Image
One corner of Tom's map, annotated post-war with a list of the places he was billeted. The final number is 83 - Bavay.
Place
The Somme is a river valley rather than a town and as with many battles in many wars, the Retreat from the Somme was about getting troops across bridges. Tom controlled two of them at critical moments during this momentous retreat, one at Saint-Christ-Briost, the other at Pont-lèz-Brie.
People
This is one of the most detailed accounts of the war contained within the diary and is largely rendered verbatim.
Fact and Fiction
All true.