The Runner

The Runner, written in first-person narrative, takes the reader on a personal journey of discovery of my Grandfather’s role in The Great War. The book begins with a recap of why America got involved in The Great War and then traces my Grandfather’s life from being raised in Chicago to his enlistment and subsequent service in the American Expeditionary Forces. As it turns out, Grandpa served in some of the more significant battles of the war - and not in a passive role but up front in the thick of battles themselves as a Battalion Runner for the 2nd Division. My jaw dropped as I learned of his combat role in the trenches of Verdun, the taking of the stronghold of Vaux to halt the German advance to Paris, the battles involved in taking the town of Vierzy, and finally being shot and lying near death in the fields of Thiaucourt. After tracing his role in the battlefields of France, the book concludes with an exhortation to the read to discover the many WW1 monuments that might be in your own backyard. Come join me in a journey of discovery as I piece together his service from seemingly scraps of discarded information and piece together details that would have otherwise been lost forever.