Last Post (Cassell Military Paperbacks)

Bought this book after going on a coach trip to visit the The Somme. Having seen the places and felt the atmosphere of the battlefields it was awe inspiring to read the stories of the men who were actually there. Max Arthur has done exactly the right thing in leaving the stories in their own words - nothing else would do justice to them.

A foot in the door to military history (3/3 people found this helpful)

It would be easy to beleive that in order to enjoy this book you have to have more than a passing interest in the military or the first world war. You don't. This book is about people, and it is because of that I continued to read. These century old men were little more than children when they were recruited and their tales of war, work and family life are important snapshots of social history.
This book has sparked an interest for me and I will read Max Arthur's other books in the hope that they are as inspiring.

where there's blame there's a claim? (3/3 people found this helpful)

For the first time ever this year i bought a poppy.
that's because i read this book and "forgoten voices of the great war"by the same author.
we don't know we're born i am sure.
i wish that all those people who think they should be compensated for everything and complain about everything in life should be made to read this! I wont ever feel the same again.

Superbly touching (3/3 people found this helpful)

As an amateur student of military history, this book was always going to be picked up by my interest-radar, and I'm so glad it was. Much is written in history books of the battles, leaders, weaponry etc, but little is usually written about the experiences of the man on the ground.

This book was a wonderful idea - interview the remaining WW1 soldiers/sailors/airmen and publish it. The result is a goldmine of information about life in Britain at the turn of the last century and an insight into the misery of the trenches.

The old chaps who speak, are unfortunately now mostly gone, but if people of my age can read about their exploits with a tear in the eye from the comfort of a warm home in a free country, then their lives and their sacrifices mean just that bit more.

Some of them are bitter about the Great War and some more bitter about how no one seems to have learned anything because we still plunge ourselves into pointless foreign conflicts where, as usual, the poor guy in uniform suffers the greatest. Most however, pay tribute to their pals from the line, miss their long-gone wives and look back on full and enjoyable lives once the war ended. They have my greatest admiration and respect. Loved the photos too - it turned a book almost into a personal account read by the men who were there, as if you were talking to them personally.

A great read (6/6 people found this helpful)

I echo the comments from the previous reviewer. This is a great read, and it's all their own words. The author has resisted the temptation to interperet or add to, or explain their words.

Not only do the men talk about the war, but they talk about their lives too. And for me that was equally as interesting because I've been tracing my family tree, and it gives you a small insite into the everyday lives of ordinary people at the turn of the last century.

It really is quite amazing how long these men have lived, and the thing that brought it home for me was the fact that some of them had outlived their own children!

Last Post (Cassell Military Paperbacks)

Max Arthur

Reader Reviews:

'Great Stories' from the Men from the 'Great War' (1/1 people found this helpful)

A foot in the door to military history (3/3 people found this helpful)

where there's blame there's a claim? (3/3 people found this helpful)

Superbly touching (3/3 people found this helpful)

A great read (6/6 people found this helpful)

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