With Joffre at Verdun: A Story of the Western Front

In the first weeks of the Great War, a young officer named Henri de Farquissaire finds himself caught between two identities—his polished British appearance and his unmistakable French heart. Through his eyes the listener is taken from the cramped, uneasy camp at Ruhleben to the tense march toward the front, where the rhythm of drills and whispered jokes mask an undercurrent of dread. Brereton’s vivid recollections capture the cramped bunks, the clatter of boots, and the uneasy anticipation that hangs over every soldier before the first barrage.

The narrative then moves toward Verdun, where Henri joins a mixed brigade of seasoned veterans and raw recruits. The author paints the landscape of mud‑filled trenches, the roar of distant artillery, and the small acts of bravery that define daily life on the Western Front. Listeners will feel the camaraderie, the fear, and the strange pride that sustains a generation thrust into a war they could scarcely imagine.