[Great War] Autobiographies Anonymous

[other ranker]

I agree, a super book. Insanely jealous of the image above!

[Black Maria]

21 hours ago, WilliamRev said:

Several years ago, in my search for 3rd Division memoirs, I read of The Phantom Brigade by A.P.G. Vivian, but second-hand copies were pricey - the cheapest I could find online was £178 for what is a slim volume - so I gave it a miss and forgot about it. However I recently discovered that within the last couple a years a paperback reprint had become available, and I purchased one from Amazon for £11.50. (Link: HERE)

Vivian was a Lance Corporal in the 4th Middlesex Regiment, 3rd Division, and the book covers the first few weeks of the war, from 3 August-3 September 1914, when Vivian had some interesting adventures, ending with his wounding. (He later returned and served as an officer in the RFC/RAF,  but that is not covered by this brief 250 page book). It is nicely written, and is a highly-readable jolly romp; I particularly liked the description of the Reservists first arriving at the barracks in early August, mostly staggering in paralytically drunk, which is a refreshing (and I am sure truthful) account after all those tales of keen Reservists flooding in, bright-eyed and thirsty for action, which appear in regimental histories. However, one never doubts the book's authenticity. and for a feeling of the early days of the war I highly recommend it.

William

Yes , it's a superb memoir and one of my favourites . Here's a previous thread about it .  

 

[WilliamRev]

On 03/05/2023 at 10:42, Black Maria said:

Yes , it's a superb memoir and one of my favourites . Here's a previous thread about it .  

 

Thanks for pointing out this thread. I'm glad that others share my enthusiasm for the book, and perhaps a few will purchase a copy now that it has been reprinted.

William

Edited 4 May , 2023 by WilliamRev

[IlluminatiRex]

Hello all,

I'm looking for cavalry (or Yeomanry) memoirs. Currently I've got Christian Mallet (Impressions and Experiences of a French Trooper) and Marcel Dupont (Chasseur of 1914) for the French; Vladimiar Littauer (Russian Hussar) for the Russians and Benjamin Clouting (Teenage Tommy) and Robert Alleyn Lloyd (Trooper in the Tins) for the British.

Looking for more, especially British but any nation will do

[Black Maria]

8 hours ago, IlluminatiRex said:

Hello all,

I'm looking for cavalry (or Yeomanry) memoirs. Currently I've got Christian Mallet (Impressions and Experiences of a French Trooper) and Marcel Dupont (Chasseur of 1914) for the French; Vladimiar Littauer (Russian Hussar) for the Russians and Benjamin Clouting (Teenage Tommy) and Robert Alleyn Lloyd (Trooper in the Tins) for the British.

Looking for more, especially British but any nation will do

Three more recent ones that shouldn't be too expensive or hard to find are - 'Massacre of the Innocents - The Crofton Diaries ' (Roynon )  and 'The Diary of a WW1 Cavalry Officer' ( A. Home ) , 'Indian Cavalry Officer' (Roly Grimshaw) ,  Some others are 'With the Cavalry in the West ' ( Aquila ) , 'The Squadroon'  (Beaman ) , 'Cavalry and Sporting memories' (Vaughan ) , 'Brotherhood of Arms ' (Brooke)  .

Edited 13 May , 2023 by Black Maria

[IlluminatiRex]

16 hours ago, Black Maria said:

Three more recent ones that shouldn't be too expensive or hard to find are - 'Massacre of the Innocents - The Crofton Diaries ' (Roynon )  and 'The Diary of a WW1 Cavalry Officer' ( A. Home ) , 'Indian Cavalry Officer' (Roly Grimshaw) ,  Some others are 'With the Cavalry in the West ' ( Aquila ) , 'The Squadroon'  (Beaman ) , 'Cavalry and Sporting memories' (Vaughan ) , 'Brotherhood of Arms ' (Brooke)  .

Cheers, thank you!

[Marilyne]

Good afternoon all, 

Methinks this threadmight be the best one in which to put my question: I'm turning my attention towards Australia, ANZAC troops, first of all of course the nurses, but also in general the Australian contribution to the war. Having visited Villers Bretonneux last summer, I think it's as good an opportunity to learn as any other.

My question: what would be, in your opinion, the MUST READ diaries and bios of ANZAC soldiers ... of all ranks... 

M. 

[Black Maria]

7 hours ago, Marilyne said:

Good afternoon all, 

Methinks this threadmight be the best one in which to put my question: I'm turning my attention towards Australia, ANZAC troops, first of all of course the nurses, but also in general the Australian contribution to the war. Having visited Villers Bretonneux last summer, I think it's as good an opportunity to learn as any other.

My question: what would be, in your opinion, the MUST READ diaries and bios of ANZAC soldiers ... of all ranks... 

M. 

My choice would be this memoir , originally published in 1937 . 

[Dust Jacket Collector]

20 hours ago, Marilyne said:

Good afternoon all, 

Methinks this threadmight be the best one in which to put my question: I'm turning my attention towards Australia, ANZAC troops, first of all of course the nurses, but also in general the Australian contribution to the war. Having visited Villers Bretonneux last summer, I think it's as good an opportunity to learn as any other.

My question: what would be, in your opinion, the MUST READ diaries and bios of ANZAC soldiers ... of all ranks... 

M. 

I’d agree with blackmaria, an excellent book. There are numerous contemporary ANZAC accounts. I’d put alongside the above :-

Ion Idriess - Desert Column, first published in 1932 & reprinted many times- hugely popular.

E.J.Rule’s Jacka’s Mob from 1933, W.H. Downing’s ’To the Last Ridge’ from 1920 & Eric Wren’s History of the 3rd Battalion A.I.F. ‘Randwick to Hargicourt’ from 1935.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

In the 1930s the publisher of most of the Australian memoirs, Angus & Robertson, gathered together their best accounts to date and published 12 of them under the title ‘The Gallant Legion’. You can’t go wrong with any of them (If you’re feeling flush, Tom Donovan has a complete set!).

[other ranker]

The nursing book in the 'Gallant Legion' series is, 'The Grey Battalion', by May Tilton. It's very hard to find in the original edition. I can't find a modern copy in print.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

7 minutes ago, other ranker said:

The nursing book in the 'Gallant Legion' series is, 'The Grey Battalion', by May Tilton. It's very hard to find in the original edition. I can't find a modern copy in print.

Several on ABE, sans jacket, but all at £2-300. Mine came from that nice man in Brighton.

[Marilyne]

On 05/06/2021 at 12:35, Black Maria said:

Maybe it's something to do with Manchester Guardian journalists but i also found 'Disenchantment' by C.E Montague very hard going but at least 

that had his story of the dead British officer with forged battle plans who was floated down the River Scarpe to hopefully be found by the Germans

that i found interesting and i somehow managed to finish it . 

 

Could somebody tell me which chapter this is?? So I can skip to that... Started reading "Disenchantment" today and for the academic mind that I am, that likes introductions, conclusions and at least something of a structure in het books, this one's NOT EASY ... 

 

M.