I Was There! The Horror of Loos - I saw a football in No Man's Land, by Patrick Macgill

The Western Front Association's 'I Was There!' project continues with the latest episode recently published

This video - voiced by one of our band of volunteers - is the account of the Battle of Loos as seen by Patrick Macgill. Click the icon below to view the video of Macgill's original words.

The author of "Children of the Dead End" and other well-known works, Patrick Macgill, was a stretcher-bearer in the London Irish Rifles at the battle of Loos. This account of his experiences was written at the time with all the power of an inspired writer describing an immediate journey into the land of blood and horror. He tells the famous story of how his comrades went over the top with a football. Before he joined the Army in 1914, Patrick Macgill had been a navvy and a farm worker and a research student, and had by then established a growing reputation as an author.

All episodes can be found on the I Was There! Index Page 

Searchable Magazine Archive

I Was There! magazine was originally published in 51 weekly issues between 1938 and 1939. The Western Front Association has undertaken a long-term project to digitize and narrate these historical accounts. The digital scans are available to members as PDF files in the Searchable Magazine Archive.

Not a member? Join us and get access to a wealth of digitised resources.