Fred W Ward

The 23rd (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers (First Sportsman's) During the First World War 1914-1918 Fred W Ward

A famous battalion on the Western Front

The appalling losses to the British regular army during the first period of the Great War prompted the creation of the New Army-an enormous influx of citizen soldiers driven by feelings of patriotism determined to 'do their bit' for the cause. Such a massive increase in the size of the army required a huge expansion in the number of battalions to accommodate them. These came under a myriad of identities-public schools, chums, footballers etc-and included adding battalions to well known regiments of the regular army. The Royal Fusiliers gained many such battalions and the subject of this book, the 23rd, was one of the most notable. As its name suggests the battalion attracted a distinctive type-particularly those with a spirit of sportsmanship and adventure. The war service of this battalion was as exemplary as any that served on the Western Front and the places it fought-listed in detail within these pages-are a catalogue of the famous actions of the conflict, though perhaps its greatest day of reckoning came at Delville Wood in 1916 during the Somme offensive. Available in soft cover and hard cover with dust jacket for collectors.