Tommy by Richard Holmes

[DirtyDick]

I remember when I went for a pre-RCB interview with the recruiting Colonel of the PWRR several years ago I got the shock of my life to see that he was on the back cover of the regimental magazine, replete with Dress Blues and TD, since he was (and is) their honorary colonel. Had I joined that reg. I could no doubt have had many a wonderful meal with the gent - but would also be in flyblown Iraq, so it's swings and roundabouts.

Richard

[Derek Robertson]

"Tommy" is now on sale at PSBooks.co.uk for £7.99 (ex p&p)

TOMMY

[Justin Moretti]

I found this book a little slow to get into, and some of the chapters were not my specific interest, but that's just my problem. On the whole I have to say that I think Holmes has done a bloody good job, and I am glad I bought the book.

[Edward_N_Kelly]

I also found a dozen errors/typos.  'A man who never made a mistake never made anything', and the number of real errors is [exposed to my rather specialised knowledge] very few, and does nothing to alter my view that this is a marvellous book which will become a standard reference. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Did any by chance include the use "ANZAC" ?

Edward

[John_Hartley]

I work to a pretty strict procedure of reading books in the order in why I acquire them (otherwise I have a tendency to have “flavours of the month”). So it’s taken me until now to read this 2005 Christmas present.

Holmes manages the almost impossible. He covers just about every aspect of a soldier’s life and writes in an interesting and enjoyable style. For those who only know of him from his television programmes, he comes to this book with his knowledgeable but “everyman” manner that will be familiar.

Having finished the book, I now feel that I know a little about an awful lot. And this is why I feel in two minds about it.

You’ll find a couple of pages on, say, the use of the bayonet. A couple more on mining. A page or two on dealing with lice. All of them leave you wanting to know much, much more. OK, I lied about the lice - the two pages are absolutely sufficient.

The book is intended as a “good read”, not as a reference book. And, to some extent, that is a pity. For its indexing lets it down for the enthusiast. Whilst you will find an index reference to “bayonet fighting”, you will not find one for “lice” or “field punishment”. Sometimes, you just need to know a little and it would have been handy to be able to find the page in the future

So, is this book for you? Well, yes. Your presence here means you are an anorak of some form. Therefore, you will have to have it. The true anoraks will already have it and will have read it months ago.

The book also includes pages on sex and humour (although not necessarily related). And, so I’ll conclude with just one quote (which conforms to the “you couldn’t make the name if you tried” rule):-

“Brook, Jackson and myself all had some homosexual tendencies and in the days and nights of stress we masturbated, but kisses on unshaven faces were rare and then only at moments of acute danger”. True poignancy from the writer……Eric Hiscock.

John

[stevew]

I found this book quite slow. It has taken me an enternity to read, I think it covers too much ground, some parts were fantastic, and other very boring. I am the wiser for reading it, but I would be hard pushed to recommend it.

John's review is very good and I like his quote about knowing a little about a lot, the trouble is I feel as though I will forget a little of an awful lot including the bit parts I enjoyed.

Overall it shows every aspect of the life of the Tommy on the Western Front so it is hard to criticise it in that respect

[AndyHollinger]

I, too, aquired it with great expectations ... but found it very interesting in parts and deadly in others. I guess that's because it is a compendium of the BEF ... it's got just about everything ... not in any depth, but theres a couple of pages on almost any question. I felt as if I were reading an on-line database ... I have Redcoats but haven't started it ...

It's one of those things that you probably should have ... but it doesn't change your life reading it ...

[Desmond7]

Said it before .. I'll say it again.

Tommy should have been confined to ranks and NCOs.

I contend he should have written a follow-up called (for want of a better title) 'Rupert' for all the officer and staff stuff.

Des

[Muerrisch]

what, and be divisive or exclusive?

and how handle the thousands who became commissioned ..... a bit at the end of Tommy and the beginning of 'Rupert'?

[Desmond7]

The obvious name for that volume of the trilogy would, of course, have been ....

Thomas.

[Muerrisch]

Not JOHN Thomas surely?

[Desmond7]

No doubt about it .. Thomas ..

Although I dare say a fair few who rose from the ranks felt like the aforementioned monicker on their first day with a pip on their shoulder(s).

Hence the lament of the once omnipotent RSM who had struck fear into an entire battalion, had the ear of the CO and was a monstrosity in the eyes of lower forms of life such as subalterns. Promoted to 2nd Lt. he was miserable. Like me.

And I probably read that in the Prof's book. Just arguing against myself here. Talking to oneself is most therapeutic.

[Muerrisch]

Worry not: it was RSM Michael Murphy RWF, who said he was the lowest bum-wart in the battalion after being commissioned.

[ressmex]

I have just finished the book and I find that Richard Holmes writes in the same manner as he presents his war walks series on TV which has you glued to the set for the duration. It is the same with TOMMY, I found myself returning time after time re-reading chapters and will probably not leave it to long on the bookshelf before reading it again.

TOM

[spike10764]

Tommy by Richard Holmes, an excellent all rounder and good first book about the Great War soldier. Yes it covers a wide range, but surely it was supposed to. Tom correctly likens it to his War Walks TV series and all the enthusiasm he put into the series, he puts into this book....