The Times reviews To Fight Alongside Friends
14 Jul 2014

‘All the familiar tropes of the First World War make appearance on these pages: mud, boredom, slackers at home, and rats (that said, those uninitiated in trench life may be surprised by the soldier’s revenge on the plaguing rattus: to bait a rifle bayonet with cheese and, when the rat nibbled, to pull the trigger). But what shines through like sunshine is Charlie May’s default belief in service to country, his quiet commitment to others over self, and his sheer decency. You could bet your life on Charlie. And, in a way, we did. With all the centenary hooha, the Great War has never seemed so close. Read Captain May’s diary and the Great War has never been so far away. The men in it are from another world.’

Full review (£)