.

Old Enough To Fight presents the untold story of the underage soldiers who fought for Canada in the Great War.

Over 15,000 underage boys signed up for Canada’s armed forces. Boys as young as ten fought alongside their elders in all the major battles of the First World War. Many were injured or suffered psychological wounds. Many died. This is the first book to tell their story.

Some boys joined up to escape unhappy homes and workplaces. Others went with their parents' blessing, carrying letters from fathers and mothers asking the recruiters to take their eager sons.

Authors Dan Black and John Boileau, who narrate the fighting with both military professionalism and humanity, portray many boys who, in the heat of battle, made a seamless transition from follower to leader to hero. The authors combed the archives and collections to bring these stories to life.

Meticulously researched and abundantly illustrated with photographs, paintings, and a collection of specially commissioned maps, Old Enough to Fight is Canadian military and social history at its most fascinating.