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Six Weeks: The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer in the First World War
During the Great War, many boys went straight from the classroom to the most dangerous job in the world - that of junior officer on the Western Front. Although desperately aware of how many of their predecessors had fallen before them, nearly all stepped forward, unflinchingly, to do their duty. The average life expectancy of a subaltern in the trenches was a mere six weeks. In this remarkable book, John Lewis-Stempel focuses on the forgotten men who truly won Britain's victory in the First World War - the subalterns, lieutenants and captains of the Army, the leaders in the trenches, the first 'over the top', the last to retreat. Basing his narrative on a huge range of first-person accounts, including the poignant letters and diaries sent home or to their old schools, the author reveals what motivated these boy-men to act in such an extraordinary, heroic way. He describes their brief, brilliant lives in and out of the trenches, the tireless ways they cared for their men, and how they tried to behave with honour in a world where their values and codes were quite literally being shot to pieces.
384 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
February 6, 2024
This book takes a detailed book at that unsung heroes of World War 1, the British junior officers that led their men from the front and with great bravery. As per the title of the book, life expectancy on the front lines for these young men were a mere six weeks, and looking at the casualties they suffered compared to other ranks, it is easy to see why.
The book is well written and researched, and the chapter are set out nicely and chronologically in the life and service of these young men from where they would have volunteered, trained, gone of to war and went over the top, to being wounded, captured or killed, and in the cases of the lucky few, returned home after the end of the war. The author looks at all the different phases of the war in these chapter from the days of looking forward to go fight in the great adventure in the beginning, to the dark days after the horrors of the Somme till the armistice.
Junior officers, especially 2nd lieutenants suffered disproportionate losses, and it is interesting to see how the make up of the men changed from the beginning of the war till the end. At the beginning over 40% of officers serving in August 1914 was from nobility, and most newly commissioned officers volunteering for war service were from public schools, to 1917 when 40% of newly commissioned junior officers were brought up from the ranks. And also how doctrine changed from these officers leading from the front till 1916 changed over to better platoon tactics where these officers were shepherding the men behind the first attackers to stem the losses of these junior leaders.
This has been another one of those books that leaves one feeling sad, and makes one wonder what the world would have looked like had it not lost these young men to the meat-grinding trenches of World War 1 and how they could have changed the world with their courage and grit. Highly recommended reading to see what true sacrifice looks like in a age where we forget easily what price have been paid for the freedoms we enjoy today.
The book is well written and researched, and the chapter are set out nicely and chronologically in the life and service of these young men from where they would have volunteered, trained, gone of to war and went over the top, to being wounded, captured or killed, and in the cases of the lucky few, returned home after the end of the war. The author looks at all the different phases of the war in these chapter from the days of looking forward to go fight in the great adventure in the beginning, to the dark days after the horrors of the Somme till the armistice.
Junior officers, especially 2nd lieutenants suffered disproportionate losses, and it is interesting to see how the make up of the men changed from the beginning of the war till the end. At the beginning over 40% of officers serving in August 1914 was from nobility, and most newly commissioned officers volunteering for war service were from public schools, to 1917 when 40% of newly commissioned junior officers were brought up from the ranks. And also how doctrine changed from these officers leading from the front till 1916 changed over to better platoon tactics where these officers were shepherding the men behind the first attackers to stem the losses of these junior leaders.
This has been another one of those books that leaves one feeling sad, and makes one wonder what the world would have looked like had it not lost these young men to the meat-grinding trenches of World War 1 and how they could have changed the world with their courage and grit. Highly recommended reading to see what true sacrifice looks like in a age where we forget easily what price have been paid for the freedoms we enjoy today.
October 15, 2025
‘Lions led by donkeys’ is the traditional image of British soldiers in the First World War: brave Tommies betrayed by a feckless and out-of-touch officer class. But there were officers and officers. This book focuses on the junior officers who led men into battle: captains, lieutenants and, especially, subalterns, the lowest rank of commissioned officer, who were killed out of all proportion with other men. Their average life expectancy during the war’s bloodiest periods gives the book its horrifying title.
These ‘subs’ were mostly teenage boys fresh out of school, who were hurried out to the Western Front and put in charge of platoons of often much older men. Recruitment for junior officers came largely from Britain’s public schools, and it was an openly class-based system: their job was to give commands to the working-class men they were responsible for, who were used to getting them. Young and frequently terrified, subalterns had to show no fear, set a good example, and when the time came, lead the way over the top and towards the machine-guns with a suitably stiff upper lip.
