‘Careful of a Court Martial’ by Dr Martin Purdy
In this talk, long-standing friend of the branch Dr Martin Purdy takes us through the fascinating private diary and images of a junior Lancashire officer and grammar school teacher, Norman Holden. The diary and 'box brownie' photos provide a unique, and at times highly controversial, insight into the oft drunken, class prejudicial and downright bitchy life of an officers' mess. How does this young abstainer and committed Christian cope, and what will be the reality of his savage critiques when the whistle blows and he and his fellow officers all have to go 'over the top' for the first time at Gallipoli? How many of the officers will prove worthy of his barely-concealed disdain and how many will surprise him by making the grade?