With Our Soldiers in France

In Short

Written in 1917, this firsthand account documents the physical and moral condition of Allied soldiers on the battlefields of France. The narrative follows an American worker detailing the vast relief network organized to support troops facing mass warfare. It captures the reality of trench combat, poison gas, base camp life, and the social vices threatening the recruits. The book endures as a vivid historical record of the Young Men's Christian Association's massive war effort, preserving the human element, moral anxieties, and spiritual searching of the young men who fought in World War I.

The Story

The narrative begins on the front lines of Europe, capturing the immediate horror and scale of the global conflict. It introduces the reader to the brutal mechanics of trench warfare, where soldiers endure underground sapping, lethal artillery bombardments, and terrifying poison gas attacks. Amid this grim environment, the arrival of American forces introduces fresh, well-equipped, but green troops to the war zone. These young recruits possess high morale and natural marksmanship, yet they face severe moral hazards fueled by high pay, isolation, and distant home ties.

To meet these physical and moral dangers, the text moves to the extensive network of relief huts and base camps established throughout France and Britain. These facilities serve as sanctuaries where soldiers gather for warmth, wholesome entertainment, and spiritual counsel. The narrative outlines the daily operations of these centers, showing how workers use music, comedy, and frank discussions to draw men away from destructive temptations.

As the journey continues deeper into the military structure, the account examines the severe social challenges hidden behind the lines. In base camps and specialized hospitals, the text addresses the widespread prevalence of venereal disease, excessive drinking, and gambling among the millions of mobilized troops. It advocates for a comprehensive strategy combining moral education, physical athletics, organized recreation, and strict military oversight to safeguard the health and character of the men.

Turning to the religious life of the battlefield, the narrative illustrates how the constant threat of death strips away superficial skepticism. Soldiers frequently display a deep, unpretentious natural faith, recognizing divine companionship in the midst of suffering, even as many remain alienated from traditional church institutions. The text highlights how the war forces Christian organizations to set aside sectarian differences in favor of unified, practical service.

Finally, the narrative broadens its scope to present the staggering statistical reality of the war—millions of casualties, devastated families, and shattered lives across all participating nations. It concludes with reflections on individual sacrifice, quoting poignant letters and poems from young soldiers who faced death with quiet faith, while calling for a renewed moral order in the postwar world.

How It Unfolds

The reality of the front The account opens with vivid testimonies from soldiers surviving underground mining operations, artillery barrages, and toxic chlorine and phosgene gas drills in the battle zones of France.

The arrival of new forces The focus shifts to the incoming American troops, highlighting their superior equipment and marksmanship alongside their vulnerability to moral dangers and high pay far from home.

Service in the base camps The narrative details the operation of timber relief huts where thousands of tired soldiers gather daily for hot meals, camp sing-songs, lectures, and moral guidance provided by dedicated volunteer workers.

Confronting the camp vices A frank examination of hospital camps reveals the massive toll of venereal disease, heavy drinking, and gambling, prompting calls for rigorous moral instruction, athletic programs, and strict camp regulations.

Spiritual life in the trenches The text explores the unpretentious, non-sectarian faith of the common soldier, advocating for church unity and practical Christian service over rigid denominational divides.

The cost of global conflict The final section surveys the unprecedented scale of world casualties, presenting moving personal testaments of fallen young men alongside official military directives urging discipline, courtesy, and self-restraint.

The People

Sherwood Eddy The author and narrator, an active Christian worker who travels through the war zones of France and Britain. He seeks to observe the hard realities of the front, record the physical and moral state of the troops, and deliver practical support and spiritual counsel to millions of young soldiers facing death and temptation.

Sir A. K. Yapp The General Secretary of the National Council of Great Britain’s Y.M.C.A., who recognizes the immense moral and practical crisis at the outbreak of the war. He leads the rapid transformation of a peacetime organization into a vast international network of over fifteen hundred relief centers serving troops across multiple continents.

Lady Rodney A courageous British administrator who directs female volunteer workers in the base camp huts while coping with the personal loss of a son killed in action. She addresses crowds of soldiers on the moral purpose of the war, embodying the quiet sacrifice of mothers back home.

Alfred Casalis A nineteen-year-old French student of theology and missionary candidate who volunteers for the front. He writes serene, faithful letters to his parents before perishing in a charge, exemplifying the tragic loss of brilliant young idealists who face death without fear or hatred.

In Its Own Voice

"He did not go there to write but to work. He has tried simply to state what he saw and to leave the reader to draw his own conclusions."

The author frames his accounts as straightforward, unvarnished observations from the front lines, intended to present the hard realities of army life to folks back home without sugar-coating the truth.

"A mere statement of the grim facts at the front, if they are not sugar-coated or glossed over, may not be pleasant reading, but it is unfair to those at home that they should not know the hard truth of the reality of things as they are."

Reflecting on the obligation of the observer, this passage stresses that true sympathy for fighting men requires an honest look at both physical suffering and moral hazard.

"Life in the trenches for the moment drives men to God, but the life in a base camp is one of fierce and insidious temptation."

This observation captures the core conflict of the narrative, contrasting the immediate spiritual awareness brought on by battlefield danger with the subtle moral decay found in rear-guard base camps.

What It's Really About

The book examines the moral and spiritual preservation of human beings caught inside the machinery of modern industrial warfare. Beyond recording tactical operations or military strategy, it investigates how extreme hardship, isolation, and sudden exposure to vice affect the character of millions of young men. The text argues that physical protection alone is insufficient; total warfare demands an equally massive, organized response of practical sympathy, clean recreation, and unselfish Christian service. It challenges traditional religious institutions to abandon narrow sectarianism in favor of genuine unity, using the shared sacrifice of the battlefield to envision a more compassionate, morally grounded society after the devastation of global conflict.

Why Read It Today

This work offers modern readers a rare, immediate window into the social history and moral atmosphere of World War I. Readers who appreciate historical primary sources will value its unvarnished details of base camp operations, poison gas training, and the immense logistical efforts required to maintain troop morale behind the trenches. The narrative captures the authentic voices, humor, and anxieties of common soldiers, providing an intimate counterpart to formal military histories.

The reading experience is direct, urgent, and deeply earnest, reflecting the immediate crisis of 1917. While contemporary readers may notice period attitudes regarding moral purity, strict temperance, and traditional religious frameworks, these elements ground the text firmly in its era. The author's willingness to openly address taboo issues like venereal disease and psychological strain gives the book a candid, surprising realism. What stays with you long after reading is the staggering record of human loss contrasted against the quiet resilience of individual soldiers who found purpose, fellowship, and faith amid the ruins of Europe.

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