{"title":"Those Who Were There Ser","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"in-the-trenches-those-who-were-there-book-rachel-bilton-9781473867130","title":"In the Trenches: Those Who Were There","description":"A wide range of personal experiences are covered in the seventeen chapters of this book. All the stories are written by the participants who describe exactly what happened to them while they fought in the greatest battles of the First World War. What makes them special is that their stories were written while the images were fresh in their minds. The experiences recorded are those of civilians, officers and men, in the mud of the Western Front, in the sand of the desert, on the scorching beaches of Gallipoli and on the forgotten front of Salonika. Where possible information about these men has been provided to explain their life before and after the war. Also included are rarely seen images that augment the text. The stories cover the whole of the war, starting with the chance meeting of a reporter and men of the Royal Field Artillery resting after the retreat. Wilfrid Ewart paints a vivid picture of everyday life in the trenches during the first winter of the war. Captain Pollard, a VC winner, provides a grim vignette, breathlessly told, of an infantry charge on a German trench.Sergeant Cooper details life in the French Foreign Legion at Gallipoli and the 'fierce fighting such as men reckless to the point of indifference can execute'. Charles Douie describes the battlefields of the Somme when the guns are silent. The bitter story of the hell endured by the men who bled and died during the battle for Passchendaele is told by A.M. Burrage, ex-Private X. The psychiatric problems of war are clearly outlined by David Phillips and Herbert Read tells of days of fighting, hunger, desperation, loss of life, all thrown away for no gain when the order to evacuate the post was given. Two stories close the war: the first battle between tanks and a poignant description of the end of the war.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49505199751441,"sku":"GOR008861613","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473867134.jpg?v=1751273149"},{"product_id":"sea-and-air-fighting-in-the-great-war-those-who-were-there-book-david-bilton-9781473867055","title":"Sea and Air Fighting in the Great War: Those Who Were There","description":"This is a compelling book for lovers of sea and air stories from the Great War era. In the twelve stories told by the participants, many of whom were decorated for bravery, they describe their experiences of events: stories of luck, tenacity, courage, extreme danger, excitement and bravery. Also included are photographs to help set the scene for the vignettes and details of the authors' lives where possible. Seven stories detail the war at sea, while the other six reflect the war in the air from a civilian and combatant point of view. The exciting thing about the stories, apart from their freshness, is that they have remained unpublished for nearly eighty years and they are written by participants who describe exactly what they experienced and felt. Mrs Peel describes what an air raid was like from a civilian's point of view, and pilots describe both the humdrumness of some of their work and how it could suddenly change in to a fight for their life, in which luck often played a part in their survival. At sea, the authors describe the struggle to overcome the U-boat menace using Q ships and reveal the boredom, suspense and danger involved in laying a trap.The Battle of Jutland is described from an officer's active view of events, and the sinking of the Audacious is described by someone who was aboard and sworn to silence about the events. There is also the exciting story of the chase and fight between the Carmania and the Cap Trafalgar.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49615027077393,"sku":"GOR013295284","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473867053.jpg?v=1751242590"},{"product_id":"prisoners-and-escape-wwi-book-esther-bilton-9781473867093","title":"Prisoners and Escape WWI","description":"A wide range of personal experiences are covered in the eleven chapters of this book. Nearly all the stories are written by the participants who describe exactly what happened to them during the war. What makes them special is that they were written while the images were fresh in their minds. The experiences recorded are those of  civilians and soldiers. Where possible information about these men has been provided to explain their life before and after the war. Also included are rarely seen images that augment the text. The writers tell true stories of spying, escape from certain death, escape from captivity and working for the Germans to help the Allied war effort. Edwin Woodhall describes his work in counter-intelligence, spies, counter-spies and disguises, in the early days of the war. Harold Beaumont tells the dramatic story of his escape through Belgium where he was helped by Nurse Cavell. The hardships and difficulties an escaper faced are detailed  by Walter Ellison, who failed to get away, while a successful escape is  told by Duncan Grinnell-Milne who returned to flying over the Western Front and quickly found himself in no man's land when his plane crashed.Captain Evans was eventually a successful escaper as was H. G. Durnford who managed to escape the first time. Marthe McKenna, one of the most famous spies in the war, tells of the time she was ordered to investigate and assist in a plot to assassinate the Kaiser. Esmee Sartorius tells of her escape to Holland at the start of the war, and the breath-taking thrills of two men disguised as German officers is told by Lieutenant Marchal. The final story describes how Trooper Potts escaped certain death while rescuing his friend on Burnt Hill in Gallipoli.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49656736514321,"sku":"GOR013478684","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49862386090257,"sku":"GOR009224884","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1473867096.jpg?v=1750757543"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/those-who-were-there-ser-book-series.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}