Junior officers died at double the rate of the other ranks. They were the first ones over the parapet, and the last to retreat; they also had to lead men on routine patrols into no-man’s-land, which was not the case in the German army, or indeed in other Commonwealth countries. But the British considered that it created a bond between the platoon commander and his men, and essentially that proved to be correct. Good commanders were adored by the soldiers under them, who would often risk their lives to rescue them if wounded, or to retrieve their bodies if killed.
Reading about war so often amounts to just reading about the deaths of children. I cried a lot reading this book. These boys were far from home and missed their mums; they could read Horace and Thucydides in the original, but they were mostly virgins who knew little about the world and may never have been out of England before. An enormous burden was put on their shoulders.
Their extraordinary heroism (this is absolutely the right word) is often obscured by what’s felt to be the pointlessness of their cause. Lewis-Stempel, who takes a lightly revisionist view throughout, is having none of it: the war, he argues, was crucial and modern generations owe their freedoms to what happened in 1914–18. ‘The Germany of the Kaiser was a right-wing military dictatorship bent on the subjugation of Europe,’ he says, which differed from the later Nazi regime ‘only in degree’. Part of the mission here is to write explicitly against what he calls ‘ninety years of exposure to the “pity of war” poetry of Wilfred Owen’.
I was interested in this take, which is unfashionable now, but you don’t need to accept it fully to feel deeply moved by the stories he has uncovered about how junior officers were educated, trained, and how they lived their lives in the most impossible circumstances. Taking this kind of human-centric approach pays dividends: this is one of the most moving books I’ve ever read about the war, indeed about any war.
These ‘subs’ were mostly teenage boys fresh out of school, who were hurried out to the Western Front and put in charge of platoons of often much older men. Recruitment for junior officers came largely from Britain’s public schools, and it was an openly class-based system: their job was to give commands to the working-class men they were responsible for, who were used to getting them. Young and frequently terrified, subalterns had to show no fear, set a good example, and when the time came, lead the way over the top and towards the machine-guns with a suitably stiff upper lip.
Junior officers died at double the rate of the other ranks. They were the first ones over the parapet, and the last to retreat; they also had to lead men on routine patrols into no-man’s-land, which was not the case in the German army, or indeed in other Commonwealth countries. But the British considered that it created a bond between the platoon commander and his men, and essentially that proved to be correct. Good commanders were adored by the soldiers under them, who would often risk their lives to rescue them if wounded, or to retrieve their bodies if killed.
In the attack at La Bassée in September 1915, Captain A.L. Samson of the Royal Welch Fusiliers was hit and lay groaning about 20 yards from the front trench. There were several failed attempts to rescue him, with two officers and one man killed in the doing. In the end his own orderly crawled out towards him – Samson waved him back, saying he was beyond rescuing. He sent his apologies to the company for making such a noise. When his shot-riddled corpse was recovered it was seen that he had forced his knuckles into his mouth to stop himself crying out and attracting any more men to their deaths.
Reading about war so often amounts to just reading about the deaths of children. I cried a lot reading this book. These boys were far from home and missed their mums; they could read Horace and Thucydides in the original, but they were mostly virgins who knew little about the world and may never have been out of England before. An enormous burden was put on their shoulders.
Their extraordinary heroism (this is absolutely the right word) is often obscured by what’s felt to be the pointlessness of their cause. Lewis-Stempel, who takes a lightly revisionist view throughout, is having none of it: the war, he argues, was crucial and modern generations owe their freedoms to what happened in 1914–18. ‘The Germany of the Kaiser was a right-wing military dictatorship bent on the subjugation of Europe,’ he says, which differed from the later Nazi regime ‘only in degree’. Part of the mission here is to write explicitly against what he calls ‘ninety years of exposure to the “pity of war” poetry of Wilfred Owen’.
I was interested in this take, which is unfashionable now, but you don’t need to accept it fully to feel deeply moved by the stories he has uncovered about how junior officers were educated, trained, and how they lived their lives in the most impossible circumstances. Taking this kind of human-centric approach pays dividends: this is one of the most moving books I’ve ever read about the war, indeed about any war.
