bierast Posted 20 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 20 January , 2018 Up to seven reviews on Amazon now - all five star! While the sales figures are less than we hoped, the critical response has been most gratifying. Our website is a mess after moving hosts - once I get the Joomla! back-end fixed it will be back up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 20 January , 2018 Share Posted 20 January , 2018 (edited) It IS an very good piece of work! I feel slightly guilty I ordered it through the university library, but the Turkish economy - and so my salary! - male me hesitate on buying books... I do confirm, though, that - with some quibbles (only natural from an academic I suppose!) it is really an excellent piece for anyone's WW1 personal library. Julian Edited 20 January , 2018 by trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 21 January , 2018 Author Share Posted 21 January , 2018 23 hours ago, trajan said: It IS an very good piece of work! I feel slightly guilty I ordered it through the university library, but the Turkish economy - and so my salary! - male me hesitate on buying books... I do confirm, though, that - with some quibbles (only natural from an academic I suppose!) it is really an excellent piece for anyone's WW1 personal library. Thankyou, much appreciated! The more libraries carry the book, the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 3 June , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 June , 2018 Honesty compels me to admit that the book is currently marked down to an absolutely derisory £5 from Naval & Military Press while stocks last. As an author I'm hardly thrilled to see this happen to my labour of love, but I hope this will at least be an opportunity to expand our readership and stimulate interest in our subject matter. For a mere fiver you get a comprehensive history of Saxony's war on the Western front from the coast to the La Bassée canal, over 300 illustrations (most of them previously unseen private photos) and a whole chapter of personal accounts drawn mainly from previously unpublished diaries and letters. There's even a 'new' account of the Christmas Truce, from the highest ranking German eyewitness discovered to date (a brigade commander). It's 256 pages long (the maximum permitted by our publisher) and none except the flyleaf are blank. In short... it's a steal. https://www.naval-military-press.com/product/fighting-the-kaisers-warthe-saxons-in-flanders-1914-1918/ As always, constructive reviewers (positive or negative) can claim from me a free copy of our glossy limited edition supplement The Saxons at Zonnebeke, which adds considerable detail to the account of the part played by XXVII. Reservekorps in the Second Battle of Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron da Valli Posted 3 June , 2018 Share Posted 3 June , 2018 I bought a copy of this book from Naval & Military Press last year during a sale. It is an excellent book and one I will certainly read time & time again. Worth the money just for the photographs alone. It deserves better recognition than it apparently gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regulus 1 Posted 3 June , 2018 Share Posted 3 June , 2018 Being specialised in the German Army/Air Service/Navy in Belgium I can say that this is an excellent piece of work, giving a very good idea of the activities of all the Saxon units active in Flanders. What is even more is the fact that there are a very large number of photos in it from the units at the locations mentioned in the book, and also several period maps showing positions etc. If one wants to study what happened, one has to look at both sides of the story, who was the opponent, and this book is an enormous help on that matter for the armies of the Saxon state in Germany. It is one of the best I have and it is clear that many regimental histories were used to come to this result (as I have many of those as well). Johan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 15 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 15 August , 2018 (edited) Our second book is out now in a softback German language edition - the English version will follow in 2020. Once again the it is a maximal 256 pages long and features around 300 illustrations. As our readers expect, the great majority of the photos are previously unpublished private pictures (including some amazing front-line shots). Von Armentières Nach Langemarck ('From Armentières to Langemarck'; final English title will differ) expands on many subjects we didn't get to cover in detail in Fighting the Kaiser's War due to pressure of space. Inevitably we have also come across some amazing material since the first book came out (in some cases, due to contacts resulting from that book), to the point where we quickly realised we already had the basis of another volume on the Saxons in Flanders. The first book is (in part) a reasonably comprehensive history of the Saxon war effort in Flanders, including all divisions / corps and as many smaller units as we could track. This second one makes no attempt to rehash this, but rather adds detail to parts of it. The following subjects are covered at chapter length: Jäger-Bataillon 13 (XIX.AK) in the earliest