Three Cheers for the Derrys!
The long awaited second edition of "Three Cheers for the Derrys!" - A History of the 10th Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the 1914-18 War will be on sale from 16th November. This book is based on the recollectons of the last surviving veterans and is the very moving story of the County Londonderry battalion from its conception in August 1914 to the end of the war. It includes action at the Somme, Messines, Passchendaele, Cambrai and St. Quentin battles with the 36th Ulster Division.
The popularity of the first edition (printed in 1991) was undoubtedly its readibility as a review from the Belfast Telegraph stated, "A riveting first hand account by two veterans of the horrors of life and death in the trenches. The author has quite rightly linked the various episodes into chronological order and let these graphic memories run untouched - and its harrowing stuff". As this unit was the equivilent of one of the "Pals battalions", the close knit bond of these lads who played on the same terraced streets, went to the same schools, knew each others families and joined up in groups is apparent in these most personal and moving accounts by the veterans.
This edition has been printed to a higher specification than the original and published in a larger size (just slightly smaller than A4) with approximately 250 pages of content including over 200 photographs and illustrations - many of which have not been seen in public before. The roll of those who served with the battalion has also been revised and the text content has been expanded by over 10,000 words which includes interviews with Pte James Monteith who was a virtually unknown veteran at the time the first edition went to print.
A special collectors / family heirloom hard back edition will be available from 26th November direct from YES! Publications, Bishop St, Londonderry (02871261941) and anyone wishing to purchase a hardback copy is advised to place an advance order as soon as possible as numbers are limited and demand has already been high. A softback edition is also available from limited retailers e.g. Easons and also by mail order.
(Some first edition softbacks were reaching up to £130 on eBay and this is the reason why the book has been reprinted - to allow families and those interested in the battalion to have an opportunity to buy the book at a realistic price.)