One young man

Note: Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive: Canadian Libraries. See http://www.archive.org/details/oneyoungman00willuoft

ONE YOUNG MAN

Published in 1917 by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.

The simple and true story of a clerk who enlisted in 1914, who fought on the Western Front for nearly two years, was severely wounded at the Battle of the Somme, and is now on his way back to his desk

Edited by

SIR ERNEST HODDER-WILLIAMS, C.V.O.,

Author of "The Life of Sir George Williams."

Printed for private circulation Printed in Great Britain by C. F. Roworth Ltd., 88 Fetter Lane, London, E.C.4

TO THE GREATLY BELOVED MEMORY

OF

ONE YOUNG MAN

WHO FOUNDED THE Y.M.C.A.

MY UNCLE

SIR GEORGE WILLIAMS

FOREWORD

I am glad that this very personal little book is to be re-published, if only for private circulation, for it rings as true to-day as it did yesterday.

It tells the story of one young man in the Great War, but, in fact, it reveals no less the personality of the writer who knit the young man's story together.

The young man continues--the writer has passed on.

My brother is revealed here, not as the famous publisher, but as a man whose sympathy was so quick and passionate that he literally lived the suffering and trials of others.

It is this living sympathy, given so freely, that lies like a wreath of everlasting flowers on his memory now.

It is no longer a secret that the real name of the "Sydney Baxter" of this story is Reginald Davis; and those of us who know him and have watched every step of his progress, from his first small job of the "pen and ledger" to the Secretaryship of a great Company, are astonished at the understanding and accuracy of this portrayal of a young man's inner self and outer deeds.

It is true that Sir Ernest Hodder-Williams did little more than comment on the diary written by Davis himself. But how well he explains it; how well he reads into its touching cheerfulness and its splendid sorrow the eternal truth that only by suffering and obedience can the purposes of God and man be fulfilled.

Davis has won his spurs. He bears the marks of his service in the Great War with honour and with never a complaint. His old chief and chronicler was proud of him then. He would be proud of him to-day.

R. PERCY HODDER-WILLIAMS.

CONTENTS

PAGE CHAPTER I INTRODUCES ONE YOUNG MAN 3

CHAPTER II ONE YOUNG MAN JOINS THE ARMY 15

CHAPTER III ONE YOUNG MAN IN CAMP 21

CHAPTER IV ONE YOUNG MAN ON ACTIVE SERVICE 31

CHAPTER V ONE YOUNG MAN AT HILL 60 41

CHAPTER VI ONE YOUNG MAN RECEIVES A LETTER 57

CHAPTER VII ONE YOUNG MAN IN THE SALIENT 65

CHAPTER VIII ONE YOUNG MAN'S SUNDAY 71

CHAPTER IX ONE YOUNG MAN ON TREK 79

CHAPTER X ONE YOUNG MAN ANSWERS QUESTIONS 91

CHAPTER XI ONE YOUNG MAN'S LEAVE 99

CHAPTER XII ONE YOUNG MAN AGAIN IN THE TRENCHES 105

CHAPTER XIII ONE YOUNG MAN GETS A "BLIGHTY" 119

Introduces One Young Man

ONE YOUNG MAN

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCES ONE YOUNG MAN

The boys in the office were, I fancy, a bit prejudiced against him before he arrived. It wasn't his fault, for he was a stranger to them all, but it got about that the dear old "chief" had decided to engage a real good Sunday-school boy. Someone had heard him say, or, more likely, thought it would be funny to imagine him saying, that the advent of such a boy might "improve the general tone" of the place. That, you'll admit, was pretty rough on Sydney Baxter--the boy in question. Now Sydney Baxter is not his real name, but this I can vouch is his true story. For the most part it is told exactly in his own words. You'll admit its truth when you have read it, for there isn't a line in it which will stretch your imagination a hair's breadth. It's the plain unvarnished tale of an average young man who joined the army because he considered it his duty--who fought for many months. That's why I am trying to record it; for if I tell it truly I shall have written the story of many thousands--I shall have written a page of the nation's history.