November 8, 2023
British officers in WW1 have had a rough time: Lions led by Donkeys, Blackadder… But John Lewis Stempel’s focus is the junior officer or subaltern, who often went straight from school or university into the meat-grinder that was WW1.
This isn’t a military history though - there isn’t even the briefest overview of the war, battles or tactics. Instead it focuses of different aspects of the lives, and frequently the deaths, of junior officers: school, joining up, their training, life in the trenches, leadership, battle, and its aftermath. First over the top, leading from the front, it’s no wonder these men (often boys) had such a high chance of death or wounding.
The author makes fantastic use of first hand accounts, the funny and the tragic, which give an interesting insight into what motivated these men and how they felt. This is rich history, almost like stepping back in time.
In all honesty there’s not much new here, however the author’s unwavering focus on junior officers gives an interesting and slightly different perspective.
This isn’t a military history though - there isn’t even the briefest overview of the war, battles or tactics. Instead it focuses of different aspects of the lives, and frequently the deaths, of junior officers: school, joining up, their training, life in the trenches, leadership, battle, and its aftermath. First over the top, leading from the front, it’s no wonder these men (often boys) had such a high chance of death or wounding.
The author makes fantastic use of first hand accounts, the funny and the tragic, which give an interesting insight into what motivated these men and how they felt. This is rich history, almost like stepping back in time.
In all honesty there’s not much new here, however the author’s unwavering focus on junior officers gives an interesting and slightly different perspective.
February 23, 2024
Mr. Stempel has written a well documented account of life in the trenches during WW1.
A vast majority of these British officers were fresh out of school with no military experience whatsoever. The subalterns were junior officers who were responsible for the enlisted men under them. And, for the most part, these young officers were well respected and trusted by the men.
Mr. Stempel relies on letters from the Homefront, letters to the families from men in the trenches, and yes, even poetry about the war to make his argument. It was, indeed, a different time when poetry was still taught in school.
A vast majority of these British officers were fresh out of school with no military experience whatsoever. The subalterns were junior officers who were responsible for the enlisted men under them. And, for the most part, these young officers were well respected and trusted by the men.
Mr. Stempel relies on letters from the Homefront, letters to the families from men in the trenches, and yes, even poetry about the war to make his argument. It was, indeed, a different time when poetry was still taught in school.
January 16, 2024
Harrowing, heartbreaking and extraordinary.
How has this book left me feeling?….
Immensely proud and grateful to be a beneficiary of such sacrifice. Also, rather guilty for the way our current world so often seems to display so little respect for our fellow human beings. The extract from ‘The Other Side’ by Captain Gilbert Frankau, Royal Field Artillery at the end of the book says it all. Thank you to every British subaltern of the Western Front.
How has this book left me feeling?….
Immensely proud and grateful to be a beneficiary of such sacrifice. Also, rather guilty for the way our current world so often seems to display so little respect for our fellow human beings. The extract from ‘The Other Side’ by Captain Gilbert Frankau, Royal Field Artillery at the end of the book says it all. Thank you to every British subaltern of the Western Front.
December 16, 2014
I’ve read a lot of 1914-18 histories this year, but this is probably the one that left the greatest impression. So well researched and engagingly told, I’d heartily recommend this book to anyone who normally finds military history a dry read. I laughed and cried and was left with a real sense of who these men were. Chapeau.
December 13, 2018
Loved this book. Wrote a whole paper on it aha!
February 18, 2025
thorough and well-researched book on the junior officer — specifically, the public school junior officer — on the western front.
July 10, 2015
A truly great book. Well-researched, superbly written and completely unsentimental, the Author's greatest achievement is in allowing the voices of all these (mainly young) subalterns to speak for themselves in their own poignant, erudite, articulate words. It is hard to comprehend that some of these men were still only 20 at the end of the war, especially when they write so maturely and with such casual wisdom; it is harder still to realise that the 'Six Weeks' of the title refers to the average life expectancy of the subaltern. Whilst not revisionist in tone, this book throws light on the reasons these boys and men had for going to war, and also on their bitterness once the war ended. It also blows sky high the belief that the officer class were all cowards leading from the safety of the rear. Cowards they most certainly were not: they were gallant, sometimes brutish, but always human. A humbling, moving read and one which has helped me to understand the social context of the times and of the War itself far better. A must for anybody interested in this period, or in the poetry written at that time.
