A chance discovery of letters in a junk shop led children’s book author John Maylam, on a detective trail that revealed aspects of a soldier’s life on the Western Front.

At Winsford U3A’s June meeting, John told the tale of Fred Horsnell, an Essex gardener who was enlisted immediately war was declared in August 1914 and was assigned to the East Sussex Regiment.

His frequent letters home tell of initial enthusiasm, the camaraderie of army life and the cheerful acceptance of hardships.

The death of his older brother in the first months of the war, the weariness as the conflict dragged on with no end in sight and the filthy conditions that he had to endure changed the tone of his letters.

Promoted to corporal and awarded the Military Medal, Fred was wounded at the battle of Arras in 1917. One of his last letters remarks that at the hospital near Warrington he was further from home than he was at the front.

By wearing a uniform from the time while reading Fred’s letters and explaining the background, John gave an insight into the life of an ordinary soldier.

More about the fascinating tale of Fred Horsnell and his family can be found on John’s website: brothersatwar.co.uk.

Further details of Winsford U3A and its range of activities are available at: u3asites.org.uk/Winsford.

Chris Prior