Glenn R. Iriam

This book is a first hand account of a Canadian soldier of the 8th Battalion (The Royal Winnipeg Rifles), 1st Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, who served from August 1914 until wounding in August 1918. This is an extraordinary length of time for an infantry soldier to serve. The physical and mental toughness required is difficult to comprehend. Iriam talks to this in the book - his near collapse from what we would now call PTSD - and the suggestion he never fully recovered. He also discusses this in his poignant last short chapter.
I guess Private Iriam was a company sergeant-major's nightmare. A good field soldier who flirted with gross insubordination the rest of the time, and who was sarcastic and well-spoken. It speaks well to the quality of the Canadian leadership - despite the comments Iriam makes - that he was not only tolerated and only once charged, but that he was given enormous leeway to get on with his soldiering. It is no wonder that the CEF was the greatest military thing Canada ever did.
This is the best first-hand account of a Canadian soldier in the First World War that I have read. I recommend it highly. It is not however for the faint of heart.… (altro)