It Was an Awful Sunday The 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at the Battle of Festubert 1517 May 1915

It Was An Awful Sunday covers the experiences of the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers from August 1914 to the Battle of Festubert in May 1915 where they suffered 65 percent casualties. Including many personal accounts, it tells the story of the officers and men of a closely knit battalion recruited from across the community in the North of Ireland. The book goes on to examine the impact that the tactics of both the Empire and German Forces at the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Aubers Ridge, and the subsequent 'Munitions Crisis' had on the conduct of the battle of Festubert. The daily life of the soldiers throughout the winter of 1914/15 is covered along with the bearing that the topography and weather conditions had on the outcome of the battle. The post battle impact on individuals and the battalion as a unit are also covered in detail.