Unusual Tales from The Great War; Some stories you wont have heard.
Andy Stuart
- Regions:
- South East, East of England, London, East Midlands, Cumbria, Lancashire, Durham, Tyne & Wear, Northumberland
- Notice Period:
- Emergency (maybe less than one week's notice)
- Type:
- Author / Hobby
- Fee:
- Expensed: Travel expenses only. Free within reasonable distance.
- Category:
- History
- Updated:
- 8th July 2024
- Tagged:
- Family History | Military History | Historical Fiction | 20Th Century History
Inspired by stories from Arthur Walton, my grandad who enlisted in August 1914 at the age of 16, I started writing during lockdowns. The outcome is a collection of 'Tales from The Great War' in three books. 'A Journey from Boy to Soldier. 1914-1916', 'Is this Forever? 1916-1919', and 'Churchill's Intervention. 1919-1920.' The books take a collection of men from different classes, education, trades and professions through the years of the first industrial war.
This talk refers to the books by joining fact with fiction and of how the filled their time to survive.
It wasn't all mud, blood and barbed wire. They gambled, drank, had sweetheart letters. Scammed the system and the Americans. Wrote 'satirical rhymes for the Wipers Times', guarded PoW's and manned a firing squad. They retained their humour and humanity, and for some, their prejudices. Were taken prisoner by mutinous Bolsheviks, travelled across Russia on a refugee 'plague' train, were lectured by Lenin's wife and met a multi-lingual English Governess with a family carrying a treasure. On return to Britain they were jailed until released by a phone call from Churchill. The aim of this talk is to entertain and look beyond the familiar devastation of the Western Front. There are some more details here: https://www.andystuart.net/
Views: 324 | Enquiries: 1About Andy Stuart
With a collection of anecdotes from Arthur Walton, my Grandad, filed in my head, I knew one day I needed to record them in some way. He died in 1972 (I was 11). Lockdowns created the time to start the project. I started writing without knowing what would emerge and without the intention of a book for publication. I had a beginning, August 1914, and an end, 1920, which gave me a timeline. I needed to get the story from a. to b.
The outcome evolved into far too many words for one book; detailed research into a forgotten part of British History with 'Churchill's Intervention', and a fascination with the Allied involvement in the Russian civil war.
My dad was a professional soldier and I was too; in the Royal Artillery, like my Grandad. I left the army in 1987 to work in financial markets for 25 years, travelling extensively to the great city's of the world. After school in South East London, I studied Economics at Warwick University, and later for a Master of Business Administration. After a City career in 2006, I co-founded a technology development business.
Having disliked composing imaginative stories at school, I now find inspiration everywhere. My writing weaves fiction within historical facts of real events throughout WW1 and during a period largely forgotten by British historians; our involvement in the Russian Civil War.
Groups I've presented to and are scheduled include The British Legion, Western Front Association, Veterans, Rotary and Probus clubs, Writers groups and U3A. https://www.andystuart.net/
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