Her Privates We

“The finest and noblest book of men at war” Ernest Hemingway

The classic novel of the Great War, set during the battle of the Somme.

Her Privates We follows the story of Private Bourne, an ordinary soldier dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

As well as conveying the camaraderie and heroism of the trenches, the novel explores the terror and monotony of being a soldier. A cloud of fatalism hangs over the narrative, which is brightened up through friendships, a shared, grim sense of humour and colourful conversations between the privates.

Bourne and his comrades must fight their demons within, as well as the enemy across No Man's Land. Men die, but still a sense of duty endures.

Her Privates We is as much a triumph of realism as it is of the imagination. Readers of both military history, and literary fiction, will continue to be haunted by its prose and insights.

“The book of books so far as the British army is concerned” T.E Lawrence

“Psychological acuteness marks this book out as both a precious document of the First World War and an imperishable modernist masterpiece.” David Evans (Independent)

Frederic Manning was an Australian born poet and novelist who moved to England at the age of 21. Much of his writing was inspired by his experiences in the infantry during the Great War. Her Privates We remains his most enduring work on the subject.