Thirty-odd Feet Below Belgium: An Affair of Letters in the Great War 1915-1916

by Arthur Stockwin

This book recounts the heartfelt affair of letters which have survived the Great War, between editor Professor Arthur Stockwin's mother, Edith Ainscow and a young English military officer named Geoffrey Boothby.

As Edith wrote her last letter, in May 1916, Geoffrey was due for leave: 'I can't really believe you're coming yet but I hope and hope and hope. Do, do be careful just for one week...'

Providing a fresh perspective on World War One, and with detailed annotations and other informative input by Arthur Stockwin, Thirty Odd Feet Below Belgium proves an extensive insight into the lives and times of two very different people, during one of the world's most harrowing conflicts.

Genres: Nonfiction

233 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Nike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geoff en Edith hebben vier dates voor Geoff naar de Groote Oorlog vertrekt. Ze beginnen een geanimeerde briefwisseling. Je voelt de liefde groeien met elke brief. Geoff probeert het zware soldatenleven luchtig te houden in zijn brieven, maar naarmate de tijd vordert wordt het moeilijker om de ellende te verdoezelen. Ediths brieven zijn onbezorgder en zeemzoeter. Samen tellen ze af naar hun weerzien.

Dat Geoff en Edith echt hebben bestaan, lijkt soms zo onwerkelijk. In de laatste brief voor Geoffs langverwachte verlof schrijft Edith: "I can't really believe that you're coming yet but I hope and hope and hope. Do, do be careful just for a week and let's hope the Fates will be indulgent for once." Ze wist niet dat hij toen al was omgekomen bij een explosie...

Ik kocht dit boek na een bezoek aan Talbot House waar er een tijdelijke expo gewijd is aan Geoff en Edith. Hun verhaal liet me niet los.

Lest we forget.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very evocative collection of letters written between a WW1 soldier and his sweetheart.

[LindyLouMac · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1990 the editor of this moving memoir of a WWI friendship found letters sent between his late mother Edith Ainscow and Geoffrey Boothby. A friendship that grew into love through their correspondence with each other.


A memory from Arthur’s childhood concerning the name of Boothby led him to realise that his mother had had a tragic relationship at just seventeen years of age.

Obviously the letters were not meant to be published but he decided to publish them. They are an extraordinary insight into the dreadful experiences those facing the horrors of the war endured. I am sure that Edith and Geoffrey would have approved of his decision. Recommended to those readers interested in WWI, social history and love.

https://lindyloumacbookreviews.blogsp...

[SpaceBear · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting historical find, this book is a collection of letters between Geoffrey, a British officer on the Western Front of WW1, and Edith, a woman that he met only once and fell in love with. Their letters back and forth are charming, heavily peppered with humour, though inevitable comes to an end with Geoffrey's death in Ypres. A tragic tale, that comes to an end with the rather blunt telegram that the man's family of his death. An interesting work of history, as the letters were found by the woman's grandson (the book's author) who then set about piecing together their romantic exchange, all the while knowing that had Geoffrey never been killed, and their romance progressed, then Edith would never have met the author's father and the author himself wouldn't exsit.

[Anne-Elysa Van Vugt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotioneel, dat is dit kleine boekje zeker. De brieven tonen hoe twee jonge mensen de oorlog beleven. Naïef en vol goede hoop. Het gevaar is een avontuur en de liefde bloeit op via de brieven. Maar uiteindelijk zal de oorlog ook voor boothby zijn tol eisen. Het is een eeuwige herinnering aan het feit dat het normale, jonge jongens waren die naar de oorlog gingen en vele die nooit meer terug kwamen

[Sallie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful is all I have to say it broke my heart at the end it is so powerful of how young love was torn apart by war but what hurt more was she never forgot about Geoffrey boothsby

[Kim Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very moving and real. Big lump in my throat once finished. A wonderful read.

[Eef · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met the grandson of Edith exactly 100 years after Boobthy died. We visited the places that where important for him during the war and also the place he died. A few of his letters were read along the way.

After that day, I grapped the book and read some letters from time to time. It is really sad to see these two very young people grow closer during the war. The letters are sweet and very funny.

[Gypsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet, poignant, heartbreaking tale of the Great War told through personal letters. I found it enlightening, engrossing, and memorable. For those interested in WWI, this should be a must read.