Pat Kelleher - The Alleyman

RAMC:Royal Army Medical Corps, often summoned with the well-worn yell, “stretcher bearer!” Uncharitably also said to stand for Rob All My Comrades.

Red Tabs:Slang for staff officers, after the red tabs worn on the collars of their tunics.

Revetment:Any material used to strengthen a trench wall against collapse; wooden planking, brushwood wattling, corrugated iron, etc.

RFC:Royal Flying Corps of the British Army.

Sap:A communications trench that runs out from an already existing trench to an emplacement, kitchen, latrine or stores.

Section:A quarter of a platoon, usually consisting of 12 men in the charge of an NCO.

SMLE:Short Magazine Lee Enfield. Standard issue British rifle, with a 10-round magazine.

Sponson:The side-mounted gun turret of a tank, taken from the naval term. The Mark I ‘male’ tank had no central-mounted roof turret, like later tanks, but two side-mounted sponsons, one on either side. Each sponson was armed with a six-pounder gun and a Hotchkiss machine gun.

Stand To:Stand to Arms. Highest state of alert when all men should be ready for immediate action, weapons at the ready. Occurred regularly in the trenches at dawn and dusk to repel any attempted attacks.

Starboard:The right side of a vessel or ship.

Subaltern:Or Sub; a commissioned officer under the rank of captain; first or second lieutenant.

Tankodrome:A tank park and workshops behind the lines where maintenance and repairs can be carried out.

Toffee Apple:nickname for a type of British trench mortar bomb.

Traverse:Thick sandbag partition built in trenches to prevent enfilading enemy fire and to limit the effect of any explosions. In fire trenches they were used to create fire bays. Also; purpose-built changes in angle of direction in any trench to achieve the same effect.

VAD:Voluntary Aid Detachment, women volunteers providing auxiliary nursing assistance to the Red Cross and registered nurses.

Very Light:A white or coloured flare fired from a Very Pistol. Used for signalling or illumination at night.

Vickers Machine gun:Water-cooled, belt-fed machine gun. Heavy and bulky, but more accurate than the Lewis.

Whizz-Bang:A German 77mm high velocity shell.

Windy:Or to have the wind-up; apprehensive or anxious about a situation.

Wipers:Tommies’ name for the town of Ypres, in Belgium.

Woolly Bear:The distinctive smoke burst of a German high explosive shrapnel shell.

I would like to thank all those people who have helped bring the true story of ‘The Broughtonthwaite Mates’ to light. As ever, I am indebted to the members of the Broughtonthwaite Historical Society for their tireless efforts in collating the new information that has come to light since the publication of the first book. I would also like to thank Robert Scotton of the Media Museum North, for an insight into the work and career of the kinematographer Oliver Hepton, including his early pre-World War One erotica. I am grateful to Elizabeth Thompson of the National Archives for helping to trace the RFC service record of Lieutenant James Tulliver. I must also thank Jon, Jenni, David, Ben, Simon and Michael at Abaddon Books. Without their enthusiasm and unstinting support for this project, it wouldn’t have happened. Once again, I must thank my wife, Penny, for her continuing love and support. Finally, I would like to thank all those descendents of the men of the 13 thBattalion of the Pennine Fusiliers who spoke to me, still hoping that the truth about the fate of their loved ones will come to light.

Pat Kelleheris a freelance writer. He has written for magazines, animation and radio. He served his time writing for a wide variety of TV licensed characters, translating them into audio books, novels and comics. Yes, he’s written for that. And that. And even, you know, them. He has several non-fiction books to his credit and his educational strips and stories for the RSPB currently form the mainstays of their Youth publications. Somehow he has steadfastly managed to avoid all those careers and part-time jobs that look so good on a dust jacket.

On November 1st, 1916, nine-hundred men of the 13th Battalion of The Pennine Fusiliers vanished without trace from the battlefield, only to find themselves stranded on an alien planet. There they must learn to survive in a frightening and hostile environment, forced to rely on dwindling supplies of ammo and rations as the natives of this strange new world begin to take an interest. However, the aliens amongst them are only the first of their worries, as a sinister and arcane threat begins to take hold from within their own ranks!

Three months after the Pennine Fusiliers vanished from the Somme and found themselves stranded on an alien world, Corporal ‘Only’ Atkins and his Black Hang Gang are sent to track down the HMLS Ivanhoe, the Battalion’s tank, currently exploring the wilderness and days overdue. The encampment is coming under attack by the alien Khungarrii, and the tank may be their only hope for a decisive victory.

Fighting for their lives against the mounting horrors of No Man’s World, Atkins and his men - and their alien prisoner - uncover an abandoned edifice, and a terrible secret. They must bring their discovery, and the tank, back to the base, but their only hope for survival - and a way home - lie in the psychotropic fuel-addicted crew of the Ivanhoe… and its increasingly insane commander!

Doc Thunder – the gold-bearded, bronze-muscled Hero of New York – in his last stand against a deadly foe whose true identity will shock you to your core!

El Sombra – the masked avenger, the laughing killer they call the Saint of Ghosts – in his final battle against the forces of the Ultimate Reich!

The Scion of Tomorrow, the steel-clad Locomotive Man, in a showdown with cosmic science on the prairies of the Old West!