016 - 'A certain Man Drew a Bow at a Venture'

In the harrowing landscape of France during the Great War, Bernard Adams, a dedicated officer of a Welsh battalion, took it upon himself to document the grim realities of warfare. From the squalid living conditions in the rat-infested trenches to the duties of both officers and the Tommies (enlisted men), he paints a vivid picture of their struggles, the horrors of maiming and death, and the often-overlooked moments of stillness deemed “nothing of importance” in official reports. Adams shares his personal journey of being wounded in June 1916 and the profound reflections that emerged during his recovery in “Blighty” (the affectionate term soldiers used for England). His poignant final chapter, written while he convalesced, serves as a heartfelt meditation on the nature of war. After several months of healing, he returned to the front lines, only to be wounded again on February 26, 1917, a day before his tragic death. (Lee Smalley)