phase of trench warfare on the Armentières front in 1914 Saxons (variously from 24.ID and 40.ID of XIX.AK) and attached Prussian units at the Frelinghien breweries 1914-1916 Saxon 40.ID (XIX.AK) at Ploegsteert Wood 1914-1916 RIR 245 (54.RD / XXVII.RK) - 1st Ypres as described in the personal diary of the regimental commander (who was sent to take over this unit at the height of the fighting) RIR 245 (54.RD / XXVII.RK) - 2nd Ypres as described in the personal diaries of the regimental commander and a battalion commander XXVII.RK - 2nd Ypres as experienced by the Saxon / Württemberg corps (53.RD and 54.RD); this is a corrected and slightly expanded version of our booklet The Saxons at Zonnebeke, which greatly enlarges on the brief account in Fighting the Kaiser's War and provides much needed context to the previous chapter. XXVII.RK - the units, facilities and populace of the corps rear area, 1914-1916. This chapter is mostly about the photos, but also includes the personal account of an billeting officer in Waterdamhoek. IR 182 (123.ID) at Wytschaete 1915-1916 - the (witty and erudite) letters of a company commander, accompanied by some very rare images of this sector including the famous Bayernwald trench system. 23.RD at 3rd Ypres - this chapter focuses more on the gradual devastation of the landscape and the progressively worsening conditions, as seen by this Saxon division at Bixschoote, Pilckem, Langemarck and Passchendaele. IR 133 (24.ID) at 3rd Ypres - this chapter (especially the photographic selection) focuses mainly on the fighting just south of the Menin Road that autumn, where the Saxons saw off 7th Division on 26th October. 58.ID at Houthulst Forest, Poelkapelle and Langemarck in the autumn fighting of 1917, the following winter and the spring advance. Those who remained in Flanders - the cemeteries and monuments of the Saxon Army in Flanders, including a personal account from a wartime graves registration officer (plus his dismayed post-war report on its condition). I have a few copies of the German edition for sale - enquire if interested. Orders and enquiries within mainland Europe and being dealt with by Jürgen directly from our Saxon HQ, and will be forwarded to him on request. Back cover with table of contents: Edited 18 August , 2018 by bierast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 19 August , 2018 Author Share Posted 19 August , 2018 I've now revamped the website with details of all our books (magazine articles etc. will be added later) including the new German volume. http://www.royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/royalsaxonarmy/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 3 October , 2018 Author Share Posted 3 October , 2018 (edited) Some sample pages from Von Armentières Nach Langemarck follow. Edited 3 October , 2018 by bierast Revised offer - tbc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 16 May , 2019 Share Posted 16 May , 2019 I've just ordered your first book on the Saxons after reading this thread, and also the one on the Journey's End Battalion. I'd like to know if this latest book on the Saxons has any mention of the New Zealanders at Armentieres. If I've got it right, the Saxons and the Kiwis were facing each other, at least for a while in 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 6 June , 2019 Share Posted 6 June , 2019 You will most likely find our esteemed forebears referred to as 'Engländer' . My Grandfather joined the New Zealand Division for the Battle of Messines, so some time after it had been in Armentières. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon1906 Posted 11 June , 2019 Share Posted 11 June , 2019 On 06/06/2019 at 11:37, Robert Dunlop said: You will most likely find our esteemed forebears referred to as 'Engländer' . My Grandfather joined the New Zealand Division for the Battle of Messines, so some time after it had been in Armentières. Robert I noticed that in Storm of Steel, in the first edition Junger talked about combat with the Kiwis, and said he was fighting the English ... he only changed it in later editions when Kiwis wrote to him and said "hey, that was us!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 12 June , 2019 Share Posted 12 June , 2019 Yes, you will see the same term used for the Canadians and Australians too. Worse still, for the Scots, Irish, and Welsh contingents... Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joerookery Posted 18 June , 2019 Share Posted 18 June , 2019 Quote You will most likely find our esteemed forebears referred to as 'Engländer' 5Grenzschlachten_im_Westen_-_Oö_Landesbibliothek by Joe Robinson, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndCMR Posted 20 June , 2019 Share Posted 20 June , 2019 Somewhere in memoirs I have read is an account of sign posted over a trench reading: "We are Saxons, you are Anglo-Saxons. Save your ammunition, the Prussians relieve us tonight." