In this series you are invited to share an extract of 500 words from your most recent book published within the last 12 months. Details at the end of the post.

The aim of the series

1. To showcase your latest book and sell some more copies.
2. Gain more reviews for the book.
3. Promote a selection of your other books that are available.

Delighted to share an extract from the recently published biography by S. Bavey about her grandfather who led a very full and colourful life by the sound of it. Lucky Jack (1894-2000)

About the book

“One of the perils of being a sniper during the First World War was the likelihood of a grenade going off right next to you and burying you alive”.

Meet Jack Rogers. Born in 1894, he once locked eyes with Queen Victoria and was one of the first travellers on London’s ‘Tube’. An early car owner, he had many escapades on his days out to Brighton, including a time when his brakes failed and he had to drive through central London without them!

His skills as an entertainer earned him popularity throughout his life, and kept him out of the deadly mines while a prisoner during the First World War. At the tender age of 103 Jack earned the title of ‘The World’s Oldest Columnist’ as he began dictating his life’s exploits to a reporter from the local newspaper.

An extract from Lucky Jack

Jack in uniform

On my 24th birthday, March 21st, 1918, at around 5.00 a.m. a terrific noise began – the German barrage had started. You could hear nothing but gunfire. It shattered my eardrum. Eight of us, all snipers, including my mate Charlie, were in the extra trench, which had been dug by the Royal Engineers. We had been in the trench since the previous night. It was quite some way out in front of our frontline and we had been given orders to keep it defended at all costs.

Suddenly the Germans started pouring out from their trenches. As men were shot down they were replaced by others. They advanced in small pockets, which they had weakened by constant bombing, not in a straight line as we had expected. They were shelling heavily to the left and right of us, but somehow, miraculously, not on us. Waves of German soldiers flowed past us, but they didn’t come anywhere near us, as we hid, terrified, in our trench. Yards in front of us we could see a group of fifty soldiers advancing, and another group the same distance behind us. They swept right past us as we stood in our trench watching them. The British soldiers were in full retreat and from our slit in the ground, all we could see was the backs of the German soldiers, as they continued forging ahead.

We stayed in our trench like that, surrounded by all of our equipment and everything we owned. We had expected to be in the thick of the fighting and instead there we were hiding in a small trench. At around 11 a.m. a group of Prussian soldiers appeared, part of the ‘mopping up’ party sent to finish off or round up any survivors who had been missed the first time the soldiers went through. They threw some ‘tater mashers’ into the trench (hand grenades), which luckily missed me, and then came rushing down into our trench. By some good fortune, neither Charlie nor I were killed. We decided we had no choice but to put our hands up and surrender under the circumstances. It was 11.30 a.m. by this time and we had managed to hold the trench since 5.00 a.m. We were terrified and exhausted and Frank Richards had been hit by a piece of tin between his neck and shoulders and he was bleeding and holding his head.

One of the Prussian Guards was a big, fierce-looking man with a moustache. He jumped into the trench next to me, with his bayonet fixed and pointed at my stomach. Convinced my last hour had come, I was absolutely terrified and said “Goodbye” and waited for his deadly thrust. Instead of thrusting his bayonet into me I heard him say softly, almost gently, “Zigaretten, Kamerad?” He wanted cigarettes. I took out my cigarette tin from my pocket where I carried a few ready-rolled cigarettes and offered it to him. He took some cigarettes and then pointed at my equipment and said, “Los!” We had to leave all of our possessions and equipment there on the ground and follow them out of the trench. They then walked us back to their lines. What an absolute feeling of relief that was, although we were filled with trepidation as to what would follow!

The Wooden shoemakers in Germany

 One of the recent reviews for the book

What an incredible autobiography! Told in small anecdotal portions in chronological order, the extraordinary life of Lucky Jack is entertaining, easy to read, and fascinating. What I liked about this structure was that I could pick up the book and read one, two, or three in a sitting and be swept into the world and life (and adventures!) of this man’s life. If ever there was a person graced with luck and long life it was Jack. I particularly enjoyed the early childhood tales, as they gave a picture of turn-of-the century London and also the Great War (in which he served) – the personal account of the experience is important historical record as we move farther and farther away from these events.  

Read the reviews and buy the book: Amazon US and Amazon UK

If  you would like to listen to Jack in person…

Anthologies S. Bavey as contributed to.

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – More reviews: Goodreads – Website: Sue Bavey WordPress – Facebook: Sue Bavey – Twitter: @SueBavey

About S. Bavey

Sue Bavey (writing as S. Bavey) is an English Mum of two, living in Massachusetts since 2003 with her husband, kids, a cat named Midnight, a bunny named Nutmeg, a leopard gecko named Ziggy Stardust and occasional frogs and salamanders.

“Lucky Jack is the first book I have written and is my grandfather, Henry John Rogers’ biography. Grandad lived with us when I was born, until we moved when I was six years old. Then he came back to live with us in my teenage years and we were very close.

He was my father’s father, but my Mum diligently collected the newspaper columns he dictated to a local reporter, and kept them in scrapbooks in her attic, where they gathered dust and yellowed over time. A few years ago I moved my Mum into an apartment and found all the scrapbooks in the process. I wanted to get all of those stories into a book for my kids to read. That was the germ of an idea which – thanks to my having time during Covid lockdown – has now resulted in the life story of my grandfather, Jack Rogers being written.”

Thank you for dropping in today and I hope you will be leaving with some books.. Sally

What will be in the post and how to get in touch

• • • I will top and tail in the usual way with your other books and links, bio, photo and social media.
    • I will also select a review from Amazon or Goodreads that I feel has the best selling pitch for the book.
    • If your book is very recent and as yet has not received a review then I will share one from a previous book.
      
    • This series is open to all authors both those on the Bookshelf or new to the blog
    • I suggest an extract of approximately 500 words or a poem that you feel best reflects the theme of your collection.
    • If you have an illustration or images you can attach to the email for me to include. No need to send the cover as I will have that or will access from Amazon.
    • If you have not featured on the blog before then I will need Amazon link, Goodreads, blog or website plus your social media links (main three you use)
    • Please send your extract and any accompanying images to sally.cronin@moyhill.com