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Name that book. Your chance


John_Hartley

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To be published next year is a history of 6th Cheshires in the War. This Territorial battalion recruited in North Cheshire, going overseas in 1914.

I'm stuck for a catchy title - something on which the publishers can base their marketing. There will be a more boring sub-title along the lines of "The 6th Cheshires in the Great War".

Your suggestions would be very welcome.

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John

You already know that throwing it open it's going to be Booky MacBookface!

Somebody had to suggest it,I'll get me coat

John

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Difficult to make any suggestions without knowing the tone/approach etc of the book but can you pinch something from FL Lucas' poem "Morituri - August 1915, on the road from Morlancourt"

The last line is haunting: "That lilt of the Cheshires laughing, down through the dark to Bray."

"That lilt of Cheshires Laughing: The 6th Battalion in the Great War"

or

"Down through the dark to Bray: The 6th Cheshires in the Great War". (which would only work if the Battalion was at Bray at some point I suppose)

Chris

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Where did they go abroad?

Can you make use of something connected with the Armoury pic you asked for? Greek Street? Or inspired by the piece I sent you? (I've linked so other people know what I'm talking about. The Armoury is really rather impressive.)

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Where did they go abroad?

November 1914.

Difficult as it is, I'm trying not to be too Stockport centric. The town made up half the battalion but I don't want to exclude the likes of Hyde, Stalybridge & Glossop.

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Grinning Cheshire cats go to get the rats?

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No, where did they go abroad?

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Anyone in the battalion called Harry Potter? 'Harry Potter goes to war with the 6th Cheshires' ...

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No, where did they go abroad?

France

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Ok, where in France?

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Do you want phrases eg from newspapers, like "Forging Ahead", "Stockport's Patriotism", "[if we do get in touch with the Germans, you may rely on it that] the Cheshires will not disgrace themselves.." .I know those would be naff and unsuitable titles, and wouldn't entice a reader, and I'm not suggesting them, but they fell out from my stuff at random. Would phrases like your "Not a rotter in the lot" work for this book?


LLT does not say.

But as John is writing a book about them, he might know. That's why I asked him.

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do you have a phrase that was associated with the men, unique song title after that I'm struggling.

My stunning titles are Bedworth and the Great War, Thiepval Memorial 330 Coventry Men, Bablake School and the Great War

In the vain of the great Ron Seal it does what it says on the cover...

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Do you want phrases eg from newspapers, like "Forging Ahead", "Stockport's Patriotism", "[if we do get in touch with the Germans, you may rely on it that] the Cheshires will not disgrace themselves.." .I know those would be naff and unsuitable titles, and wouldn't entice a reader, and I'm not suggesting them, but they fell out from my stuff at random. Would phrases like your "Not a rotter in the lot" work for this book?

But as John is writing a book about them, he might know. That's why I asked him.

Sorry for trying to be helpful! in the absence of John replying.

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No, where did they go abroad?

Sorry.

Landed at Le Havre and pottered about in France fror a few weeks before going into the line near Wulverghem in Belgium

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Do you want phrases eg from newspapers, like "Forging Ahead",

It's that sort of thing - although something to attract the modern reader, not a 1920s sort of thing.

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do you have a phrase that was associated with the men, unique song title

The words of their marching song (same as a number of other units - we had a thread a few years back) appear in the book. But I'm not sure the most catchy line will suit the publishers - "We don't give a fuc& for the firing line"

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Oh, I don't know ... I don't think I've ever seen a book cover with an asterisk in its title. "We don't give a f*ck for the firing line: the 6th Cheshires in the Great War" ... sounds good to me.

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What sort of area did they recruit in? It looks as if it was pretty rural, with some large towns, so perhaps something along the lines of 'From the city, from the plough'? (the title of one of the best WW2 novels, incidentally)

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From the Tame to the trenches - The 6th Cheshires in the Great War
Hats to Helmets - The 6th Cheshires in the Great War

Hats to Brodies - The 6th Cheshires in the Great War

Craig

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Siege Gunner, on 27 May 2016 - 11:06 AM, said:

I don't think I've ever seen a book cover with an asterisk in its title. "We don't give a f*ck for the firing line: the 6th Cheshires in the Great War" ... sounds good to me.

It's catchy. Surely there must be a sanitised version of the song with the offending word removed and substituted?! (Eg 'fig')

By the way, ref oaks above, the other emblem of Cheshire is three wheat sheaves.

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