Best/Favorite 1st person account

[David Filsell]

There are so many personal accounts which seem special to me. Not a scientific view but Lucy seems to get more mentions than anyone else on this thread and I think that is a fair analysis. I think it the best account by a British (Irish) ranker by far, and although Richardson has justifiably also cropped up it seems almost certain that Graves "tickled up the text" for him (and that's no criticism of either party). So for me There's a Devil in the Drum - and the title is fascinating too. Does anyone know its origin? I suspect that it may be an Irish folk song, or perhaps biblical but could well be wrong and I would love to know.

David

[crawfordb]

The best personal account of WWI I have read is called "Tommy" by Thomas Crawford, 15th DLI. Tom served in France for less than a year, but in that time he fought in Loos, wintered in Flanders, marched down to the Somme, to take part on the first tragic day of that battle. I disagree with early comments about the only narrative of the FWW was Old Soldiers Never Die, however this book was only released a year or so ago so I suppose that was correct at that time? It is a fascinating and wonderful book written by a Tommy ..... although I suppose I would say that as I am his son.

'Tommy' published by www.Woodfieldpublishing.com

Brian (Crawford)

[KF Kelly]

I'd like to put in a word for Stuart Dolden's account of his time with the London Scottish, "Cannon Fodder". The book ends

"After having marched around France for nigh on four years, I made a vow now that I was back in civilisation that I would not walk a mile more than necessary. I am happy to say that I have religiously kept that vow to this very day!"

Kevin

[George Armstrong Custer]

There is an (auto?) biography of Sir William Robertson who was at one time a private in the regular army.

The autobiography is From Private to Field Marshal, Tom, published in 1921. Robertson also produced, in two volumes, Soldiers and Statesmen 1914-1918 in 1926. A full biography, by V. Bonham-Carter, Soldier True: The Life and Times of Field Marshal Sir William Roberson, appeared in 1963. Not quite a biography - it focuses on his role in the higher direction of the war - but with much biographical material - is the excellent Field Marshal Sir William Robertson, Chief of the Imperial General Staff in the Great War by David R. Woodward, which appeared in 1998. The latter was pretty prohibitively priced for a new book, though, at £47.95.

Regards,

george