Jack Needler is set to give a talk at the museum on 5th March.
The talk will explore Jack’s personal journey into military history, the inspiration behind the book, and selected extracts that trace his grandfather’s service with the Green Howards of the 50th Division, from the North African Campaign to service with the British Expeditionary Force during the Second World War.
We reached out to Jack to ask him about his personal journey in writing about his Grandfather:
“I first got into writing by reading through regimental histories from the periods when my grandfather served with the East Yorkshire Regiment and the Green Howards. As I grew older, I began working through his service records and wartime notes, slowly building a clearer understanding of what he actually did during the war.
All my life I had heard fragments of stories from my uncle, father, and grandmother, and they always said that his story deserved to be written down. What began as a personal project, originally intended as a gift for my grandmother, eventually grew into something much larger. I was incredibly grateful when Pen & Sword picked it up and offered to publish it.
I wanted to tell this story because of just how extraordinary it is, and how deeply relatable it will be for so many families and veterans. Wilf was born into a northern family, educated, and then, like so many young men of his generation, thrown into war. His rise from Private to Major by 1957 represents a long, dedicated career that mirrors the experiences of countless servicemen whose stories have largely gone untold.
This book means a great deal to me on a personal level. What I had before were photographs, home videos, and family anecdotes. Writing this allowed me to bring those fragments into the real world, to put meat on the bones of a life and service that even my family never fully knew. Being able to share the sacrifices Wilf and his comrades made, and to ensure they are recognised beyond our own family, means everything to me.
The Green Howards hold a very special place in my heart. From visiting the regimental museum as a child, to seeing photographs of my grandfather in uniform, and later recreating that history through re-enactment, the regiment has always been incredibly close to me. It isn’t just history, it’s personal.”