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Last Man Standing: The Memiors of a Seaforth Highlander During the Great War Kindle Edition

by Richard Van Emden (Author), Richard van Emden (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 391 ratings
A first-hand account of World War I by a nineteen-year-old Englishman who led a platoon into the carnage of the Battle of the Somme.

While researching his excellent earlier book: Veterans of World War I, author Richard Van Emden encountered a fascinating personality of that long-ago conflict. After witnessing German naval attacks on British civilians, Norman Collins enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of the 51st Highland Division, even though he was under age. Collins fought at the battles of Beaumont Hamel, Arras, and Passchendaele, and was wounded several times. Collins lived to be 100 and had an unusually detailed collection of letters, documents, illustrations and photographs. Richard Van Emden has written a moving biography of a unique personality at war, and his long life after the dramatic events of his youth.

“This is a harrowing tale of battle, loss and the horrors of war.” —Scotland Magazine

“His collection of letters, photographs and the record of interviews as an old man are a treasure trove of information on Western Front fighting.” —British Army Review/Soldier Magazine

“Enthralling memoir. These letters form the freshest part of this book, full of detail about kit and food that obsessed soldiers but which do not find a place in the history books.” —Who Do You Think You Are?

“This is one of the last great first-person memoirs of the Great War. Extraordinary diary, letter collection and photos.” —Scottish Legion News
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  1. Print length
    314 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pen & Sword Military
  4. Publication date
    August 20, 2007
  5. File size
    14.1 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard van Emden has interviewed over 270 veterans of the Great War and has written widely on the 1914-18 conflict.

Previous books include Britain's Last Tommies, Boy Soldiers of the Great War, All Quiet on the Home Front, Prisoners of the Kaiser and the top five best-selling The Trench. He has visited the Somme and Ypres every year since 1985 and has an expert knowledge of the First World War battlefields.

The Author came across Norman Collins while researching his best selling TV tie-in book Veterans. He was immediately struck by this truly remarkable character, who was then over 100 years old. Sadly Norman has now died but Richard Van Emden had not been deterred from writing what is by any standard a most exhilarating memoir of an exceptional veteran.

He currently lives in London.

Richard van Emden interviewed 270 veterans of the Great War, has written extensively about the soldiers' lives, and has worked on many television documentaries, always concentrating on the human aspects of war, its challenge and its cost to the millions of men involved. Richard van Emden’s books have sold over 660,000 copies and have appeared in The Times’ bestseller chart on a number of occasions.

He has also worked on more than a dozen television programmes on the Great War, including the award-winning Roses of No Man’s Land, Britain’s Boy Soldiers, A Poem for Harry, War Horse: the Real Story, Teenage Tommies with Fergal Keane and most recently, Hidden Histories: WW1’s Forgotten Photographs. He lives in London.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00A3W2094
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military; Reprint edition (August 20, 2007)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 20, 2007
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 14.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 314 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 391 ratings

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Norman Collins

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
391 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this memoir well worth reading, praising its unvarnished story and fascinating insights into World War I experiences. The book is written in a very readable way, and customers appreciate its first-person account style.

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20 customers mention "Readability"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and worth reading, with one customer noting it provides amazing insight into a forgotten experience, while another highlights its value as historical records.

"...Worth a read if you enjoy military history." Read more

"Excellent! So far this is one of the best books on WWI I have read. Very personable, down to earth, gritty at times...." Read more

"...example of why these books are difficult to read but extremely valuable as historical records. “..." Read more

"...He loved it and reads it quite often." Read more

17 customers mention "Story quality"17 positive0 negative

Customers praise the book's unvarnished storytelling, with one customer noting how it keeps the narrative fresh and sharp, while another describes it as a remarkable account of a young WW1 soldier.

"...No self congratulatory nonsense here, just the honest and very heartfelt recollections and letters of a man I would have loved to meet...." Read more

"...I did find his enthusiasm, strength of character and willingness to endure great hardships quite inspiring, in this 'Last Man Standing' reminded me..." Read more

"...the inner thoughts and character of the Last Man who survived the Hell of Trench Warfare and certainly did more for his nation's war than the..." Read more

"Poignant, matter of fact, unvarnished story of an exceptional very young man just doing his duty amid the continuous, soul destroying carnage of..." Read more

8 customers mention "Enlightenedness"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book fascinating and enlightening, with one review highlighting its first-rate descriptions and another noting it as a brilliant work about World War I personal experience.

"...The biography is unusual in revealing the inner thoughts and character of the Last Man who survived the Hell of Trench Warfare and certainly did..." Read more

"...grand analysis, no maneuver descriptions but there is a wealth of first rate descriptions of the gut twisting agony of going "over the top" and..." Read more

"...Reading this book is like going through a time warp. Incredibily fascinating" Read more

"Good book of one man's experience...." Read more

7 customers mention "Pacing"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it readable and well-structured, with one customer noting the author's modest and down-to-earth style.