July 3, 2021
5/5
Really good. Covers the experiences of junior officers (captains and lieutenants mainly) and subalterns who were mainly in their late teens or early 20s. Starts with the education in the public schools (if you’re not from the UK these are the very expensive ones) then the training. Then it goes onto the travel to the front and the experiences of the trenches as well as interactions with the men. It then covers the officers in battle, what happened to the injured and the dead. Also has chapters on what the officers did on leave. Finishes with a chapter on what happened to the officers after the war.
It is very positive towards these junior officers and emphasises the paternalistic nature towards the ordinary soldiers and the bravery of the officers as well as the sacrifices they made. The author makes the point that the more expensive your education the more likely you were to die. If there is the ‘lions led by donkeys’ view then this book is on the complete other side of the argument. He thinks that Britain was entirely right to fight WWI as a moral crusade to stop the Kaiser’s Germany from dominating Europe.
Really good. Covers the experiences of junior officers (captains and lieutenants mainly) and subalterns who were mainly in their late teens or early 20s. Starts with the education in the public schools (if you’re not from the UK these are the very expensive ones) then the training. Then it goes onto the travel to the front and the experiences of the trenches as well as interactions with the men. It then covers the officers in battle, what happened to the injured and the dead. Also has chapters on what the officers did on leave. Finishes with a chapter on what happened to the officers after the war.
It is very positive towards these junior officers and emphasises the paternalistic nature towards the ordinary soldiers and the bravery of the officers as well as the sacrifices they made. The author makes the point that the more expensive your education the more likely you were to die. If there is the ‘lions led by donkeys’ view then this book is on the complete other side of the argument. He thinks that Britain was entirely right to fight WWI as a moral crusade to stop the Kaiser’s Germany from dominating Europe.
February 21, 2016
I like a good non-fiction book... and having read a number of WW2 and read the reviews I was rather looking forward to this, particularly since my grandfather fought in the first world war.
For me it was pretty heavy going and I have to say it felt like a bit of a slog to the finish line.
Absolutely stunning amounts of research, and very moving - particularly when there are references to schools and institutions which I know well - but for me a tad too much on the textbook side of non-fiction.
For me it was pretty heavy going and I have to say it felt like a bit of a slog to the finish line.
Absolutely stunning amounts of research, and very moving - particularly when there are references to schools and institutions which I know well - but for me a tad too much on the textbook side of non-fiction.
October 9, 2017
Oh my heart, what those young men went through. Very moving book, one of the best I've read on the Great War.
January 8, 2021
As of yet, this is undoubtedly the most fascinating and affecting book I have ever read.
Somewhat naively, I’ve always considered the “lost generation” of 18-25 year old officers in WW1 as being a different breed of men - heroically immune to fear and born to withstand adversity. After reading this book, I now realise the reason these men are so heroic is precisely because they weren’t any different to you or me, and that they were mere mortals, enduring immeasurable pain and suffering, laying down their lives for the most righteous and honourable cause. I was convinced of the illusion these officers tried so hard to maintain - that they were fearless and almost nonchalant under pressure, and that in itself is a testament to their heroic leadership.
Lewis-Stempel lets the men do the talking- he acts as a narrator, weaving together the officers experiences and thoughts via letters, diary entries and memoirs throughout the book, so it feels as though the book is written collectively by its subject matter, as well as Lewis-Stempel.
What’s so fascinating is that many, if not most men, didn’t hate the war, but quite the reverse. One of the highlights of the book is reading about their thoughts on the human condition in wartime and the primal and ancient part of their soul that they discover consequently.
Lewis-Stempel also introduces a handful of characters at the start of the book, whose experiences are chronicled up until the end (Edwin Campion Vaughan, Charles Douie, Roland Leighton) some of whom you inevitably become attached to, and as a result their often bitter fate hits you much harder, emotionally.
They died for us, specifically us, so that in our lifetime, we might go out and do something worthwhile for the world with the shield of safety and security, something they never had the chance to do.
If that’s not a reason to work hard and achieve something, I don’t know what is.
Somewhat naively, I’ve always considered the “lost generation” of 18-25 year old officers in WW1 as being a different breed of men - heroically immune to fear and born to withstand adversity. After reading this book, I now realise the reason these men are so heroic is precisely because they weren’t any different to you or me, and that they were mere mortals, enduring immeasurable pain and suffering, laying down their lives for the most righteous and honourable cause. I was convinced of the illusion these officers tried so hard to maintain - that they were fearless and almost nonchalant under pressure, and that in itself is a testament to their heroic leadership.
