An author will be celebrating his first book with a launch in Bury this weekend.

Philipp Cross, 28, published "The Other Trench" based on his German great-great-grandfather’s experience in the First World War.

He discovered detailed diaries written by Lieutenant Alexander Pfeifer while he served as a German officer and used them to share his legacy through the new book.

Philipp was born in Hameln in Germany and moved to Bury when he was aged just one.

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His dad is from Bury and served as soldier in the Corps of Royal Engineers while his mother was born in Germany.

When Philipp’s great-great-grandfather, Lt Pfeifer, was sent to fight in the war, he told his wife and childhood sweetheart, Johanna, that he would make a detailed diary to send back home regularly. 

Philipp said: “I was raised in Bury but retained strong links with my German heritage.

“The diaries have been in family ever since they were written, being passed down with letters, photos and items from that time, which included stories about British soldiers.

“This was an immense project and has generated a lot of interest. It’s a niche perspective and the original diary has been read by most within my family in Germany, as well as family friends and a handful of other people who took an interest in it.”

Philipp began writing the book four years ago and wanted to offer readers an insight to his and his family’s unique position.

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It includes the stories of Percy Walsh from Blackburn and Joseph Langford from Oldham who were killed fighting against Lt Pfeifer in 1914 and 1915.

Philipp went on to hand a postcard saved by his great-great-grandfather back to Percy's family and visited Joseph's grave.

He added: “When I was younger, I would occasionally admire the many items without having much knowledge of the Great War.

“I always knew that the diary existed while sometimes only reading a couple of pages and then placing it back where it was to further collect dust.

“It wasn’t until 2020 when I one day suddenly decided to research the fallen English soldiers to whom some old postcards belonged, and once again, with this time more understanding and maturity, I decided to open the inherited diary to gradually read it from the start which I had never done before.

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“I soon realised that this was not just family history, but something that truly shines a light on a side of the war that is often overlooked - the German perspective.”

The book amassed more than 350 preorders in just three weeks and has received praise from readers with five-star reviews.

One reviewer said: “It gives an amazing and informative insight of what life was like in 'the other trench,' seeing and experiencing The Great War from the German perspective.

“I found particularly interesting the many detailed descriptions and photographs of Alexander Pfeifer over the whole 4-year period of the war, being part of the most famous and brutal battles in WW1 history.

“He wrote the diary while he was actually there and not like many other war publications, years later out of memory.”

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The book was officially released two weeks ago and is available to buy at Amazon, Waterstones, Foyles and other retailers, with a German edition being published next month.

The launch will take place at The Fusilier Museum on Moss Street from 11.30am to 3.30pm on Saturday (October 12) and is open to anyone who would like to attend.

Readers will get the chance to have their books signed by the author and enjoy readings, discussions and a Q&A session.

Philipp’s English grandfather was a Lancashire Fusilier for more than six years and will also be at the launch event alongside Percy Walsh’s family members.