"...Written by a very modest man who had a lot of reasons not to be modest. Worth a read if you enjoy military history." Read more

"...Very personable, down to earth, gritty at times. You really get a feel for how he changed in such a short time based on the wording in his letters...." Read more

"...The author does a nice job putting Collins' life as a military person into perspective for the lay person." Read more

"Norman writes humbly and gives me further insight into what my grandfather's generation experienced in WW1. Well worth reading. Farewell Norman." Read more

4 customers mention "First person account"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the first-person narrative style of the book.

"Good first-hand account of the awful conditions faced by the soldiers in the trenches of WW1...." Read more

"This is an excellent first hand account of the experiences of a typical British “Tommy” during WW I. The United Kingdom suffered 673,375 dead and..." Read more

"Excellent first person account of their experiences as they moved from civilian to solder." Read more

"Great 1st Person account...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • D. Coffing
    5.0 out of 5 stars short, but excellent
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014
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    A wonderful insight into the life of a humble man who did his duty as he saw fit. No self congratulatory nonsense here, just the honest and very heartfelt recollections and letters of a man I would have loved to meet. Editor did a very good job of organizing and briefly connecting bits and pieces.
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  • Ericbeer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good first-hand account of the awful conditions faced by the ...
    Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2016
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    Good first-hand account of the awful conditions faced by the soldiers in the trenches of WW1. Written by a very modest man who had a lot of reasons not to be modest. Worth a read if you enjoy military history.
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  • Mark Kent
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very engaging
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2014
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    Excellent! So far this is one of the best books on WWI I have read. Very personable, down to earth, gritty at times. You really get a feel for how he changed in such a short time based on the wording in his letters. An easy read and well worth the money.
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  • Ruth
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Enthralling Read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2012
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    I couldn't put this book down as it went through Norman's early life, enlistment and through to his service in World War One. In the book you follow Norman's progress from an optimistic and excited boy to a battle weary veteran and some of what is described in the book is more than a bit sobering as when Norman talks about the dying soldiers left out in the dark and the rain after a battle and how it was terrible to hear them but they couldn't help them. I did find his enthusiasm, strength of character and willingness to endure great hardships quite inspiring, in this 'Last Man Standing' reminded me of another great book 'A Fortunate Life' by A.B. Facey. I couldn't help but wonder if the young people of today would have these qualities if they needed them.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • A. L. Hanks
    4.0 out of 5 stars In war there is always a price to be paid....
    Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2016
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    This is an excellent first hand account of the experiences of a typical British “Tommy” during WW I. The United Kingdom suffered 673,375 dead and missing and 1,643,469 wounded out of a population of 46M during the four years of the war. (Wikipedia) Mr. Collins, through the randomness of life and death and war was one of the survivors. The book recounts the horribleness of the conditions and the almost incomprehensible suffering of the soldiers. I have read a number of similar accounts (A Rifleman Went to War by Herbert McBride and Subaltern on the Somme by Max Plowman are also excellent and recommended.) The following is an example of why these books are difficult to read but extremely valuable as historical records.
    “After such intense fighting you always had men lying out in No Man’s Land… They could die in agony or you could shoot them. You would take your .45 revolver and talk to the man and kneel behind him and whilst you were talking pull the trigger….” “It’s a tremendous thing to shoot a friend, even though he’s in agony…”
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  • marine1
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous book
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2019
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    My grandson in high school loves history and wants to be a college history professor. I thought he'd enjoy this book as part of his Christmas present. He loved it and reads it quite often.
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  • L. Franklin
    3.0 out of 5 stars War Leaders' Trickle Down Lack of Troops Welfare
    Reviewed in the United States on April 14, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Very revealing of the extreme casualties and deaths of common troops caused by senior commanders' ignorance and lack of any concern for their disastrous tactics. The biography is unusual in revealing the inner thoughts and character of the Last Man who survived the Hell of Trench Warfare and certainly did more for his nation's war than the generals and politicians.

    The only drawback, for me, was the redundancy in the day to day accounts. I simply lost interest in reading essentially the same personal thoughts over and over again.

    However, for WWI buffs, the book is a valid look into the hellfire of Western Front Training and Trench Warfare.
    One person found this helpful
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  • NightRanger
    5.0 out of 5 stars First Rate Memoir of the War to End All Wars
    Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    This is a World War I memoir told from the viewpoint of a Rear Ranks Rudy who worked himself into a commission. His 17 weeks at the front earned him 14 months in the hospital recovering from 3 wounds in 6 months. He lived to the age of 100 and, fortunately for succeeding generations, his memoirs were transcribed for this book.

    His viewpoint is one of honesty and strictly from the trench level, not some headquarters. There are no grand analysis, no maneuver descriptions but there is a wealth of first rate descriptions of the gut twisting agony of going "over the top" and suffering through gas attacks. If you read this as a story, not a tome of military tactics, you will not be disappointed.
    3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • David I. Howells
    5.0 out of 5 stars A brave man of his time....
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 6, 2014
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    A remarkable story about a remarkable man who simply lived through the most perilous of times...the trench warfare of ww1!

