A NEW book which was launched at the weekend features the biographies of 50 men who served and died, except for one, during the First World War.

The 332-page paperback book, ‘INKY DINKY PARLEZ VOUS’ was written by Bolton born historian Charles Sandbach with Rob Jackson,

The two Boltonians featured in the book are James (Jimmy) Smith, a distant relative of Mr Sandbach, who was the only local soldier executed during WW1, while Fred Lewis was the only Boltonian killed when the ‘RMS Lusitania’ was sunk by a U-Boat in 1915, in what became known as the most infamous sinking in maritime history.

The stories are of a time when bravery and courage were swept under the carpet and death and tragedy had a place much closer to the consciousness of a public less obsessed with self image and medals and more focused knowing one’s place and getting on with one’s lot in life.

The story of the execution of Pte Smith takes readers through what Mr Sandbach describes a “one of the most appalling conclusions in British military history” as told through the British media and even a play, which was staged by Bolton’s Octagon Theatre called Early One Morning.

Jimmy was born in Great Lever in 1891 and signed on at Bury’s Wellington Barracks in 1910 joining the Lancashire Fusiliers. Following the outbreak of the First World War he was recalled from active duty in India.

He fought bravely and gallantly in a variety of campaigns including the storming of a beach at Gallipoli where he witnessed terrible sights of slaughter before embarking in 1916 at the long Battle of the Somme which in one day alone saw 20,000 young men killed and 60,000 injured.

The incident which would seal his fate occurred a few weeks later when an exploding German shell threw him into a crater in ‘no man’s land’ and in which he was buried alive as the earth came down on top of him.

Mr Sandbach describes the situation: “Frantically he had to dig his way out wading through the dismembered limbs and body parts of his pals.

“He made it, but was badly wounded with a huge gaping hole in his upper back.”

According to Mr Sandbach, Jimmy was a broken man

When he was returned to the Front his comrades recognized he wasn’t well and tried to help him as much as possible, but on July 30, 1917, Jimmy had a breakdown and deserted his post and was found wandering some five miles away in the town of Poperinghe.

A doctor at the dressing post declared him fit for duty. Jimmy refused and was charged with desertion and later for disobedience for refusing to drill.

At his court martial Jimmy had no defence lawyer and no one to speak of his past bravery. He said nothing and was sentenced to death.

In 2006 Jimmy was pardoned by the Defence Secretary Des Browne who stated: “The pardon stands as recognition that he was one of the many victims of the First World War. And as such execution was not a fate he deserved.”

A subsequent campaign by Mr Sandbach led to Jimmy being included on Bolton’s official roll of honour.

Fred Lewis was born in 1877, the son of Thomas and Alice Lewis of 579, Bury Road, Bolton. His father was employed in the offices of The Bolton Co-operative Society. As a boy Fred was a regular attendee at Bank Street Unitarian Sunday School. After he left school, he found employment as a spindle maker before joining the crew of the Lusitania as a waiter on her maiden voyage in September 1907.

On April 15, 1915, he sailed on the Cunarder, that left the River Mersey for the very last time. He was killed three weeks later when the liner was sunk along with 1,197 men, women and children.

Charles explains why Fred took to the sea after he left school: “There wasn’t much excitement working long hours in often filthy and dangerous conditions, but Fred persevered until he entered his late 20s.

“Keen upon bettering himself he decided upon a new career, one that would culminate in his early death.

“As for the rest of the family, five of the six children continued to live with their parents well into adult lives,”

Sandbach questions the motives behind the attack and whether the British military were complicit in failing to protect the mighty ship sunk off the coast of Ireland.

The book ‘INKY DINKY PARLEZ VOUS’ costs £12.99 (ISBN 978-1-5272-1135-5).