I thought I was pretty clued up about the social history of World War I, but this book was a revelation. It described the war, and life in the trenches and beyond from the point of view of the young subalterns who, in leading their men at the Front, had a life expectancy once there of six weeks. These young men, some no older than 17, had been equipped by their education in public schools to be team players, leaders, and military men through their membership of the OTC. They rose to the occasion, leading men often old enough to be their fathers, commanding their respect and even love. Some of these man became officers in their turn, because the public school men, frankly, were mainly all killed. Marlborough School, for example, lost 400 men in the Great War.

This absorbing book describes day to day routines, life in the trenches and away from the front line, sharing letters and memoirs painting a vivid picture of fear, or boredom, of patriotism, of respect by the young men for their troops who had been brought up in such different circumstances, and of the men's for their young officers in this most dreadful of wars. Read it. ( )

You learn stuff here. ( )