Ronald Skirth - The Reluctant Tommy

review by Maggie Perkovich on show 3rd November
Again an unusual book. apparently this first world war soldier started writing a book as a love letter to his girl friend Ella, but he admits that as he was writing it he found it was becoming his experiences during the war. He was training as a teacher and knew that he would be drafted as soon as he had finished the training. He entered the Theatre of war as any man prepared to do his bit for king and country, but he realised as the war progressed, what a terrible and soul destroying experience it was. He was very intelligent and also a sensitive man enjoying music, playing the piano plus he could sing. He was also a churchgoer and a believer in God and basically the integral goodness of the human spirit. What he endured and witnessed almost removed his Faith but after time spent in Italy where he went into a catholic church and was inspired by the statues and frescoes,he regained his beliefs and never again lost it. He had a bad case of shell shock, spending time in hospital and afterwards decided he would never again be responsible for the loss of a man's life in war or use an instrument against his fellow man. However he continued as a soldier and it was when he was offered the military Medal after saving the lives of other soldiers which he felt he could not accept as the battle in question has been so badly planned and executed tha several soldiers lost their loves because of it. Ronald was excellent at drawing maps and very important to the war effortbut this is really a very personal book which describes in detail how he became to his decision about being anti war. He survived to marry his sweetheart and it was his daughter who helped him with his book and to get it published He also finished his training to be a teacher and many ytears later took Ella to Italy to see where he had spent his war years. A thoughtful book you feel he was a good man if a little set in his ways. That he was brave and true to his country is in no doubt, but he puts into words what most people know, war is a terrible way to settle arguments and a terrible waste of life. Thought provoking!!!!