Going into Support Tonight : The Life and Death of a New Zealand Soldier in World War I

Roy Haycock, a farmer, from Hope, near Nelson, joined up to fight in the First World War in January 1916, just ten weeks short of his 21st birthday.

Sailing to England, via Egypt, with the 12th Reinforcements, he completed his training at Sling Camp on the Salisbury Plains, before joining his unit, the 12th Nelson Company 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment, and fighting in France in August 1916.

Taking part in a raid on German held trenches during the battle of Flers-Courcellete he was wounded in the shoulder, and evacuated to England to recover.

In May 1917, following his recovery, he rejoined his unit in France, now the 12th Nelson and Marlborough Company, 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment.

He was with his unit at the battle of Passchendaele on 12 October 1917, attempting to wrest control of the Staden-Zonnebeke Line from the Germans near Bellevue Spur, when he was shot and killed. He was a few months past his 22nd birthday.

This book is his story as told through two diaries which he completed during the 22 months he served. The second of these diaries was on him when he was shot and carries a hole from the bullet which ended his life.