TJ Budd

A Sunny August Bank Holiday To A Wet Easter: Royal Marine Light Infantry 1914-16 TJ Budd

A semi-fictional story, written as the diary, of my grandfather Raymond Loveridge's experiences in the Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI) from the outbreak of World War One and the defence of Antwerp to the Easter Uprising in Ireland via the campaign in the Dardanelles. It also covers his meeting and letters home to Lily Wray, the love of his life, whom he married in 1916 The actions all took place and Ray was there along with all the named characters serving with the Portsmouth Battalion of the RMLI. The dates and events are taken from their service records along with available historical documents. Ray's attitude changes over time from a jingoistic naive Marine to a disillusioned veteran as his close friends and comrades are slowly whittled away by enemy action and disease. He is also left pondering about God and if life is predetermined or is it just pure good luck to survive, where so many others have died.