Book follows former Buckingham man’s epic 1,000-mile trek along WWI Western Front

The former vice-chancellor of the University of Buckingham has written a book about his epic 1,000km walk along The Western Front Way, tracing the length of the First World War trench lines across Europe.

Sir Anthony Seldon had the idea for the walk during his time at Buckingham. While researching a book on schools during the war, he stumbled on a letter sent by First World War soldier Alex Gillespie to his former headmaster shortly before he died in the war.

In it, the soldier wrote that there should be a walk along the Western Front Way to commemorate all those who fell in the war. He wrote that "every man, woman and child" should do the walk.

Believing Gillespie’s wish should be honoured, Sir Anthony joined forces with others who backed the idea and began a campaign that led to European governments agreeing to way markers and information boards along the route, which now runs from Pfetterhouse on the Swiss border to the Belgian Coast at Nieuwpoort.

Sir Anthony decided to do the walk himself in summer 2021, joined at times by others but mainly on his own.

He said: "It didn't go to plan – I suffered from severe dehydration and was taken to hospital a few days into the walk. I then got lost and strayed into French farmland. I got a nasty bite from a farm dog and again had to go to hospital.

"Overall, though, it was an amazing experience. I trod in the footsteps of all those soldiers. I saw row upon row of war graves. There were museums and memorials along the way. It was a deeply moving journey.

"If you get the opportunity to do even a short section of the walk through the lovely countryside, you should seize the chance. We must not ever forget the huge sacrifice of so many. We need to honour them."

Sir Anthony, who was vice-chancellor from 2014 to 2019, is a political biographer who regularly writes and speaks about politics and education. He is currently writing a biography of Boris Johnson.

The Path of Peace, published by Atlantic Books, is available at The University of Buckingham Bookshop, on Hunter Street.