To Marion A. Puttee, Southall, Middlesex, England, I dedicate this book as a token of appreciation for all the loving thoughts and deeds bestowed upon me when I was a stranger in a strange land...

I have tried as an American in writing this book to give the public a complete view of the trenches and life on the Western Front as it appeared to me, and also my impression of conditions and men as ...

Once, on the Somme in the fall of 1916, when I had been over the top and was being carried back somewhat disfigured but still in the ring, a cockney stretcher bearer shot this question at me: “Hi sye,...

The excitement of getting away from camp and the knowledge that we were soon to get into the thick of the big game pleased most of us. We were glad to go. At least we thought so. Two hundred of us wer...

In the morning the members of the raiding party were taken back a mile or so to the rear and were given instruction and rehearsal. This was the first raid that “Batt” had ever tried, and the staff was...

After the strafing we had given Fritz on the raid, he behaved himself reasonably well for quite a while. It was the first raid that had been made on that sector for a long time, and we had no doubt ca...

Food is a burning issue in the lives of all of us. It is the main consideration with the soldier. His life is simplified to two principal motives, i.e., keeping alive himself and killing the other fel...

We left Petite-Saens about nine o’clock Friday night and commenced our march for what we were told would be a short hike. It was pretty warm and muggy. There was a thin, low-lying mist over everything...

I want to say a word right here about patrol work in general, because for some reason it fascinated me and was my favorite game. If you should be fortunate⁠—or unfortunate enough, as the case might be...

Marching, marching, marching, Always ruddy well marching. Marching all the morning, And marching all the night. Marching, marching, marching, Always ruddy well marching, Roll on till my time is up And...

Late in the summer I accumulated a nice little case of trench fever. This disease is due to remaining for long periods in the wet and mud, to racked nerves, and, I am inclined to think, to sleeping in...

The tanks passed beyond us and halfway up to the first line and stopped. Trapdoors in the decks opened, and the crews poured out and began to pile sandbags in front of the machines so that when day br...

For weeks after our first introduction to the tanks they were the chief topic of conversation in our battalion. And, notwithstanding the fact that we had seen the monsters go into action, had seen wha...

When I found my battalion, the battle of High Wood had pretty well quieted down. We had taken the position we went after, and the fighting was going on to the north and beyond the Wood. The Big Push p...

When I rejoined the battalion they were just going into the Somme again after a two weeks’ rest. They didn’t like it a bit. “Gawd lumme,” says Wellsie, “ ’ave we got to fight th’ ’ole blinkin’ war. Is...

A general cleaning of rifles started, although it was dark. Mine was already in good shape, and I leaned it against the side of the trench and went below for the rest of my equipment. While I was gone...

Blighty meant life⁠—life and happiness and physical comfort. What we had left behind over there was death and mutilation and bodily and mental suffering. Up from the depths of hell we came and reached...

I cannot end this book without saying something to those who have boys over there and, what is more to the point, to those boys who may go over there. First as to the things that should be sent in par...

A machine gun placed on a swivel to turn in any direction. Ammunition. Usually for rifles, though occasionally used to indicate that for artillery. Argue the point. Anywhere to the rear and out of the...