MUD AND KHAKI. The Memories of an Incomplete Soldier

The period covered in this memoir is from 13 January to 23 October 1915 when the author was with the 1st Battalion the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) then part of 7th Brigade, 3rd Division. The whole nine months were spent in the Salient – Kemmel, Hooge, Sanctuary Wood, St Eloi- and if you want to get the feeling of what trench warfare was really like in that bloody (in more senses than one) Salient then you can do no better than read this book. Most vivid is Clapham’s description of the attack on Bellewaerde Ridge, just north of Hooge, on 16 June. In fact the HAC history gives two accounts of this action, one is by the CO and the other, giving the rank and file view, is Clapham’s story, extracted in full from his book. The action cost the battalion over 200 casualties, almost half the trench strength at the time. The narrative ends with the battalion being withdrawn from the line and transferred to GHQ Troops, and Clapham a corporal. A superb book.