An Unsung Hero

William Reed was a marine engineer who got caught up in the fighting on the Mesopotamian Front during the First World War.

As well as supporting the British Army in its fight with the Turks, the young merchant navy seaman took part in a doomed attempt to relieve one of the longest sieges in military history.

By the time the fighting ended in 1918 both his own life and the course of history in the Middle East had been transformed.

Now his granddaughter, Jo Hammond, has written an account of his time in Iraq based on his diaries.

Battle in Iraq weaves together William Reed's personal story, as revealed in his diaries, with the wider historic events of the time.

It will be launched at Haverfordwest Library next month.

"Through my grandfather's personal story I hope to shine a light on a part of history that is very little known about," said Jo from Narberth.

"Everyone knows what happened in Europe and Gallipoli but not many people know what happened in what is now Iraq. And there are so many parallels with what is happening in recent times and what happened then."

Jo, who moved to Pembrokeshire with her family 12 years ago, never knew her grandfather, who died before she was born.

"My mother didn't talk about her father a lot but I knew that he had been in Mesopotamia during the First World War and occasionally she showed us his medal," she said.

"When she died I looked at his diaries for the first time and realised exactly what he had been doing.

"He was an engineer not a writer so his diaries are very matter of fact, but they tell a moving and often brave story."

William Reed arrived in what is now Iraq at the outbreak of the First World War. His vessel, which shipped supplies and troops up and down the Tigris river, became caught up in an attempt to relieve the siege of the British garrison at Kut- el-Amara.

The165- day siege was one of the longest in military history and, said Jo, like many similar ventures in the First World War, doomed to failure.

"It was one of those hopeless causes which they knew was dangerous as they only asked single men to volunteer for it," she said.

"Of course they got caught and my grandfather like the rest of the ship's company was incarcerated in prison in Turkey for two years."

After the war William Reed was given the DSO for his bravery but despite his experiences returned to the region and married an Iraqi woman, Jo's grandmother.

He died in Haifa in his fifties bequeathing not only his diaries to his family but also his love of adventure.

Two of Jo's four sons are also in the Merchant Navy - as is her husband- and her book - her first - is dedicated to the Merchant Navy.

It will be launched at Haverfordwest Library on Tuesday 8th September at 6.30pm. The event has been organised by Pembrokeshire's cultural services department and publishers I.B.Tauris. Josephine will also be on hand to talk about her book and answer questions.

Entry is free but places should be booked in advance. If you would like to attend the launch call in at the library or phone 01437 775244 or email christine.willison@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Photograph: Jo Hammond with a picture of her grandfather