Second Hand Survivors of a Kind

This original book shows that many memoirs of the Western Front are not only literary masterpieces but are also of great value to historians. Brian Bond examines a range of works in this neglected genre which demonstrate the remarkable variety of combat experiences and post-war reflections, ranging from poets like Robert Graves, Siegfried Sassoon and Edmund Blunden striving to overcome traumas, to warriors or ‘Fire Eaters’ like Lord Reith and Alf Pollard who enjoyed the war, and two exceptionally brave Old Etonians, Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan, whose military distinction proved to be an asset in their political careers. He goes on to explore the view from the ranks (Frederic Manning and Frank Richards), the grandeur and misery of service in the Guards, the highly irregular career of a senior office (Brigadier-General F.P. Crozier) and the sharply contrasting war in the air as recorded by two distinguished pilots. All these men were survivors of a kind, profoundly affected by their experience of combat, damaged physically or psychologically, and haunted by memories of destruction, suffering and lost friends. Yet the majority remained enthralled by the spirit of comradeship which could not be replicated in civil war. Most of the writers featured were discussed in the author’s MA Special Subject class in the Department of War Studies at King’s College London. His hope is that this may provide a stimulus for similar courses at other universities. This accords with his belief that First World War memoirs are a seriously neglected source whose contents are much more varied and interesting than the stereotype of ‘anti-war’ literature suggests. This book puts the war in the trenches and those who wrote about it into a fresh perspective and will stimulate readers to explore for themselves these eloquent and deeply moving classics of literature.