Francis Meyrick

Jeremy's War Francis Meyrick

This novel, written by a long time open cockpit biplane pilot and World War One History buff, explores the extreme physical and mental burdens placed casually on the shoulders of brave young men. In Jeremy's War we get into the mind of such a wondering young man, desperately well intentioned, and casually tossed to the hungry wolves. This is not some colourful, make-believe fairy tale featuring heroic, fearless men and beautiful, ever faithful women. On the contrary, we read not just about spectacular flying battles, aces swirling around one another in the eternal sky, but we also read of doubts and fear, of loneliness and bewilderment. We read of death and betrayal, cruelty and hypocrisy. The stunning cloud-flying sequences, transporting us up into a cold and solitary cockpit surrounded by unspeakable danger, are measured by the quiet despair of a broken man, lying alone and forgotten in a filthy room. The final ray of light, unexpected, yet deeply compassionate, leaves us with this reflection: Man is a survivor, despite all the odds.