'Company K'

[Uncle George]

Nearly 40 years ago I bought a slim volume in a second-hand bookshop, and thought it a little odd. I still have it, and still think it a little odd. Yet 'Company K' by William March (1933) has been widely praised, by Graham Greene and Ernest Hemingway amongst others. Indeed, Hemingway, apparently, wanted to include an excerpt in his 'Men at War - The Best War Stories of All Time'.

I mention in here to see who else has read it, and if they share my opinion.

[archangel9]

Never read it but sounds very interesting -

"It is the first novel by William March, pen name for William Edward Campbell. Stemming directly from the author s experiences with the U.S. Marines in France during World War I, the book consists of 113 sketches, or chapters, tracing the fictional Company K s war exploits and providing an emotional history of the men of the company that extends beyond the boundaries of the war itself. William Edward Campbell served courageously in France as evidenced by his chestful of medals and certificates, including the Croix de Guerre, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Navy Cross. However, without the medals and citations we would know of his bravery. For it is clear in the pages of Company K that this book was written by a man who had been to war, who had clearly seen his share of the worst of it, who had somehow survived, and who had committed himself afterward to the new bravery of sense-making embodied in the creation of major literary art. It is of that bravery that we still have the record of magnificent achievement, the brave terrible gift of Company K."

Sources various: Abe, Amazon, etc.

[SiegeGunner]

I am afraid there is also a film based on the book, available on DVD. Searching 'Company K' using the forum search facility would doubtless throw up previous discussions of both the film and the book.

[David Ridgus]

I am afraid there is also a film based on the book, available on DVD. Searching 'Company K' using the forum search facility would doubtless throw up previous discussions of both the film and the book.

I saw it years ago and it was a right dog's breakfast. If you think of the kicking The Crimson Field is currently getting elsewhere on the Forum I shudder to think what would happen if this film were on TV as part of the Centenary!

David

[4thGordons]

The film is awful - I thought the book was good, quirky but, given when it was written I thought it was good. I think I posted a short review of it somewhere on here in a previous discussion as Siege Gunner mentions. Having read the book you can see what the film was trying (and failing) to do but it was still poor.

Chris

[SiegeGunner]

I remember in particular the dugout that was comfortably tricked out like a Western bunkhouse, the trench revetments obviously fashioned by cabinet-makers, and the generous allocation of sub-machine guns to both sides ...

The plots of many of the vignettes in the film were common myths, clichés and apochryphal stories, so if it is based on the book, I doubt if that can be much better.

[4thGordons]

I would suggest reading the book. Published as excerpts in the early 1930s and as full book in 1933(?) what have become cliches now may not have been then.

And although the stories may be apocryphal (it is a novel!) they may be interesting because Company K is an early telling of them.

I make no attempt to defend the film, but I do suggest the book should be judged on its own merits/lack thereof rather than being dismissed on the basis of a poor adaptation.

Chris

[Dust Jacket Collector]

I agree with Chris. This is one of the finest American War books, up there with Boyd's 'Through the Wheat'. The author's real name was William March Campbell & it was first published in 1933 in the US & in the same year by Gollancz in the UK. It was considered to be rather experimental as each short chapter tells the story from the point of view of a different member of the Company. It's been reprinted fairly recently but the original is scarce.

[SiegeGunner]

I am sceptical, but if Chris and DJC speak up for the book, I think I had better read it. As regards the film, I watched a low-budget American WW2 movie last night, 'The Red Rose of Normandy', that makes the screen adaptation of 'Company K' look like a masterpiece ...

[David Filsell]

The book has just been republished in paperback by Appollo isbn is 9781786694119. New intro by Patrick Hennessy - not sure if he's the politico/pr/hack or the soldier who wrote about Afghan. Also trying to find the review by no less than Grahame Greene in the specie on April 7 1933. The book was also as noted on the thread admired byErnest Hemingway. No pressure in writing my review for Tand To then!!

[Uncle George]

On 12 April 2017 at 17:22, David Filsell said:

The book has just been republished in paperback by Appollo isbn is 9781786694119. New intro by Patrick Hennessy - not sure if he's the politico/pr/hack or the soldier who wrote about Afghan. Also trying to find the review by no less than Grahame Greene in the specie on April 7 1933. The book was also as noted on the thread admired byErnest Hemingway. No pressure in writing my review for Tand To then!!

 

There certainly is some powerful writing in 'Company K': one vignette is by a man cruelly disfigured in the war: he insists that his pre-war fiancee marries him, despite his appearance and her reluctance. He remembers their wedding night:

 

[...] I can see her face that night [...] how she trembled and covered her face with her hands because she couldn't bear to look at me [...]

 

Then I came over to her, but I did not touch her. I got down on my knees and rested my face in her lap . . . . If she had only touched my head with her hand! If she had only spoken one word of understanding! . . . But she didn't. She closed her eyes and pulled away. I could feel the muscles in her legs rigid with disgust.

 

 "If you touch me, I'll vomit," she said.

 

[David Filsell]

Dear GreatWar Uncle.

Having started the book it is both a surprising, amazingly well sustained and audacious piece of work in my opinion. It is highly unusual in its construction, in fact I have never read a book quite like it before. I have been trying without success to find the reviews by Hemingway and Greene which were understandably very positive. One has absolute faith in the events he records, which clearly he either experienced or heard tell of. Quite the best work by an American soldier - actually a marine - I have read. The term classic is truly deserved. I will be reviewing it for Stand To! -  but if you enjoy well crafted authorship don't wait. By a copy now.

[charlesmessenger]

One needs to compare it to John W Thomason's Fix Bayonets. He also fought with the Marines in France and was awarded similar decorations. Certainly, the USMC regarded him as the genuine article.

 

Charles M

[Uncle George]

On 14 April 2017 at 17:50, David Filsell said:

I have been trying without success to find the review by Greene which was understandably very positive. 

 

Here it is (page 24):

 

http://archive.spectator.co.uk/page/7th-april-1933/24

[David Filsell]

Very Great Uncle George,

Most kind, generous and greatly appreciated.

Very best regards

David