The publication of Bion's War diary marks the centenary of his birth. Commenced when he was 20 years old, they cover his years on the front line in France during the First World War. He was awarded the DSO and Légion d'Honneur for his bravery as a tank-commander. Many of Bion's colleagues have attested to his awesome character and dominant persona, and it would seem hard to separate these traits from the young Bion who, out of simple survival, had to learn to face and stare down the enemy. To have to kill to survive, and to stay strong for junior ranks, were the experiences which led Bion to learn how to sit far behind his face. In this exceptional final piece in the jigsaw of Bion's autobiography, the source of his understanding of the