Your highly-regarded commentator ‘Anon’ had some very nice things to say about my Grandad’s war memoirs. I’d like to discuss further, but adding comments to a now 3-day-old article may not be very effective. Could you let him (or possibly her, but I’m betting it’s him 😊) have my email address.
Drop me a line to “timworstallATgmail.com” and I can pass on the email addy…..
There’s at least 3 of us anons, I’ve seen 2 other anons arguing in the comments once. Not all the recent anon comments are mine either but I was the one who replied re Corporal Miller – I was actually keeping an eye on the other discussion anyway but happy to reply here instead.
For anyone who missed it:
https://www.timworstall.com/2026/05/dr-halstead-middleton-turnbull-gm/#comment-1453970
WW1 memoirs: https://1drv.ms/b/c/ed0849c71f014a3d/IQA9SgEfx0kIIIDtsnUAAAAAAXrp30ckBkdcRkEIW0QHIlQ?e=byTCOM
Poems about his son going to the merchant navy (serving in the Atlantic convoys of WW2): https://1drv.ms/w/c/ed0849c71f014a3d/IQA9SgEfx0kIIIDtrnUAAAAAAf-4xkj26wqVM0Wp8ykEmSw?e=m94uWH
Aside from the hellish description of the Ypres salient, the “Rubaiyat of Corporal Miller”, of which an extract is provided in the WW1 memoirs, was the highlight for me:
At times I like to think it’s all a joke.
Not that its laughter makes you want to choke;
A week or two at most you keep a pal,
Then Bang … the poor devil’s gone in smoke.
You mustn’t worry when you see him fall,
Most likely it’s his fault for being tall,
Just recollect you’ve got it coming, too
And that’ll be the biggest joke of all.
He’s gone the road so many men have trod,
He’s dead, and just another useless clod,
So square your back, and when it comes your turn
Take it and say: “Well, that’s the lot, thank God.”
And some day, when the muster roll is read
If you don’t answer, being likely dead;
They’ll send your old tin hat down to the base
And maybe fill it with a thicker head.
Yes, that’s very good. So can you please give me your email addy so I can pass on that of Corp Miller’s grandson who wants to talk to you directly?
Sorry Tim, I interpreted that as Miller Jr Jr just not wanting to reply to an old thread for fear of it going unnoticed – but I was keeping an eye on it. I’ll obvs have an eye on this thread too. Will pop you an email later today in case direct contact is required.
Don’t you have to fill out your email addy when you post?
I was interested to see you say there’s at least three of you. I was getting rather confused by the different tones of voice.
I can even tell from the gravatar image that some of us have picked the same anonymous email address as each other.
My paternal grandfather was at both Gallipoli & Ypres. For the ANZACS it seemed to be short straws all the way.
Why Corporal Miller. Why not Bombardier if he was RA? Or did the various branches of the artillery have different customs.
Oh, and yes, good writing, deserves recognition. Did you have to be an officer to be a war poet?
He was a territorial in the E Lancs regiment, but a gunner. I’m not sure how that all works out!
I was late reading it, but I too very much enjoyed/was moved by those war memoirs.
And yes, I also wondered about the Corporal/Bombardier thing…