New Biography Details the Experiences of World War I Soldier, John M....

The new biography "From Maine to France and Somehow Back Again: World War I Experiences of John M. Longley and the 26th Yankee Division" (published by Lulu) details the life of John M. Longley and his legacy in a worldwide cause that was much bigger than life on a farm in rural Maine. John was the grandfather of co-authors Mark D. LeBlanc and John M. LeBlanc.

The book is available in print and eBook for purchase at: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mleblanc.

The account traces the path of John and his fellow New Englanders in the 26th "Yankee" Division who enlisted and traveled to France where they fought on the western front during WWI. Citing local and military historical research, including war documents from the National Archives and local newspaper accounts, the book merges historical records with first-person accounts as it traces the lives of the "Yankee" Division men. It chronicles the experience of stopping the German "drive to Paris" and fighting offensively until the war's end.

The authors note, "Our family histories are as close as a conversation. Researching and retelling their stories is one way we honor their lives and sacrifices. We are hopeful that our work will spur others to record the stories of those closest to them. In our case, a thirty-minute conversation saved on a cassette recorder was the start of a decade-long quest to record the story of two years in the lives of the men who traveled to and fought in The Great War."

John Longley can be heard talking of his time in WWI on Mark D. LeBlanc's Vimeo channel.

"From Maine to France and Somehow Back Again"
By Mark D. LeBlanc and John M. LeBlanc
Softcover | 8.5 x 11 in | 184 pages | ISBN 9781483476841
E-Book | 184 pages | ISBN 9781483476834
Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Authors
Mark D. LeBlanc, Ph.D., is a professor of computer science at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts. When not working with undergraduates, he enjoys time at his family camp in Maine.

John M. LeBlanc is power plant supervisor at Sappi Paper. An avid history buff, he can be found exploring the battlefields of the Civil War or deep in the Maine woods brook fishing.

To post a comment, you must register and login.