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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Somme Mud


Dolphin

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I have a copy of 'Somme Mud' hidden away, ready to take on holiday next month (ironically we are going to Turkey - Bodrum nowhere near the battlefields).

I don't mind if it is a work of fact or fiction. I will make my judgement once I've read it.

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, which has made me decide to add the book to my vacation reading.

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Like so many of the relatively new publishing genre of 'rediscovered memoirs' that coincides with the passing of the last veterans I believe 'Somme Mud' probably says more about popular attitudes to history in the twenty first century than adding anything new to the classic literature and experience of the Great War.

Ken

Hi Ken,

I was interested in your review, quoting only an excerpt above. What I noted was your focus on the politically-incorrect portions and what I gather is your suggestion that the provenance of this memoir may be questionable. (In North America the term "politically-correct" is now a derisive one and refers to a quasi-fascist, properly derided way of thinking best relegated to academia where it can do little harm) Are you suggesting that this "text" is nothing but a work of carefully constructed fiction?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Dolphin, remember that at the end of the book, it says that the recollections may be his experiences, the experiences of a freind, or simply made up, thus the information may not be all true. Nevertheless, it is an excellent book!!!

Worth reading!

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  • 4 weeks later...

A fascinating if somewhat combative thread!!

I have just checked on Amazonc.o.uk and you can now pre-order In the Footsteps of Private Lynch in Paperback

by Will Davies for £7.99 - it states the release date as 28 Jan 2010.

Ian.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I found the book very interesting but was initially a bit taken aback by the direct term of phrase and general terminology of private Lynch's story. Its a no-nonsense account of a soldier's life, in this case an AIF digger. Lynch adds further dimension to the mind of the reader of what it must of been like by managing to convey the desperate daily survival and horror of frontline men caught up in trench warfare. There are invariably lighter moments which are mentioned and I guess humour and gamemanship played its part in keeping spirits up - these are well shared and well received by the reader.

It was without doubt an absorbing read which I would highly recommend to anyone even faintly interested in the great war.

10/10

Richie

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G'day Richie,

I appreciate your candid view and rating of the book.

I feel some of the detractors of Lynch should take heed.

I know that I have a somewhat biased opinion, being an Australian and having met both the son of Pte Lynch and the editor of the book but I feel that it is a worthy addition to the annals of the Great War.

Regards

Pop

(Sean McManus)

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  • 11 months later...

Hello , just read this on Holiday will now send it on the rounds of my family , thought it was excellent some of the discriptions on finding the dead tommys was amazing , one of the most honest and genuine of this type of book i have read.

Rich M :blink::poppy::ph34r:

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  • 1 year later...

The first time I started to read this book I just couldn't put it down, I throughly enjoyed it from start to finish and have since re-read it twice.

It is written in such away that you feel a part of the history itself.

An excellent read in my humble opinion

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  • 1 month later...

Finally got around to reading Somme Mud after reading the second book In the Footsteps of Private Lynch first after the late forum pal Kevin kindly shared it with us here:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=114494&st=75

Found Somme Mud to be an absolute cracker of a book. For me this has to rank alongside Storm of Steel and Devil in the Drum as another favourite of that type of first person narrative. Read it whilst on the Somme, visited the places mentioned and paid my respects

Now I'll buy my own copy of In the Footsteps of Private Lynch to read again

(noticed both books for sale at the Thiepval visitor centre)

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  • 8 years later...

This book is now available online.

 

Somme Mud : the experiences of an infantryman in France, 1916-1919 by E P F Lynch (Edward), edited by Will Davies. Published 2008, written in 1921. Lynch was in the Australian Imperial Force.  Archive.org Books to Borrow/Lending Library.

 

The initial borrow is for an hour, then at the end of the hour you can   renew for another hour etc.

 

Cheers

Maureen

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