About this book
Marcel Dupont's In the Field (1914-1915) offers an intimate, firsthand account of the First World War from the perspective of a French cavalry officer. Rather than grand military strategy or sweeping battlefield analysis, Dupont provides something rarer: honest, unfiltered impressions of daily life in the trenches and on the front lines during the war's opening months.
As a modest Lieutenant of Chasseurs, Dupont witnessed the brutal reality of modern warfare from his small corner of an immense front. His observations—recorded with candor and restraint—capture the human experience of combat: the fear, camaraderie, exhaustion, and small moments of hope that defined soldiers' lives. Writing without pretense or theatrical flourish, he documents what he actually saw, not what historians might later claim happened.
This historical war memoir stands apart from typical military narratives because it prioritizes authenticity over heroism. Dupont eschews tactical commentary and instead reflects on the profound ways warfare transformed him and his regiment. Originally published in 1916, the work remains a poignant testament to the individual soldier's perspective during one of history's most devastating conflicts.
Perfect for history enthusiasts, WWI scholars, and anyone seeking genuine soldier narratives beyond official accounts, In the Field provides an unvarnished window into the First World War's human cost and enduring legacy.
