Adrian's Reviews > Six Weeks: The Short and Gallant Life of the British Officer in the First World War

** spoiler alert ** Great book covering the life of the junior british officrs in WW1 from their public schools draft, the journey from Britain to France and Flanders , the entrance in the trenches, trench life , troop composition , morale, trench dangers, death , cammarederie, injury, billets , fun on leave and the eventual end of the war, getting back to civiliam life, wounds phisical and psichological and adendum.

This book is about the young britsh generation which was lost in WW1; young lords, knights, barons which attended the public schools like Eton, Oxford, Cambridge, imbued with the valors of honor, courage, fairplay , the creme a la creme, the most patriotic, and with high ideals part of the British society , THE ones that died in the largest proportion in WW1 compared to any other military rank.

They were the ones in the first line, the ones who had to jump over the trench parapet and run towards the noman's land straught into german machine guns and shelling, to inspire the regular soldiers to follow them .

The germans were prioritizing them over any other rank since they represented the core of the british doggedness and valor.

A whole generation of elite boys wiped out in just 4 years. It is said by many , this was a reason Britain lacked the skill to navigate the turbulent politics of the 30's.

Awesome read, penetrating all aspects of these young men short but glorious life.