Lewis-Stempel lets the men do the talking- he acts as a narrator, weaving together the officers experiences and thoughts via letters, diary entries and memoirs throughout the book, so it feels as though the book is written collectively by its subject matter, as well as Lewis-Stempel.
What’s so fascinating is that many, if not most men, didn’t hate the war, but quite the reverse. One of the highlights of the book is reading about their thoughts on the human condition in wartime and the primal and ancient part of their soul that they discover consequently.
Lewis-Stempel also introduces a handful of characters at the start of the book, whose experiences are chronicled up until the end (Edwin Campion Vaughan, Charles Douie, Roland Leighton) some of whom you inevitably become attached to, and as a result their often bitter fate hits you much harder, emotionally.
They died for us, specifically us, so that in our lifetime, we might go out and do something worthwhile for the world with the shield of safety and security, something they never had the chance to do.
If that’s not a reason to work hard and achieve something, I don’t know what is.
January 21, 2017
Twenty years ago I met a drunk English soldier in a bar in Germany who was complaining bitterly about the officers in his regiment, and who kept repeatedly muttering - in his broad Yorkshire accent - "Lions led by fookin' donkeys! Always has been in this army, an' always will be!" I have heard other sneering, slighting references to the officer class from a variety of sources over the years. This book makes clear how unfair this is, at least in a First World War context. The focus is on junior officers, and the title reflects the fact that six weeks was their average life expectancy. Not all of them were well-born; the war led to a large increase in the numbers of "temporary gentlemen", men who were commissioned from a lower social class than was traditional for officers. There was no discernible difference in bravery and sacrifice, whatever the background. Undoubtedly, there were donkeys, but they were, on the whole, the generals and staff officers in comfortable billets behind the lines, not those who served at the sharp end. Junior officers of all armies tend to suffer disproportionately high casualties - even when they adopt the same uniform as the men, it is often too obvious to enemy snipers who is in charge. There is an enormous variety of experience represented here, but the overall effect is the same: poignancy and a sense of loss. I am both sad and glad of the opportunity to read moving last letters written on the eve of battle by those who knew they would not survive. This is because I don't live in dread of a sniper's bullet with tomorrow's sunrise, and so my sorrow is tempered with gratitude, and also with a heightened sense of that which binds us all.
March 6, 2025
Solid piece of education and myth-busting from Lewis-Stempel: lots of good work done to undo ‘Blackadder’ style misunderstandings of the tragically short lives of British Junior officers on the western front, as well as a good amount of dedicated work on their time away from the front lines, experience of injury and hospital processes, and the sad realities of demobilisation at the end of the war.
The book is well structured with interesting and compellingly written chapters full of firsthand accounts from a wide sample of officers (some of whom are well known figures both because of and outside of their wartime experiences), and does much to relate the statistical analysis and textbook understandings of trench-life with real lived experiences.
Lewis-Stempel delivers an interesting emotional aspect to the work also, using letters, diaries, and memoirs to uncover the frightening reality of living and leading in some of the most trying conditions ever faced by British soldiery, and is unafraid to dig into the psychological toll this took on the men that found themselves with the burden of command. At the same time, it avoids oversentimentality and sensationalism, approaching the topics it discusses with sensibility and objectivity that gives a realistic and unbiased picture of life in the trenches.
Overall, I’d say this book is essential reading for anyone with even a casual interest in this period of history wishing to better understand the realities of the western front, as well as those well versed on the subject looking for a ground-level perspective on the life of a Junior Officer.
The book is well structured with interesting and compellingly written chapters full of firsthand accounts from a wide sample of officers (some of whom are well known figures both because of and outside of their wartime experiences), and does much to relate the statistical analysis and textbook understandings of trench-life with real lived experiences.
Lewis-Stempel delivers an interesting emotional aspect to the work also, using letters, diaries, and memoirs to uncover the frightening reality of living and leading in some of the most trying conditions ever faced by British soldiery, and is unafraid to dig into the psychological toll this took on the men that found themselves with the burden of command. At the same time, it avoids oversentimentality and sensationalism, approaching the topics it discusses with sensibility and objectivity that gives a realistic and unbiased picture of life in the trenches.
