Mr. James Baker has written a striking biography of his
son, Major Sydney Harold Baker, under the apposite title of A Leader of Men (Lane, 21s. net). Major Baker was one of the numerous civilians who joined the Army early in the war and gave their lives for their country. After a brief spell in France, he went with his battalion to Salonika in 1915, was invalided a year later, went out to France again in October, 1917, and was killed whilst gallantly fighting against the German attack in the following March. The greater part of the book is based on his letters and notebooks. Spec:ally interesting is the graphics account of life in the front line at Houthulst Forest during the winter of 1917-8. Having spent a couple of months in that cheerful district about the same time, the present writer is able to vouch from personal experience for the perfect accuracy of this description. The front line (so called) consisted of a fevi posts in scattered shell-holes, and it was no unusual experience ku a. company commander, like Major Baker, to spend the best part of a night in visiting his five or six posts in that extremely desolate and uncharted wilderness. Mr. Baker has done good service in recalling the memory of what was perhaps the most trying of all experiences connected with "holding the line.' His book is a worthy memorial to a strong and courageous personality.
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