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Remembered Today:

The Unreturning Army by Huntly Gordon


Black Maria

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If anyone is interested in memoirs , this classic from 1967 has been reprinted in Hardback by Transworld Publishers Ltd with two new chapters on the author's post war life written by his son.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

In the middle of reading this. The author was a very young officer, junior in years and senior in rank to my WO grandfather, but the picture he paints graphically describes the everyday experiences of the RFA in the latter years of the war. He succeeds in bringing events to life in a way which is moving and particularly helpful to those of us who are not military historians, but have a direct connection with those who served. Recommended.

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Splendid book - money well spent.

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  • 7 months later...

I decided to only collect original memoirs and already have a copy of the 1967 edition but have purchased the new edition because of the new contents, I'm sure i won't be

disappointed. On a rather trivial note, i can't help notice that Huntly Gordon looks very much like Ray Mears in the photograph on the front cover.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have recently completed this book. I have to say I really enjoyed reading it, it is well written and describes well the situation that existed at the time he was there. Another one of those books you read that make you think 'How on earth did they cope with this'. Thoroughly recommend to anyone interested in the RFA in the war.

Regards. Mike

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  • 1 year later...

I have just finished this, and I completely agree with the views expressed here and elsewhere on the Forum.

 

It's simply one of the best books I've read, and I fully recommend it.

 

   

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3 minutes ago, The Scorer said:

I have just finished this, and I completely agree with the views expressed here and elsewhere on the Forum.

 

It's simply one of the best books I've read, and I fully recommend it.

 

   

I am fifty pages in it and totally enthralled, especially as I'm an ex Gunner. Hate putting it down! 

 

Cheers Jim

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 For those who liked The Unreturning Army a list of ten other books by Royal Artillery officers who served during the Great War:

 

1. Talbot Kelly, R.B. A Subaltern's Odessy: A Memoir of the Great War 1915-1917.

2. Behrend, Arthur. As From Kemmel Hill An Adjutant in France and Flanders.

3. Tyndale-Biscoe, Julian. Gunner Subaltern 1914-1918.

4. Siepmann, Harry. Echo of the Guns: Recollections of an Artillery Officer 1914-18.

5. Campbell, P.J. In the Cannon's Mouth.

6. Campbell, R.J. The Ebb and Flow of Battle.

7. Quex (Nichols, G.H.F.). Pushed and the Return Push.

8. Hamilton, Ralph G.A. The War Diary of the Master of Belhaven 1914-1918.

9. Carr, William. A Time to Leave the Plowshares: A Gunner Remembers 1917-18.

10. Davson, H.M. Memoirs of the Great War.

 

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To which you could add 'The Gambardier' by 'Mark Severn' (Frank Lushington), and two novels, 'Medal Without Bar' by Richard Blaker, and 'Peter Jackson, Cigar Merchant' by Gilbert Frankau.

 

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I have not long finished reading ' Behind the barrage' by George Goodchild  ( Royal Garrison Artillery at Messines/Ypres ) which I enjoyed very much.

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Yes, both are good books.  Another very good read is An Artillery Officer in the First World War by Colonel R. Macleod, DSO, MC, RFA. Macleod served with 80 Bty, RFA, V Bty, RHA, the RFC, and A/241 Bty, RFA during the Great War.  My copy is a mimeographed copy of  244 pages with card covers. The only other copy I have seen is at the Imperial War Museum.

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8 hours ago, rflory said:

Yes, both are good books.  Another very good read is An Artillery Officer in the First World War by Colonel R. Macleod, DSO, MC, RFA. Macleod served with 80 Bty, RFA, V Bty, RHA, the RFC, and A/241 Bty, RFA during the Great War.  My copy is a mimeographed copy of  244 pages with card covers. The only other copy I have seen is at the Imperial War Museum.

That I'd love to see. I think I've mentioned this before, but many, many years ago I knew MacLeod's sisters, who lived in Cambridge and were what could best be described as 'eccentric'.  No real relevance at all, but they used to travel to Scotland each year for a golfing holiday. By taxi. (Apparently one year there had been a problem with the train so they took a cab and were so impressed with the service that they hired the same driver each year). Lovely old ladies.

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Steven:  Interesting story.  The Macleod book is very well written and loaded with detailed information concerning the units with which he served. 

 

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Might try and see if the IWM copy can be viewed.

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1 hour ago, Steven Broomfield said:

Might try and see if the IWM copy can be viewed.

Better hurry up before they flog it off!

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On 04/10/2016 at 23:39, rflory said:

Yes, both are good books.  Another very good read is An Artillery Officer in the First World War by Colonel R. Macleod, DSO, MC, RFA. Macleod served with 80 Bty, RFA, V Bty, RHA, the RFC, and A/241 Bty, RFA during the Great War.  My copy is a mimeographed copy of  244 pages with card covers. The only other copy I have seen is at the Imperial War Museum.

another copy! cannot remember where mine came from never seen it again 

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2 hours ago, barkalotloudly said:

another copy! cannot remember where mine came from never seen it again 

I.W.M ? :D

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of course that is what those little stamps in the book stand for!!!! i thought it was for "Ian William Morris"  silly little ol` me  

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Others missing in action in my collection are the most excellent and little known A F U Green's Evening Tattoo (published in 1941 when paper and book production became severely limited ) which includes his experiences with 7th Inf Divn at Ypres

and, for  first rate French view of the Gunner's work

Paul Lintier's My Seventy Five (1929)

Edited by David Filsell
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There's a copy of the Lintier on ABE for £29.99. Sadly no jacket. An excellent book.

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I have a copy of ' Evening Tattoo'  in my collection and I notice there are two copies for sale on Amazon and one is inscribed by the author ( £15.99 ).

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43 minutes ago, Black Maria said:

I have a copy of ' Evening Tattoo'  in my collection and I notice there are two copies for sale on Amazon and one is inscribed by the author ( £15.99 ).

The signed one has now sold, sorry!

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2 minutes ago, Dust Jacket Collector said:

The signed one has now sold, sorry!

Well it certainly was a good buy at that price and it's now become a little more rarer as well :)

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  • 2 years later...
On 01/12/2013 at 14:59, Black Maria said:

If anyone is interested in memoirs , this classic from 1967 has been reprinted in Hardback by Transworld Publishers Ltd with two new chapters on the author's post war life written by his son.

 

Hi. 

I'm 2 chapters in the 1967 edition, owned by Defense Library ... any way to have a quick summary of the two new chapters???  

 

M.

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