Overall, I’d say this book is essential reading for anyone with even a casual interest in this period of history wishing to better understand the realities of the western front, as well as those well versed on the subject looking for a ground-level perspective on the life of a Junior Officer.
February 5, 2017
Five stars more for the stories told than the story-telling. The book is really a collection of previously published letters and a few poems from the front and extracts from published memoirs, brought together into a coherent narrative, taking us chronologically from public-school recruitment and officer training through to journeying to the front-line, leadership, fighting, death, leave, and perhaps most moving of all the return to ‘Blighty’ to face a future life forever changed.
Having become a little disenfranchised by the terrible politicization of Remembrance and the Poppy Appeal in recent years, this book reminds me that Remembrance matters and is beyond politics.
I was initially a little irritated in the first couple of chapters that this book looked like it was going to be an uncritical glorification of all things war (and public schools!), (“Our chaps were splendid, and here is why”) rather than a dispassionate analysis of the facts leaving the reader to decide. That element persists through to the end, but in a much reduced way as the awfulness of the conflict is laid bare; and whatever one’s views about the slaughter, it is impossible and would be churlish not to be moved by these very personal accounts, by soldiers who were in the thick of it, of the nightmare that was trench warfare . The extraordinary courage and humanity of these very young officers, and their men, is something to behold.
This is not about military tactics or whether lions were led by donkeys, in many ways it is far more interesting than that.
Having become a little disenfranchised by the terrible politicization of Remembrance and the Poppy Appeal in recent years, this book reminds me that Remembrance matters and is beyond politics.
I was initially a little irritated in the first couple of chapters that this book looked like it was going to be an uncritical glorification of all things war (and public schools!), (“Our chaps were splendid, and here is why”) rather than a dispassionate analysis of the facts leaving the reader to decide. That element persists through to the end, but in a much reduced way as the awfulness of the conflict is laid bare; and whatever one’s views about the slaughter, it is impossible and would be churlish not to be moved by these very personal accounts, by soldiers who were in the thick of it, of the nightmare that was trench warfare . The extraordinary courage and humanity of these very young officers, and their men, is something to behold.
This is not about military tactics or whether lions were led by donkeys, in many ways it is far more interesting than that.
December 28, 2016
A. powerful and moving story of the temporary gentlemen of World War one.The author with great skill shows us that that these young men were proud to serve and knew that life expectancy was low.Despite this they worked and cared for the Tommies under them.In 1914 the majority came from boarding schools, many had been in the OTC which meant that they were were prime candidates for commissions.Young men proud to serve their country. Later as casualties grew a wider selection of officers came from the ranks. The book allows to hear their voices and most importantly shows that the ordinary soldier had great respect for these officers.They led from the front instilling confidence in the men. These young officers found themselves mixing with men of a different class and much older than themselves. Often shocked by their language and attitudes to sex. The young officers had to grow up quickly.Despite the huge losses especially friends, these men did have a black sense of humour.The author has done a brilliant job and I would recommend this book to all who want to know more about the Great War.
.
.
November 1, 2017
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.
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.
July 15, 2019
THE GREAT WAR FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
After watching ‘Journey’s End’ (Saul Dibb, 2017), I was inspired to find out more about the role of ‘subbies’ in the Great War and stumbled upon this book.
Lewis-Stempel provides the reader with an outlook from the young officers that served on the frontline during the First World War. His research is thorough and dives into every aspect in a well structured method focussing on all aspects from officer recruitment at the start of the War to the legacy these officers left and how they coped after the War.
I would highly recommend this book to those who have an interest in military history and who want to understand how life was for officers, both experienced and inexperienced, during one of the worst conflicts the world had experienced. This book really opens the Pandora’s box to understanding the life of the 2nd Lieutenant and is worth reading as an homage to the sacrifice of these men.
I would also recommend reading ‘Journey’s End’ (R.C. Sherriff, 1928) as well as watching the recent movie adaptation aforementioned.
After watching ‘Journey’s End’ (Saul Dibb, 2017), I was inspired to find out more about the role of ‘subbies’ in the Great War and stumbled upon this book.
Lewis-Stempel provides the reader with an outlook from the young officers that served on the frontline during the First World War. His research is thorough and dives into every aspect in a well structured method focussing on all aspects from officer recruitment at the start of the War to the legacy these officers left and how they coped after the War.
