This innovative paper opens up the whole study of the role played by mathematics and mathematicians in Britain in the First World War. Topics covered include pacifism, especially in Cambridge; the roles of the Royal Aircraft Factory and the National Physical Laboratory; the theory of gunnery; anti-aircraft work (which was led by Archibald Hill); Pearson’s human computers; and the limited use of code-breaking. A number of important figures are considered for the first time: George Greenhill, G. H. Bryan, and Hermann Glauert among them. Among the interesting conclusions of the paper is the equally important loss of a number of gifted young men who were killed because the British government did not do enough to harness their talents in other ways.
For the entire collection see [Zbl 1300.01008].