The Emma Gees

"The Emma Gees" by Herbert W. McBride is a firsthand story from a soldier serving in the Machine Gun Section of the Twenty-first Canadian Infantry Battalion during World War I. It tells the story of trench warfare through the author's eyes, showing both the close bonds between soldiers and the terrible costs of war. McBride talks about wanting to see the war for himself, not just believing in the cause. The author introduces the reader to the famous battlefields of Ypres, significant to the Canadian army. From training far from any battles to being right in the middle of the chaos, the book paints a clear picture of what life was like for soldiers fighting in those brutal conditions.