I can strongly recommend Tommy by Richard Holmes for an excellent account of the realities of serving as a soldier in the British army in WW1 - he points out the British generals actually had a higher death rate than lower ranks:
What is particularly interesting is that he has also done similar books for the Napoleonic and contemporary wars - Redcoat and Dusty Warrior respectively - both also strongly recommended.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tommy-British-Soldier-Western-Front/...
What is particularly interesting is that he has also done similar books for the Napoleonic and contemporary wars - Redcoat and Dusty Warrior respectively - both also strongly recommended.