The Fourth Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment) and the Great War

A vivid, first‑person chronicle, this work records the day‑to‑day experiences of a Territorial battalion as Britain plunged into war. Compiled from Lieutenant‑Colonel Wadham’s notes, it opens with the hurried mobilization of August 1914, the scramble for equipment, and the uneasy transition from peacetime drills to guard duties on vital bridges and railways. The narrative captures the mix of anticipation and routine that defined those early weeks, from makeshift transport and a variety of draft animals to the sudden orders that sent the men home and then back out again.

The diary then moves through the battalion’s successive deployments, tracing their path from training camps to the front lines of Festubert, Picardy, Arras, the Somme, and Ypres. Along the way, listeners hear about the mundane and the momentous—soldiers’ camaraderie, the logistics of supply, and the first taste of combat—offering an intimate glimpse into the lives of those who answered the call. The account remains grounded in personal observation, providing a clear window onto the realities of the Great War’s opening chapters.