'From Messines to Third Ypres' T.H. Floyd

[Mark Hone]

In one of the bookshops in Ieper I was surprised to come across a reprint of Floyd's memoir by Leonaur publications (ISBN978-1-84677-140-8). This is quite a rare book, published soon after the end of the war. The Lancashire Fusiliers museum has only one battered copy and I downloaded one from a Canadian university website a couple of years ago. The modern title is misleading, as Floyd wasn't at Messines and the battle is only mentioned in passing. The book is really about the build-up to Third Ypres and the attack on 31st July, in which 2/5th LF's CO Bertram Best-Dunkley won the VC. It is largely based on Floyd's contemporary letters home which were regularly printed in the 'Middleton Guardian' newspaper. It contains an interesting portrait of Best-Dunkley, who , to put it mildly, was not a widely-loved CO.

Floyd was an old boy of Bury Grammar school and was by all accounts an interesting chap. When he died in the 1970s he left his papers to Lancashire Records Office and I plan to examine these at some stage in preparation for a talk on the LF at the end of the war. Although Floyd did not publish a book about the later war period he did write letters and I am hoping to discover more biographical information about him, together with photos.

[ianw]

Mark - came across an original copy of this book a fair few years ago in a charity shop and eventually sold it on to a relative of someone mentioned in it who put a wants ad for it in "Stand To". Interesting that it has been reprinted - although you suggest that even the reprint is scarce.

[J Banning]

Mark - like you I got my copy digitally from the www.archive.org website. Cliick HERE for link

I thought it a very good read.

Jeremy

[barkalotloudly]

I have an original complete with the trench map that seems to go missing, i have also had a copy with an intersting letter from Floyd {dated 1968} in which he talked to an old comrade about the book and remembering thier service together in the salient

rregards John