    Basically the book revolves around the fascinating letters of a 2nd Lt during his service in the UK & France during ww1. The book also comprises personal reflections from Lt 'Norman' Collins, accurate editor comments and a host of photographs of times gone by.

    The above paragraph is simply a clinical description of the book whereby the book content is much, much more. It is in essence a horrific historical personal insight to the horrors of trench warfare by a very, very brave man who was twice wounded, who lost most of his friends in the process and who actually lived through the most terrible of times.

    The letters are fascinating and there are many stories, good and bad, held within them. In the main however, reading them leaves you shocked and sad at the tragic loss of a whole generation of extremely brave young men. The volume and quantity of the carnage is simple staggering!

    The book though is all about the experiences of 'Norman,' told through his eyes but it does not follow the normal format of a story. However it is simply a brilliant chronological read, a historic one at that too. An incredible personal story about an incredible modest man who became one of our last 'tommies.'

    I also read this as a Falklands veteran thinking I knew about war, death and it's suffering. I do not....!
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  • Penguin man
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful,
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2024
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    A truly fascinating view of a soldier who although wounded went back into the affray. But survived to tell this wonderful account of a soldier's life in WW1. TRULY amazing.
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  • Kindle Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars Recording a lost era - doing the right thing and doing it well.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 25, 2013
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    This is an excellent book not only readable for those interested in The Great War but also for those who look for an account of the Edwardian period. The social changes that have occurred in the country as a whole and this part of Yorkshire in particular are very obvious given the matter of fact way in which they are recorded - given the context this is also a life lived on the edge. Here the author records, not only the experiences of a young man who seeks adventure and 'to do the right thing' in the time of war when his country definitely needed him and thousands of others but also the day to day attitudes of his peers and others with whom he comes into contact. Only four stars as it is too short, but at the cost of a few pennies it is well worth the purchase.
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  • bitmap
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding History
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 12, 2013
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    This is one of the most profound pieces of documentary history I have ever read. Not only are the descriptions of life in the trenches incredibly real, but the book also gives a wonderful feel for the whole era. It not something that was ever meant to be written as a history, but is simply personal letters and photographs belonging to someone who was actually there. None of them were ever originally intended for publication and that is what gives them their amazing authenticity. These together with the information gathered through interviews by the book's editor, Richard Van Emden, make a complete picture of the War and the times which in quite unique in my experience. A fascinating read. If you are at all interested in the history of the period you must read it.
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  • John Bennett
    5.0 out of 5 stars A sobering read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 3, 2013
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    If, like me, you have previously read general histories of the 1st World War, this personal record shows things from a different perspective.

    Norman Collins was unusual in that all his letters home were kept, thus giving a remarkably complete record of his army life and thoughts from the date of his joining the army as a young volunteer until shortly after the end of hostilities.

    He had joined his school cadet force which gave him a sound introduction to army life. His letters during his army training show how the army set about things: everything is covered - from food, sleeping accommodation, leave, exercises and so on. He, and his volunteer colleagues, looked forward to the prospect of war and to joining the regiments they were keen on, seeing things more or less as an adventure - not knowing of course what the reality would turn out to be. 'The day war broke out I was thrilled' he wrote and rushed down to the recruiting station. Patriotism, he says, was assumed.

    Fairly quickly, his confidence, abilities and the encouragement of his CO lead him to apply for a Commission, which he duly attained.

    In France he proved to be a very competent officer judging by the tasks he was allotted. And he gave much thought to the needs of the men in his charge. Early on he says 'On the whole I prefer this to being at home as I am doing something at last and although it is a very hard life it is not so monotonous'. He was just 19.

    Physical conditions were often appalling. Apart from the fighting there was the mud, sometimes almost waste deep. One of his tasks was to collect the dead. Rats scurried from the chest cavities of some of the bodies.

    Later, his enthusiasm was less marked, though he always continued to be an effective officer. He was incensed when he once went back to brigade headquarters and found the officers there living in considerable comfort - white tablecloths for full meals, and polished buttons and belts, and food parcels from Fortum & Masons, etc. In the line trenches you didn't wash, you just scraped the mud off.

    He never pretended he was not scared before a battle - but he knew he had to set an example to his men, which he did. 'You could not avoid the bullets, or the shells; it was sheer chance' he wrote. Writing to his brother he said 'You know how keen I was about the army and wanting to get out here, so I know what I am talking about. It is the nearest approach to Hell on earth that there is'.

    He later described war as futile: both sides were losers he said. He thought the war could have been ended much sooner.

    The book is well presented with interesting photographs, some by Norman Collins himself. I did not notice any typos. I found it a very absorbing and sobering read, and a complement to my previous reading about WW1. Highly recommended.
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