Rescued from a tatty scrapbook, my grandfather’s WW1 memoirs give an “underview” of the war rather than the frequently described overviews of Front-line battles.
Private Bassett was placed in the transport section of his battalion, which involved mainly the horse-drawn delivery of all army supplies.
Thus fortuitously, he was spared serving in the trenches at the Front.
His book provides an alternative angle on the war, with descriptions of both trivial and serious events, leading up to his battle injury and subsequent release home.
This book may appeal to:
• Historians, for behind-the-front detail
• Those with an interest in France and Belgium, for the frequent references to the war-torn villages near the borders
• Animal lovers, for the descriptions of horses and mules (the title is a quote from his postscript)
• Anyone who wants a flavour of WW1, but would prefer a generally lighter and shorter read
Stefan Woroniecki
Editor
Private Bassett was placed in the transport section of his battalion, which involved mainly the horse-drawn delivery of all army supplies.
Thus fortuitously, he was spared serving in the trenches at the Front.
His book provides an alternative angle on the war, with descriptions of both trivial and serious events, leading up to his battle injury and subsequent release home.
This book may appeal to:
• Historians, for behind-the-front detail
• Those with an interest in France and Belgium, for the frequent references to the war-torn villages near the borders
• Animal lovers, for the descriptions of horses and mules (the title is a quote from his postscript)
• Anyone who wants a flavour of WW1, but would prefer a generally lighter and shorter read
Stefan Woroniecki
Editor
