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1st Bedfordshire Regiment : Mons to the Somme


Stebie9173

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I'm sure many of those interested in the infantry war have come across GWF member Steve Fuller's excellent Bedfordshire Regiment site, and are aware of his research into the regiment as a whole. Steve's first foray into writing a book on the Regiment is about to be released. His book writing is much better than my review writing, but nevertheless here is my review:

1st Bedfordshires: Mons to the Somme

By Steven Fuller

In bringing the story of the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment to print, Steven Fuller has produced a book that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. The richness and quantity of archive material and research that Steven has drawn upon is evident – the usual sources of war diaries, Official and Divisional histories, personal diaries, etc. are added to from some unusual directions such as the memoirs of a female American journalist. However, it is the author’s melding of the sources into a compelling and evocative narrative that make this book so readable.

The story of the battalion has required two volumes to tell and Part One takes the battalion’s story through “from Mons to the Somme.” As the closing paragraphs of the book note, the 1st Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment had marched a “long, long trail” to the Somme.

A part of the 5th Division of the original B.E.F., they were in the advance to Mons, and were actively engaged in the battle of Mons. As part of II Corps, they were in the left of centre of the front line of the “stopping blow” at the battle of Le Cateau that punctuated the retreat from Mons.

Each battle or sector where the Bedfords were involved is covered in a chapter of the book. The five chapters on 1914 cover Mons, Le Cateau, the advances on the Marne and Aisne; the move north via fighting at La Bassee; and the costly struggles with bayonet and bullet at Klein Zillebeke and Nonne Boschen at Ypres.

The chapters of 1915 cover the battalion’s time in the Ypres Salient in the first few months of the year and their defence of Hill 60 where they first experienced gas warfare and where Private Edward Warner was awarded the Victoria Cross, before reaching the relatively quiet sector of the Somme.

After a time in the Arras sector in early 1916, the Bedfords returned to the Somme during July 1916 and took part in the struggles for High Wood, Longueval, Delville Wood and, after a brief rest in August 1916, at Morval, where this volume draws to a close.

The descriptions of these events are mixed with the personal stories of the men of the battalion, and the book usually records different fates, both those who inevitably never made it home, and those that did.

Photographs in a central section and small annotated maps within the text illustrate the book. Endnotes, two appendices of explanations of army terms for the uninitiated and an index of personnel serve to round off what is an excellent book and a more than welcome addition to the library of the Great War.

Reviewed by: Stephen Beeby

Book details:

Hardback - 224pp (32pp mono plates),

234mm x 156mm

World Rights - Fighting High Ltd.

ISBN - 978-0-9562696-5-2

RRP - £19.99

http://www.fightinghigh.com/1st%20bedfordshires.htm

Just as a final note. Steve was hoping that he would be able to justice to the sacrifice (in all forms) that the men of the battalion made during the Great War. In my opinion he has more than succeeded in that, and I hope the Regiment will be proud of his efforts.

Steve.

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I have ordered a copy from Steve Fuller and am looking forward to it arriving even more after reading this review.

Hope it sells well.

Mark

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I have ordered a copy from Steve Fuller and am looking forward to it arriving even more after reading this review.

Hope it sells well.

Mark

I have ordered a copy as well - looks really good this one.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finished reading this one today - Excellent work, I thoroughly recommend it.

Mark

Thanks Mark :thumbsup:

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