General,
“Lieutenant of the Tower of London.”
1st September, 1919.
The foregoing words were written by the Commander-in-Chief under whom the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division went into action for the first time of its existence. It is nearly a year now since Sir Ian Hamilton wrote them; this will give the reader some idea of the gigantic task those who have collected the material for, and the writer of, this book have had.
The work is an attempt to record the doings and follow the fortunes of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division in the Great War, but nothing that can be written can adequately disclose the noble manner in which these lads preserved throughout that dogged courage and insistent resolution from which it was impossible, for those who were present, to withhold their admiration. My own four years’ experience of them has left me with the deepest feelings of pride and affection. From first to last they proved themselves to be gallant, loyal and self-sacrificing soldiers, warm-hearted, responsive and lovable men.
The thanks of the Committee responsible for the publication of this book are due to Captain E. R. Streat and Mr. George Bigwood, who collected much of the data, but more especially to Mr. F. P. Gibbon, who so kindly consented to write the History. The labour of collecting information from War Diaries and comparing the various accounts which so many old members of the Division have been kind enough to send him, has been very great, and we owe Mr. Gibbon a debt of deep gratitude.
7th August, 1920.