When Heroes Die and Tig's Boys

[susan kitchen]

Just thought i'd mention two books that i found by chance. Not new so it's likely most of you have them. But for someone, they may have slipped the net.

First one is Tig's Boys edited by David Hilliam. published 2011. Tig was the nickname of Dr Edward Fenwick, headmaster of Bournemouth Grammar School for boys. The book contains a unique collection of letters from a group of boys in the trenches to Tig who was much respected. The letters reveal how the boys spent some of their time i.e trying to catch rats, winning bets and singing ragtime in a rickety aeroplane while rocking the plane in time to it. Sadly 98 boys died. An average of one every two weeks. A loss that Tig found very hard to bear.

The other book is When Heroes Die by Sue Smart published 2001 about Gresham School, in Norfolk.. Contains boyish pencilled letters from the Western Front, school reports, telegrams and letters from field commanders. 100 boys from this school never came back. The faces in the photo's seem so confident. Little did they know that, what they thought of as a great adventure would lead them into a place of unimagined hell. It is the belief that the Headmaster George Howson found it too hard to bear. He had spent himself with grief and died in 1919.

Great photo's in both books

Both books can be obtained from Play.com

[Black Maria]

I read "When Heroes Die" a few years ago and really enjoyed it ,a very moving and poignant story.

[susan kitchen]

Sure you would like Tig's Boys.

[Black Maria]

Thanks,yes it does look like a good book and quite local to where i live.May well get myself a copy.