Last Man Standing: The Memiors of a Seaforth Highlander during the Great War

By Norman Collins and Richard van Emden

While researching his excellent earlier book: Veterans of World War I, author Richard Van Emden encountered a fascinating personality of that long-ago conflict. After witnessing German naval attacks on British civilians, Norman Collins enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of the 51st Highland Division, even though he was under age. Collins fought at the battles of Beaumont Hamel, Arras, and Passchendaele, and was wounded several times.

Collins lived to be 100 and had an unusually detailed collection of letters, documents, illustrations and photographs. Richard Van Emden has written a moving biography of a unique personality at war, and his long life after the dramatic events of his youth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Release date: Aug 20, 2007
• ISBN: 9781781597750

Norman Collins

Norman Richard Collins (1907 - 1982) was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. In his early career he worked in publishing while also writing and publishing several successful novels. In 1941 Collins began working at the BBC. During this time he became known for his innovative programming which included Woman's Hour which still airs today on BBC Radio Four. He rose to Controller of the BBC Television Service, later leaving to co-found what is now ITV after deciding a competitor to the BBC's monopoly was needed. Collins continued to write fiction throughout his busy working life. Although never a full-time writer he was a fluent and prolific author with sixteen titles and two plays to his credit between 1934 and 1981. An autograph edition of twelve of his novels was published during the 1960s.