Uncle Cy's War: The First World War Letters of Major Cyrus F. Inches

by Valerie Teed (editor)

At 31 years old, Major Cyrus Inches resolved to survive the Great War, and did so without losing his sense of humour, in spite of the tragedies he constantly faced. His letters home were stored and left undisturbed for almost ninety years. Cleverly written with wit and humour, they reveal voluminous details of life during the war. Cyrus Inches also kept a diary and published a booklet called The 1st Canadian Heavy Battery in France — Farewell Message to NCOs and Men , which chronicled the movements and the battles of his battery. The booklet and letters combine to create a complete history of one Canadian officer's experiences — from Valcartier and the First Battle of Ypres to Mons, and the months of demobilization after that. Uncle Cy's War is volume 14 in the New Brunswick Military Heritage Series.

304 pages, Paperback

First published November 20, 2009

Reviews

[Cyrus Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full disclosure - I was named after this man, Cyrus Inches, and have been forever curious about who he was. Ever so lucky am I that he wrote copious correspondence during World War I and it has been beautifully compiled and structured by Valerie Teed. The book itself gives an excellent view of WWI in the European theater outside the trenches. Cyrus Inches’ writing speaks to another time when a well-educated person wrote with humor and subtlety so rare today. The letters themselves show the life of an officer (complete with batman) and the day-to-day behind the lines in France and Belgium. Never a note of hubris. Recommended to anyone who likes (1) letters (2) WWI without the battles (3) a time when people were expected to write well or (4) New Brunswick / Canadian war history.