A Yankee in the Trenches · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for A Yankee in the Trenches by Robert Derby Holmes.
Each chapter has a companion in the reader — open a free preview to see notes beside the text.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to Marion A. Puttee of Southall, Middlesex, England, expressing gratitude for her kindness and support during his time as a stranger in a foreign land.
Chapter 2
Frontispiece
The frontispiece introduces Corporal Holmes in the uniform of the 22nd London Battalion, Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment, H.M. Imperial Army, setting the stage for his military service.
Chapter 3
A Yankee in the Trenches
The narrator, an American serving with the British forces, describes his experiences in the trenches, including the daily routines, the constant threat of death, and the camaraderie among soldiers. He recounts a trench raid, the horrors of no man's land, and the strange moments of humanity amidst the brutality.
Chapter 4
Joining the British Army
The narrator recounts his journey from recruitment in London to training in Dover and eventual deployment to France. He describes the bureaucratic hurdles of enlisting as an American, the camaraderie and discipline of training, the emotional farewell during Embarkation Leave with a friend's family, and the chaotic transport across the Channel.
Chapter 5
II: Going In
The narrator describes his journey to the front lines, his first impressions of trench life, the cramped and filthy dugout, the camaraderie and grousing of the Tommies, and his volunteering for a trench raid under Lieutenant Blofeld.
Free preview
16 more chapter companions sit beside the text in BetterReads — open a free preview to unlock the rest.
16 more companions → free preview- Chapter 6III: A Trench Raid
- Chapter 7IV: A Few Days’ Rest in Billets
- Chapter 8V: Feeding the Tommies
- Chapter 9Hiking to Vimy Ridge
- Chapter 10VII: Fascination of Patrol Work
- Chapter 11On the Go
- Chapter 12IX: First Sight of the Tanks
- Chapter 13X: Following the Tanks Into Battle
- Chapter 14XI: Prisoners
- Chapter 15XII: I Become a Bomber
- Chapter 16XIII: Back on the Somme Again
- Chapter 17XIV: The Last Time Over the Top
- Chapter 18Bits of Blighty
- Chapter 19Suggestions for "Sammy"
- Chapter 20Glossary of Army Slang
- Chapter 21List of Illustrations