Royal Regiment by Gilbert Frankau

[RobertBr]

I picked this book up for 10p today at a local Street Fayre.

It is described as "A drama of contemporary behaviours" and starts in the RA Mess at Woolwich.

Evidently Frankau was an infantryman in the 9th Batt East Surrey Rgt eventually becoming a Captain in 107th Bde RFA 24th Division before being invalided out in February 1918.

He wrote for the "Wipers Times" and published many poems and other books including "Peter Jackson, Cigar Merchant" which is discussed elsewhere.

Now I must find the time to read it!

Bob

[Simon Jones]

His novel ‘Peter Jackson Cigar Merchant’ is flawed but very interesting and valuable as a semi-autobiographical account of his time in 9th East Surreys in the UK and as Adjutant of 107th Brigade RFA at Loos, Ypres and the Somme. It is also good on shell shock. I haven’t read ‘Royal Regiment’ but would definitely recommend ‘Peter Jackson’. Hugh Cecil’s ‘Flower of Battle’ has a good chapter on Frankau.