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On 24th August 1916 a young subaltern, Havilland Le Mesurier, was killed on the Somme, while leading his platoon into action. He was just 22, and an Oxford scholar with a promising future, as evidenced by his prolific output of essays and letters from the trenches. He left a legacy that remains as relevant now as it was then, and a pivotal commentary to the key historical events at that time.

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On 24th August 1916 a young subaltern, Havilland Le Mesurier, was killed on the Somme, whilst leading his platoon into action. He was 22 years old, and an Oxford scholar with a promising future, evidenced by his prolific output of essays and letters from the trenches. He wrote with insight, and an understanding of the human condition, which belied his years. He left a legacy that is as relevant now as it was in the beginning of the last century. Letters from France uses letters and essays as a pivotal commentary to the historical events, from the assassination in Sarajevo, through the fateful Battle of the Somme some two years later. Besides the essential writings of Havilland Le Mesurier the programme also benefits from unique original and comprehensive archive material, and the result is an emotive yet factual account of a war which, in so many ways, is representative of Man s conflict throughout history.

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