In February 1916, Captain F. J. Roberts of the 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters produced the first edition of the trench newspaper The Wipers Times. Often produced in hazardous conditions, at one point only 700 yards from the front line, it acted as the voice of the average British soldier, relaying his experiences, grief, and anger during the entire conflict. At times irreverent, at times hysterical, its humor and satire provide an excellent insight into life in the trenches in the First World War.
Malcolm Brown is the author of Lawrence of Arabia: The Selected Letters, the Pan Ground Strategy series, and Suffering from Cheerfulness. Ian Hislop is the editor of Private Eye magazine.