The First World War as a living history is to all intents and purposes
over. As of today February 2005, there are only twelve veterans from six
million alive who served on the Western Front. Richard has spent the
last 20 years interviewing and carefully recording the memories of over
270 veterans and this book is a culmination of his 20 years of work.
The book will be an extraordinary collection of stories told by the
veterans themselves but also through the author's memories of them: the
remarkable, the sad, the funny, the moving. It will also feature an
outstanding collection of photographs taken of the veterans as they
were, as soldiers during the war together with recent images of almost
all of these men, taken at home, back on the Western Front, at the final
veterans' reunion, and at various investitures.
Britain's Last Tommies will also offer a unique list of veterans, all of
who individually hold the poignant title of being the last Gallipoli
veteran, the last Royal Flying Corps veteran, the last Distinguished
Conduct Medal holder, the last cavalryman, the last Prisoner of War.