A Tommy at Ypres

This is the remarkable First World War diary of Walter Williamson, 268163 L/C (A/CPL) 6th Battalion Cheshire Regiment. The diary starts as Walter is called to war in 1916, aged twenty-eight and married to Amelia, with a two-year-old son, ‘Little Jimmy’. We travel with him from Birkenhead to France and onward to the Ypres Salient, where his vivid recollections describe his part in the 118th Brigade’s involvement in the Battle of St Julien at the opening of The 3rd Battle of Ypres, then on to The Somme and back again to Ypres. We meet his many comrades, his best friend Pat Nunn, and his commanding officers, all of whom come to life through his wonderfully keen observations. Walter had a passion for writing, as you will discover for yourself not only from the diary, but from the letters he wrote to Amelia, intermingled chronologically, which give a further insight to Walter’s War. This is an accurate factual account which will be of great interest to historians, but it is so much more than that, it is a heart warming story of one man’s experience of war, which will prove a compelling read to all lovers of a ‘good book’. Walter was an educated man, not wealthy, but a gentle, sensitive, unassuming and loving family man with a warm humour that reflected these qualities, all of which are in turn reflected in his wonderful diary.

Within these pages lies the reality of life for A Tommy at Ypres: Walter’s War reveals the true spirit of an outstanding generation, perfectly expressed by Walter in a letter he wrote to Amelia, dated 30th March 1917:

‘But dear old girl I do so miss you and would give worlds to have

you in my arms again in our little home, I say worlds, but I must

hedge a bit. If it was necessary to spend ten years out here to make

sure our boy would never be called up to see the horrors of real

warfare, I would do it gladly, aye and more…’