In August 1914, Lord Kitchener, the war minister, began a recruiting campaign calling for men aged between 19 and 30 to join the British Army.
Harry Williams, my Grandfather, was born in 1896 and volunteered for the army before his 19th birthday. Men could volunteer at age 18 but were not allowed to serve abroad until they were 19 years old. This did not deter Harry!
It is not an encyclopaedic record, but it is a true account of his army exploits. Despite his claim to be uneducated, his writing has a colourful style, punctuated by his unique humour and descriptive narrative of the often pitiful conditions he and his comrades were subjected to.
The Grimsby Evening Telegraph described it as
Grimsby Evening Telegraph
“a very emotional and sentimental read”
He recounts the challenge of telling his parents he had joined the Army, especially as his mother who was strongly against military service. Harry describes the early days of training, and the difficulties faced by new recruits adapting to harsh conditions and learning the unforgiving realities of military life.
Harry’s story provides a powerful and insightful portrayal of the realities of war, highlighting the courage, sacrifice, and camaraderie of the soldiers who fought on the Western Front.
Read more about Harry’s book on the Trenches and Trees web site.
The book is Available from Amazon and other online book stores.
Harry’s story vividly describes some events that no-one should ever be exposed to – let alone a teenage boy.
The Channel 4 TV web site described it as a
Channel 4 TV web site (Archived page)
“Moving narrative history”
They sent mere boys to fight a tragic war, one million British men never returned home.