Q.6.a and Other places: Recollections of 1916, 1917 and 1918

The book offers a candid, first‑person account of a young lawyer‑turned‑soldier who finds himself in the trenches of France and Flanders between 1916 and 1918. He describes the uneasy shift from civilian life in London to the grim reality of the Western Front, recalling the early days of training, the impact of the Lusitania tragedy, and the uneasy anticipation that preceded the great offensives. Through his eyes the reader hears the clatter of artillery, the cramped dugouts, and the quiet moments when men shared jokes and letters despite the looming danger.

Rather than focusing on grand strategies, the narrative dwells on the everyday bravery of the 7th Northumberland Fusiliers and the 149th Infantry Brigade, letting personal anecdotes reveal the bonds that kept soldiers moving forward. The author’s measured tone avoids sensationalism, yet it conveys the stark contrast between the serene English countryside he left behind and the mud‑slicked fields of the Somme. Listeners will come away with a nuanced sense of the war’s human cost and the quiet dignity that emerged amid its chaos.