424: Telling the Story You Can't Forget

The story behind this episode

The story I relate in this episode emerged when, in September 2019, I walked some of the World War I battlefields in Belgium and France with my guide, Iain McHenry. As we walked along where a trench had existed during the war, Iain told me the story of an archaeological dig that recovered and eventually identified the remains of a British soldier who was killed there in November 1914 in a German mortar attack. The story has stayed with me because of how the soldier, Richard Lancaster, was finally identified and because there are literally thousands of other Richards who’ve never been found.

Rather than tell the story as a straight historical narrative, I wanted the piece to have a distinct voice, so I chose to write it from the perspective of Richard’s unique dog tag, which led to his identification.

After we visited the site where Richard was found, we visited where he was later buried. (see the photo) Our final stop on this part of the journey was the nearby

Principals

Cindy House is the author of Mother Noise, a memoir in essays and a regular opener for David Sedaris on his tours across the country. She teaches nonfiction at the Gotham Writers Workshop. She also offers private writing classes.

Cindy is my writing coach, and our Friday meetings are a high point of my week. This essay came out of a prompt she suggested: “Write about a headline that never left you.” She epitomizes good teaching: she is quick to challenge me to “dig deeper for my real story,” offers sound suggestions, and then praises me when I hit a strong note. I can’t imagine taking this writer’s journey with anyone else.

When we had completed the essay, I asked her for her thoughts on producing an audio version. Unexpectedly, she was quick to offer her voice. You can’t see me smiling, but trust me, I still am.

Iain McHenry was born in Belfast and, after leaving school, joined the British Army, embarking on a career that took him all over the world. He was stationed in Germany, Northern Ireland, Canada, the Falkland Islands, and Belgium, and he has completed operational tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, and Sierra Leone.

He has always had a passion for WW1, and after leaving the army, he started his own business in Belgium, working as a WW1 researcher, battlefield guide, and published author.