Memoirs of an Infantry Officer

[Old Tom]

The search facilty seems to show that this, I would have though quite well know, book has had mentions but no review. I have just re-read a copy which I suppose I bought second hand in the late 1940's when still at school. It has survived with another well thumbed volume of the same era, Robert Graves 'Goodby to all that'. Sasson's book published in 1930, and possibly included in the War Memoirs of Sherston, and set in the ficticious Flintshire Fusilers covers, as far as operations are concerned, roughly the Somme and Arras he was wounded in both actions and awarded the MC on the Somme. He treats operations in rather lighthearted manner which I found easy to read and am now able to relate his narrative to real events as I am certain I could not on my first reading.

The latter part of the book deal with his decision to protest about the aims and conduct of the war and the publication of his 'statement' which lead to his political diagnosis of 'shell shock' and treatment which has been covered elsewhere. The statement started:

'I am making this statement as an act of wilful defiance of military authority, because I believe the War is being deliberately prolonged by those that have the power to end it'

More recent authors have commented with surprise that soldiers withstood the dangers and deprivation of the western front without serious complaint. Sasoon, not perhaps a typical soldier, may be one of the few that did not. I have not encountered others. I do not include those unfortunates who found themselves unable to withstand the situations which they encountered, that is another story.

Old Tom

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