The War Walk: A Journey Along the Western Front

by Nigel H. Jones

Nigel Jones' uncle was killed in action near Ypres in 1915, aged just eighteen, and his father served on Field Marshal Haig's staff: no wonder then, that he has always been fascinated by the First World War. THE WAR WALK describes his pilgrimage to the Western Front battlefields: it is a compelling blend of history, travel and personal anecdotes from some of the last surviving veterans of the First World War. He follows the old trench networks from the Belgian coast to the Swiss frontier, bringing each battlefield to life with vivid eyewitness testimony and investigating how the sites are preserved today for modern visitors.

Genres: History, Military History, World War I

234 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Stephen]

interesting but dated book about the battlegrounds of the first world war

[Mariner77]

Didn’t really satisfy in either dimensions: not as a walk with various encounters, & insights, nor as a military history. Basically a canter along the lines rather than a meaningful walk.

[Alice]

The parts about walking the Western Front and the characters met along the way really shine, but unfortunately there weren't enough of these and too much potted history of the First World War, which has been done better many times over.