SynJon Books

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From Shame To Honour

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In 1981, as he lay dying, Jack Barker revealed a secret he had kept for over sixty years - that his cousin, William Wilfred “Ted” Roberts, serving in the Royal Fusiliers, had been shot during the First World War for stealing the rum ration. Until that moment, no one in the family had even heard Ted’s name.

Official documents were embargoed and information was scant, making the family search into what happened on the front line difficult. Drawing on official war records, family memories, and newly accessible archives, this book uncovers the real story of Ted Roberts, the family’s search for answers and the long campaign that resulted in the posthumous pardons of the 306 British soldiers executed by their own army.

A century after Ted’s death, his story reminds us of the human cost of war, the burden of silence, and the enduring power of truth.

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Air Raids and RAF Days

Our Founder, Sydney John Teague, wrote a series of diaries during the second world war which spanned from 1938, when he was just 16, to his return in 1947.

After he died, in 2022, we uncovered a box of letters which were written from his parents to him whilst he was away in Europe.

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What publishing my Grandad's war diaries taught me about writing, editing and publishing a book.

My grandfather, John Teague started to write a diary when he was 16. When transferring his paper diaries on to the computer after retirement he wrote, ‘My habit of keeping a detailed diary appears to have started in June 1938, when I was 16.’ He kept a diary until well into his 70’s. Of great interest to us as a family were the diaries that spanned the second world war years. He stored the diaries until he was in his 80s, then carefully typed them up and threw them away!! For

Della Judd

Ted as a Man, Not a Case

This year it will be twenty years since the British government granted a statutory pardon to 306 soldiers executed by the British Army during the First World War. It will be 110 years since my ancestor, William Wilfred “Ted” Roberts, was executed for desertion in 1916. It is interesting to reflect on the fact that, had Ted not been court-martialled and executed, we would probably know even less about him. Many First World War service records were destroyed in September 1940,

Della Judd

Judge Anthony Babington: The Man Who Opened the Door

In the early 1980s, long before the stories of the men shot at dawn were widely known, one figure played a pivotal role in bringing them back into public view. That figure was Judge Anthony Babington. Access Before the Files Were Open In 1982, Judge Babington was granted exceptional access to First World War court martial files that remained closed to the public. His research led to the publication of For the Sake of Example in 1983. The book caused unease. Not because it na

Della Judd

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SynJon Books

From Shame To Honour

Out Now!

Air Raids and RAF Days

Featured Publications

What publishing my Grandad's war diaries taught me about writing, editing and publishing a book.

Ted as a Man, Not a Case

Judge Anthony Babington: The Man Who Opened the Door

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