
audiobook
An American wanderer, restless after weeks in the Welsh hills, answers the call of “Kitchener’s Mob” and steps into a bustling London recruiting line. He offers his U.S. citizenship with a grin, eager for adventure yet aware of the unknown stretch ahead. The early chapters capture his hesitant enlistment, the crisp military commands, and the mixture of pride and uncertainty that fuels his decision to join a foreign army.
Once in the trenches, the narrative shifts to the gritty reality of life on the Western Front. Readers hear the clatter of mud‑caked boots, the cramped, labyrinthine dugouts, and the soldiers’ dry humor that lightens even the darkest moments. Detailed sketches of trench construction give a vivid sense of the environment, while the camaraderie among the men reveals a humanity that persists amid artillery fire.
Through clear, personal storytelling, the book offers an intimate glimpse of early World War I combat, inviting listeners to experience the sights, sounds, and spirit of the volunteer soldiers who first answered the call.
Language
en
Duration
~3 hours (214K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Geetu Melwani, Riikka Talonpoika and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
Release date
2006-10-29
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1887–1951
Best known for the seafaring novels that became The Bounty Trilogy, this Iowa-born writer also lived an unusually adventurous life, serving with Allied forces in World War I before settling in Tahiti.
View all books