1st Review of From the Frontline of History

Many thanks to Brian Palmer for his kind review of From the Frontline of History, Teddy Campion at War with the Seaforth Highlanders 1895 – 1916 in the latest edition of The Ileach, the brilliant Independent Newspaper of Islay and Jura.  

See below for the full text.

From the Frontline of History. Teddy Campion at war with the Seaforth Highlanders 1895-1916.

Nick Bastin. Paperback £14.99

Author Nick Bastin has previously featured in the Ileach via reviews of his excellent fictional trilogy, ‘The Book of the Black Tower’, but in this, his latest publication, he revisits the copious and fastidiously kept diaries of Edward (Teddy) Campion, who joined the Seaforth Highlanders (named after the sea loch in the Outer Hebrides) as a 2nd Lieutenant and rose to the rank of Major.

Teddy Campion was born on 18 December 1873 into a “…privileged, aristocratic family in the late-Victorian era…”, but as the third and youngest son in the family, he was effectively excluded from any future inheritance and would have to make his own way in the world.

Teddy’s father had served as a Captain in the Duke of Albany’s own Highlanders, subsequently merged with the 78th Highlanders Regiment of Foot to create the 1st Battalion Seaforth Highlanders.

Educated at Eton, he attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst and his decision to join the Seaforths was undoubtedly influenced by his father and his connections. The author makes it plain, when asking why we should be interested in Campion, that he performed no amazing deeds of derring-do, nor were there any Victoria crosses bestowed.

However, as Nick Bastin points out in his introduction, “What sets Teddy apart is that he was a great diarist, and from his earliest overseas service until his death, he has left us a trail of diaries and letters…”

His diaries describe in detail, the battles of Atbara and Omdurman, ostensibly the last of the ‘traditionally fought’ battles of the 19th century.

He also recorded the building of blockhouses during the Boer War, devices implemented by the British to “…break up the Boers’ freedom of movement.” It was pretty dull work, by all accounts.

Perhaps the portion of the book that will garner greatest interest from contemporary readers are Campion’s diaries from the First World War. Preceding these, in his introduction, the author states, “The losses are unimaginable today. Between April and May 1915, 95% of the officers and 112% of the NCOs and men of the 2nd battalion Seaforth Highlanders were killed, missing or wounded.”

Campion was gassed on 2 May 1915, but remained at his post until 6 May “…unquestionably causing severe damage to his health…” This he did in the knowledge that there were very few senior officers left to command the remnants of the battalion.

Incredibly, he returned to the front line on 11 September that year, but ultimately succumbed to complications engendered by his gassing. He died on 25 February 1916 at the age of 42.

A poignant note at the end of Teddy’s May diary entry stated, “On 2nd May our respirators were found to be no good being made of nothing but woollen waistbelts.”

From the Frontline of History is available from Amazon.