My name's Phil Sutcliffe and I'll read excerpts from my father Private/Lance Corporal Sam's wonderfully detailed account of his experiences as a WW1 Tommy, Nobody Of Any Importance: A Foot Soldier's Memoir Of World War I. (The photo above was taken just before demob in 1919 when Sam was 20.)

The branch requested an emphasis on the Somme where he fought with the Kensingtons from May to September in various locations but initially, and including July 1, at Hebuterne/Gommecourt. I'll also touch on:

* the poor London childhood that "made" the Tommy, then Summer 1914 and the enlistment fever that saw him join up, aged 16, in September

* his terrible and even sometimes terribly funny experiences of the trenches at Gallipoli (Suvla Bay, V Beach with the 2/1 Royal Fusiliers)

* the battle against the Spring Offensive outside Arras (Fampoux, his Company and 2/7 Essex Battalion's fight to the last bullet)

* his eight months as a POW wandering occupied France and southern Germany

* Armistice as viewed from a POW camp in Lorraine, his long trek back to the French Front (including the bit through a minefield)

* his homecoming and further adventures in England through to July, 1919, when he attended and riotously enjoyed the Peace Parade (with his brother Ted – they're pictured above, Ted on the left, Sam on the right, maybe in 1916 when they were 20 and 18 respectively).

If there's time. Well, at least a flavour of all that will be attempted or addressed in Q&A if anyone has particular bits of the above they'd like to hear about!

Free entrance, but a small donation to help with the WFA's running costs is requested. Non-members very welcome always.

I can't offer you a meet-the-author I'm afraid, just a chat with his son and editor – plus a "chance to buy" the third and final edition of the Memoir, price £10, illustrated with added documents, Endnotes and all (proceeds from Sam's writings go to the British Red Cross; in the case of the paperback that means £6 per copy). E-books of the Memoir and the extracted battle/campaign excerpts on Gallipoli, the Somme and the Spring Offensive (including his POW months and, finally, Peace) are also available, all details http://footsoldiersam.blogspot.co.uk/p/books-available.html

Contacts for the branch are Stephen Moorhouse (chairman) shm45@hotmail.co.uk and Chantel Summerfield whb.wfa@hotmail.co.uk and a map to find the venue is at https://www.google.com/maps/place/52°08'33.8%22N+2°14'34.2%22W/@52.14272,-2.242826,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d52.14272!4d-2.242826?hl=en-GB

If the Western Front Association interests you, find your nearest branch via https://www.westernfrontassociation.com/branches/