I would highly recommend this book to those who have an interest in military history and who want to understand how life was for officers, both experienced and inexperienced, during one of the worst conflicts the world had experienced. This book really opens the Pandora’s box to understanding the life of the 2nd Lieutenant and is worth reading as an homage to the sacrifice of these men.
I would also recommend reading ‘Journey’s End’ (R.C. Sherriff, 1928) as well as watching the recent movie adaptation aforementioned.
March 12, 2013
This is not a book about the merits of war or even a history of the Great War. It is also not primarily an insight into the experience of life lived and fought in the trenches, although it does this quite magnificently. This is a thorough study of the role of leadership and particularly junior leadership within that conflict. Six weeks was the average life expectancy of junior officers in World War I. It’s in an inspiring read in terms of leadership. Young men, fresh out of school, who were first ‘over the top’ and last back in. They were expected not only to follow orders but to inspire courage and lead by example. And this they did most often paying the ultimate sacrifice. An inspiring and thought provoking read. There is much here to contemplate and emulate.
March 29, 2023
Six weeks was the average life span of young officers in Great Britain once they were at the war front in World War I. Lewis-Stempel wrote this book in such a way that I didn't feel like it was a text book and was able to consistently recognize the officers he used as references (you know how sometimes in non-fiction books the names of real life people start to get muddled together? that did not happen with this book at all). I truly learned the entire time I read this book because I know such an embarrassingly little amount about WWI. A great book I would recommend to any history buff.
September 8, 2018
Six weeks was the average life span of a junior officer in the BEF on the Western Front (as calculated by a soldier on the Somme). This book looks at the composition and life of these officers during the Great War. By and large they were very young (most in their teens) and, initially, came from the aristocracy and/or the English public school system. They also suffered a high rate of casualties. These deaths lead to the coining of the term "lost generation." Book is one of the best that I have read recently.
February 8, 2023
This is a brilliant non fiction account of British Officers in WW1. It starts the journey looking at their backgrounds, continues onto training, their activities in the trenches and how they led their men in battle. There are lots of facts and accounts in this book which dispel the old soundbite of "lions led by donkeys" as simply untrue.
Lots (but not all) of these officers grew up with great privilege but their legacies should include their bravery, skill and love of the men they led. This book helps to set the record straight.
Lots (but not all) of these officers grew up with great privilege but their legacies should include their bravery, skill and love of the men they led. This book helps to set the record straight.
January 21, 2020
This book does wonders to help further our understanding of the responsibilities of the young officers of the first world war. It is not a chronological narrative, jumping from 1918 back to 1915 and then to pre -1914 and then 1917 sometimes on the same page to give voices to officers who served at different times. This however is not a criticism, merely an observation. It works perfectly for what the book intends to say.
Fully worth a read for anybody interested in the great war.
Fully worth a read for anybody interested in the great war.
July 10, 2018
Extremely moving. Between this and 'Where Poppies Blow' Lewis-Stempel has more artfully articulated the misery of the British Tommies and fresh-faced sub alterns who, one hundred years ago, waded through the mire to preserve their dream of England; and done so more articulately than most in this century but the Westminster Corner poets themselves. Bravo.
September 18, 2021
A fabulous and moving work. Another excellent study of an aspect of the First World War that many won't be aware of and brings to life to the young men who bore the brunt of the conflict. I can't recommend this highly enough, along with, JLS's other First World War studies, The War Beyond the Wire, and Where the poppies blow.
November 18, 2021
Another way of viewing WWI, this time through the eyes of the subalterns. Straight from school to the trenches and with a much higher risk of death than any other rank. With extracts of letters, poems and their own reminiscences, it's a highly emotional read. This book takes you through every aspect of their army life and beyond and is worthy of their memory.
June 7, 2020
Great read
I found this books a bit of a slow burner at first and the format/bombardment of names and accounts quite difficult to get into but I'm very glad I stuck with it. Great book, riveting accounts of a bullish point in time. Truly harrowing. I highly recommend.
I found this books a bit of a slow burner at first and the format/bombardment of names and accounts quite difficult to get into but I'm very glad I stuck with it. Great book, riveting accounts of a bullish point in time. Truly harrowing. I highly recommend.
March 7, 2019
Fascinating but equally sad book
November 11, 2021
Shines light on untold truths
An excellent book, well-written and well-researched. A very good reply to all those who now pour scorn on that terrible war.
An excellent book, well-written and well-researched. A very good reply to all those who now pour scorn on that terrible war.
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