Leaves from a Field Note-Book

In this intimate memoir a former Home Office commissioner recounts five months on the General Headquarters staff of the British Expeditionary Force. Moving from the bustling base camps to the mud‑filled front lines, he records daily inspections, hurried meals, and the quiet moments that punctuate the chaos of war. The narrative weaves together his official duties—visiting corps headquarters, accompanying artillery batteries, and even slipping into the trenches—with vivid snapshots of the men who kept the machine running.

Presented as a series of short sketches and ‘conte’‑style tales, the book balances factual detail with modest fictional flourishes, allowing the author to stay out of the spotlight while letting the characters speak for themselves. Readers hear the clatter of kitchen pans in a ship’s galley, the solemn humor of officers ordering haircuts, and the raw edge of stories like “Stokes’s Act” that capture the human cost of conflict. Its unvarnished perspective offers a compelling, grounded listening experience for anyone curious about the everyday realities behind the headlines of the Great War.