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 20 June , 2019 Share Posted 20 June , 2019 Hilfe, die Sachsen kommen... We've got a group of Saxons in our marching team, and they mostly show up "en force" for the events in Bastogne and La Gleize... I think they might be very interestes by the book but... no English... is the book going to be translated in German by any chance?? M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joerookery Posted 14 September , 2019 Share Posted 14 September , 2019 Andrew, I am about to recommend your book for today's blog on Saxony. you are probably aware of the website www.german1914.com and the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/german1914/ as the author of the book I would invite you to do a blog on Saxony. It is really quite simple, about a page long, one picture, you can copy and paste from something you already wrote, and a good opportunity to plug your book as well as teach something. There will be two blogs concerning Saxony. so I think the best time would be pretty quick. However, we can find you an opening. Let me know if you are interest. VR/ Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 15 September , 2019 Author Share Posted 15 September , 2019 19 hours ago, joerookery said: Andrew, I am about to recommend your book for today's blog on Saxony. you are probably aware of the website www.german1914.com and the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/german1914/ as the author of the book I would invite you to do a blog on Saxony. It is really quite simple, about a page long, one picture, you can copy and paste from something you already wrote, and a good opportunity to plug your book as well as teach something. There will be two blogs concerning Saxony. so I think the best time would be pretty quick. However, we can find you an opening. Let me know if you are interest. Thankyou! We're off on a trip today for my Mum's 70th, but I'll try to get back to you this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 15 September , 2019 Author Share Posted 15 September , 2019 On 20/06/2019 at 18:06, Marilyne said: Hilfe, die Sachsen kommen... We've got a group of Saxons in our marching team, and they mostly show up "en force" for the events in Bastogne and La Gleize... I think they might be very interestes by the book but... no English... is the book going to be translated in German by any chance?? Sadly not, as the demand is not there and the amount of work required would be quite immense! Translation from English to German is particularly challenging because the text will tend to get longer and lead to cuts (the effect in the opposite direction from German to English is a real boon). Our second book however is available in German: http://www.royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/royalsaxonarmy/index.php/our-publications/17-von-armentieres-nach-langemarck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 19 February , 2020 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2020 Our second book 'For King and Kaiser - Scenes from Saxony's War in Flanders 1914–1918' will be published by Pen & Sword on 30th May 2020! http://www.royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/royalsaxonarmy/index.php/our-publications/23-for-king-and-kaiser Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 20 February , 2020 Share Posted 20 February , 2020 If it is half as good as your first then it will be a treat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 21 February , 2020 Author Share Posted 21 February , 2020 On 20/02/2020 at 08:22, Chris_Baker said: If it is half as good as your first then it will be a treat! Thankyou Chris. I'm confident there will be much to interest you! With less pressure of space in this book we've (among other things) been able to identify opposing units more frequently, which should add to its value from the British point of view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joerookery Posted 23 February , 2020 Share Posted 23 February , 2020 Andrew, I will write this up as a featured book on both the website in the Facebook group sometime today. I have not read the second edition but I recall doing a review of the first one. I hope your publisher is more forthcoming with review copies than my last one was! https://www.facebook.com/groups/german1914/ https://german1914.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 23 February , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2020 46 minutes ago, joerookery said: I will write this up as a featured book on both the website in the Facebook group sometime today. I have not read the second edition but I recall doing a review of the first one. I hope your publisher is more forthcoming with review copies than my last one was! https://www.facebook.com/groups/german1914/ https://german1914.com Thankyou - I will check the review copies list. I should finally have the time to write some more articles between now and the publication date! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierast Posted 23 February , 2020 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2020 I've now created a dedicated errata page for 'Fighting the Kaiser's War'. If anyone spots anything else in the book which needs correcting or clarifying, please do drop me a PM and I will gladly acknowledge your assistance on the site. http://www.royalsaxonarmy.co.uk/royalsaxonarmy/index.php/articles/25-fighting-the-kaisers-war-addenda-and-corrigenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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