Flirting with the Front: The Marraines de Guerre and the Unofficial Intimacies of the Great War

In 2025, the International Society for First World War Studies created the President’s Undergraduate Essay Prize, as part of its mission to support the study of the First World War, and to give young researchers the opportunity to present and discuss their work. This annual competition is open to any undergraduate students worldwide from a recognised University or Higher Education Institution, for essays on any aspect of the First World War. The inaugural competition was won by Alexandra Doménech, studying history at the University of Edinburgh, with an essay on ‘marraines de guerre’. The judges praised the essay for showcasing a clear understanding of the complexities of gender in wartime and displaying very strong engagement with the existing literature. The judges were impressed by the work’s originality and the author’s excellent understanding of the period. Dr Chris Kempshall, Society President, commented that ‘the quality of the inaugural year’s submissions was incredibly high and Alexandra is a very deserved winner’.