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The Last Fighting Tommy

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The Last Fighting Tommy

By: Harry Patch, Richard van Emden
Narrated by: Alan Howard
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About this listen

 Harry Patch, the last British soldier alive to have fought in the trenches of the First World War, is now 109 years old and one of very few people who can directly recall the horror of that conflict.

After a rural childhood in Somerset, Harry left school in 1913 to become a plumber. Three years later, he was fighting in the mud and trenches during the Battle of Passchendaele. He saw a great many of his comrades die, and in one dreadful moment the shell that wounded him killed his three closest friends.

Harry vividly describes the terror and intensity of daily life in the trenches. The Second World War saw him in action on the home front as a fire-fighter during the bombing of Bath. Late in life, Harry achieved fame, meeting the Queen and taking part in the BBC documentary The Last Tommy, finally shaking hands with a German veteran of the artillery, and speaking out frankly to Prime Minister Tony Blair about the soldiers shot for cowardice in the First World War.

This is the story of an ordinary man's extraordinary life.

©2007 Richard van Emden (P)2008 Hachette Audio Military Military & War Politicians Politics & Activism World War I War

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Critic reviews

"[An]extraordinary autobiography... a moving, non-sentimental account by the very last witness of a devastating four years in Britain's history." ( Daily Mail)

"For Harry Patch, born in 1898 and wounded at Passchendaele, November 11 is just showbiz. He remembers September 22: the day his two best mates were killed. This really is living history."(The Guardian)

"We hear Harry's own husky measured voice in the introduction; the rest of his story is narrated by Alan Howard, who nicely recaptures his character."(The Times)
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Read the book twice now listed for the first time. moving and wonderful. RIP Harry
Richard 👍

moving

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Really good book. Very moving. Thank you Harry for your service. A must read for any interested in WW 1

moving

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Brilliant. Loved it. Worth every minute.
This isn't just about his time in the trenches, but is more about his life and how he came to find his way to the trenches of France in WW1. A great recollection that tells the story which might otherwise be forgotten. The "none war" bits of the story are equally compelling. It's got up's and down's as you'd expect, and is a highly recommended read/listen.

Not a story of war, but of an ordinary chap

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A fantastic story from a truly fantastic man, highly recommended.

Haunting & Inspiring

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Made you appreciate what these young men went through not so very long ago.

History in your own lifetime.

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really enjoyed listening to this book, dear old Harry Patch. It gives a great insight not just into his war service but also his life before and after the war. It is also a great snap shot of what life in general was like and how we lived 100 years ago.

fantastic insight

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this book made me think of the sacrifices the men of the wars made for us, really funny in places too !

lovely book

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This book is a reminder of what our troops faced in order for us to have our freedom
Harry patch is a true icon I was very moved and so glad he told us his story I now want to study about the First World War it can teach us about life in general, the human tragedy is unthinkable

Humbled

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Incredible piece of both social and Military history.
Well worth listening to whether you are interested in history or not.

Fascinating

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A Brilliant insight into a world we were fortunate not to be born into, an wonderful country life shattered by the first mechanised war

An amazing story

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