S.O.S. Stand to!

In this vivid memoir a Canadian artillery sergeant recounts his journey from the bustling recruitment lines of home to the grim front‑line trenches of the Great War. He paints the rush of enlistment, the nervous camaraderie with friends like Burt, and the swift transition from civilian life to the disciplined world of the “sacrifice battery.” The opening pages thrust listeners into the sensory roar of cannon fire, the grim calculations of getting shells to their targets, and the stark realization that artillery, not just infantry charges, decides the fate of battles.

Through concise, unembellished prose, the narrator conveys both the pride and the peril of serving in a unit that suffers the highest losses. He reflects on the personal cost, the thin line between luck and tragedy, and his unwavering belief that the fight will shape the future of democracy. The account offers a grounded, soldier‑focused window onto iconic battles such as Ypres, the Somme, and Vimy Ridge, inviting listeners to experience the strain and resolve of those who manned the guns.