Book which includes war diary and postcards features Blackburn soldier

Philipp Cross' great-great-grandfather, German soldier, Lieutenant Alexander Pfeifer, was aged 34 when he became part of one of his country's elite battalions in the war.

Alexander kept a detailed diary and photographs, offering an accurate account of the conflict.

He also collected postcards of fallen soldiers, many of whom were from Lancashire.

Lt. Alexander Pfeifer (Image: Supplied)

Inspired by the findings, Philipp has penned a book, The Other Trench, which also includes 350 remarkable pictures.

Philipp, 28, from Bury, said: “It’s almost a portal to the past, the way he writes is almost novel-like, even though it’s a diary.”

The extensive research he carried out for the book also led to finding the descendants of a fallen soldier from Blackburn, Private Percy Walsh.

Percy, who served in the 3rd Battalion of the (in reality the 1st) Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire), died on December 22, 1914.

He was a weaver at Jubilee Mill and had only been married to his wife Alice for just over a year.

Private Percy Walsh (Image: The Other Trench)

A missing poster for Percy Walsh (Image: The Other Trench) Philipp was able to meet Percy's family and give them a postcard belonging to him that had been preserved and kept with his relatives in Germany.

Philipp with the Walsh family (Image: Supplied) The postcard that Philipp handed to the Walsh family (Image: Supplied)

Philipp said: “It was genuinely a surreal moment.

"The meeting was like stepping back into both our ancestors’ lives 110 years ago, all while bringing closure to this story that commenced during that time.”

Telling the story of the diary, which has been kept between his family for years, was important for Philipp, especially with him having German and British heritage.

Philipp with a copy of his book (Image: Supplied)

The front cover for The Other Trench (Image: Philipp Cross)

He said: “They all suffered the same and went through the same experience.

"They all went in with the same enthusiasm, only for that to be immediately taken away when the inevitability of war truly hit them, some died and some survived but the ones who came back didn’t come back the same.

“I think this is such an important story to tell as I feel that people from Lancashire would want to know what their ancestors truly went through and I hope this book can offer them that.

“The book is an ultimate experience of what was witnessed during this era, all while intertwining the past with the present.”

The Other Trench is available to order on Amazon and there will be an official book launch at The Fusilier Museum in Bury on Saturday, October 12.