During the First World War, British soldiers were renowned for their chirpy songs and plucky sayings. Indeed, nothing would lift the spirits of the often exhausted and weary troops more than a hearty sing-a-long. These cheery, and at times ribald and satiric, songs and sayings have been collected together to give a fascinating insight into the life of the average ‘Tommy’ in the Great War.

The songs that feature in this collection include marching tunes, songs for billets and rude chants for when no commanding officer was present. Each song is accompanied by a short passage that traces the origins of the melody and accounts for lyrical alternatives. There is also a large glossary of soldiers’ slang words and phrases, revealing the Tommies’ vocabulary in all its bawdiness.

The Daily Telegraph Dictionary of Tommies’ Song and Slang provides an insight into the courage, gaiety and astringent cynicism with which men armed themselves against the horrors of trench warfare.