"Check Six"

A signed copy, I read this just before taking a battlefield tour of the Somme. The book was excellent preparation to walking the battlefield. Highly recommended, book and tour.
WWI remains at the forefront of the British memory. This book illustrates why. It has many tales of personal courage, tragedy and various experiences of the battle. Standing on the battlefield, I was struck at how brave these men were in that terrifying place. The carnage was unimaginable, no protection from the machine guns and arty fire. The destruction of the New Army "Pals" battalions is especially poignant, imagine losing all your buddies from the home neighborhood at the same time and place. A very sobering book. How the leadership was able to throw away the army is baffling and maddening.