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A SON OF THE WIDOW
MEMOIRS OF A GUNNER SERVING IN BRITISH INDIA
by W. R. Acock as edited by Marilyn Fedewa
As a young man seeking adventure, William Richard Acock (1872-1952) surely found it.
In Birmingham, England—a few months before his twenty-first birthday—he joined the British Royal Artillery knowing he would soon be bound for India. Born in the Warwickshire area and residing in Stratford-on-Avon, William Shakespeare’s stomping grounds, WRA was no stranger to the written word. On most days, in fact, he sported a small notebook in his pocket in which to record his thoughts—and a verse or two. As a result, the first-hand account of much of his decade in India is recorded in these pages.
At the time Acock embarked for India, he was coming of age in the Victorian Era, and considered himself a loyal son of the “Widow,” Queen Victoria (1819-1901). Later in life, as he approached his retirement years, he began to transcribe his original writings from India, and to supplement them from memory. The material -- though marvelously authentic and witty -- was still quite rough, and many years later the family brought me in to shape it into a publishable manuscript. It was my privilege to do so, and a lot of fun.
Currently, the book is out of print, but it's possible the family may have some copies available. Jot me an email if you're interested, and I'll see what I can do. Meanwhile, see the book's page on Amazon here.
--- Marilyn
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