The Last Fighting Tommy by Harry Patch with Richard van Emden

The Last Fighting Tommy by Harry Patch, written with acclaimed military historian Richard van Emden, is one of the most important and poignant First World War memoirs published in modern times. Harry Patch became internationally known as the final surviving British soldier to have fought in the trenches of the Great War, and this remarkable autobiography preserves the memories of a man whose life spanned from the Victorian era into the twenty-first century.

Born in 1898, Patch witnessed enormous social and political change during his extraordinary lifetime. At the heart of this book are his vivid recollections of the horrors of trench warfare, particularly his experiences during the Battle of Passchendaele in 1917. Unlike many traditional military histories, The Last Fighting Tommy focuses not on glory or strategy, but on the human cost of war, friendship, fear, survival, and loss. Harry Patch speaks candidly about combat, the psychological impact of war, and his lifelong commitment to peace after witnessing unimaginable suffering firsthand.

Richard van Emden’s careful collaboration ensures that Patch’s voice remains authentic, personal, and deeply compelling. The result is an accessible and emotionally powerful account that appeals to readers of military history, biography, and modern British history alike. The Last Fighting Tommy also offers valuable insight into Edwardian Britain, wartime society, and the enduring legacy of the soldiers who fought in the trenches during World War I.

An essential addition for collectors of First World War literature, military memoirs, and historical biographies, The Last Fighting Tommy remains one of the definitive eyewitness accounts of life in the trenches.

Condition – Near Fine

2008 paperback. Slight page discoloration present. Clean, soundly bound copy with prior ownership inscription present.