The true classics

[Jim Hastings]

On ‎22‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 20:40, David Filsell said:

You are cheating Jim, see me after class please.

100 lines done sir!!

[David Filsell]

Respect.

[Steven Broomfield]

On ‎21‎/‎09‎/‎2016 at 10:10, sjustice said:

 

I wonder how many pages it would represent in one volume...?

#challengeissued

 

 

Cheers,

SMJ

Well, it would give Stacke's history of the Worcesters a run for its money.

[David Filsell]

Having now read, and reviewed Pass Guard at Ypres, my review. Hope its of interest - the book certainly is.

Ronald Gurner, Pass Guard at Ypres, 214 pp, ISBN, 978-1-61200-411-2

 First published in 1930, the highly regarded Pass Guard at Ypres is a book I had overlooked until receipt of a review copy in Casemate’s new paperback series of Great War ‘classic’ books. Copies of the original 1930 edition, published by Dent, are reported as being ‘very rare’,  are selling, if they can be located, at up to £100.00.

The style of this work changes considerably as it progresses . It becomes more compelling,  moving from fairly leaden Edwardian prose, overburdened with subordinate clauses and the complex sentences most writers now seek avoid. In places it offers  highly effective, stream of consciousness, reportage based on own Gurner’s bitter experiences of war.

The searing impact of Ypres on the author is clear and skilfully evoked as he, or his surrogate character Freddy Mann, evolves from young and green subaltern into to an officer mentally and physically scarred by events, becomes disillusioned and debilitated by stress and almost welcomes and accepts what he concludes and accepts will be his inevitable death.

While presented as linear narrative, effectively the Pass Guard at Ypres comprises a series of linked essays. They enjoy the clear bright ring of experiences drawn, one feels, from diary entries, letters, and contemporaneous notes. Here we see Gurner’s own experience of war, his service in vile stench ridden trenches and everyday loss of comrades in the trenches, in attack, wounding and the unbridgeable gap between him, as a soldier returning to home  and his family at home.

A classic? Certainly this is a high rewarding work and a valuable addition to any collection of worthwhile Great War ‘fiction’. Highly recommended.

Edited 30 September , 2016 by David Filsell

[4thGordons]

Just found this thread...very very hard to choose but as no one has mentioned it, a book I was given when I was about 10 and have read and re-read often since:

"With a Machine Gun to Cambrai" (Coppard)

Chris

[Black Maria]

1 hour ago, 4thGordons said:

Just found this thread...very very hard to choose but as no one has mentioned it, a book I was given when I was about 10 and have read and re-read often since:

"With a Machine Gun to Cambrai" (Coppard)

Chris

Good choice.

[Steven Broomfield]

The Casemate series is excellent. I picked up  Patrol and The Somme recently: both really good reads (The Somme, in particular, is a very interesting and descriptive read). Respect.

 

Casemate website

[barkalotloudly]

Although not a particularly rare book "The Whistlers room" is a very worthwhile read i purchased a copy not really appreciating it`s` rarity, it is one of 75 copies given to various members of the arts etc {Groucho Marx was apparently given a copy} for Christmas 1931 privately bound and printed by Alexander Woollcott {mine was given to Robert Barnes Rudd } now that is my kind of Christmas present!!! 

[David Filsell]

 The Whistlers Room in its English translation is not that hard to find, rarish rather than rare and very well worth reading for its unusual theme and the empathy of the author. Look him up on Wiki.

First published in Germany in 1929, it was published in the UK by Martin Secker the same year in a translation by Basil Creighton.

Paul  Alverdes' 1932 work  Reinholt oder die Verwandelten, is even less well known that the excellent Whistlers Room. It too  was also published in the UK by Martin Secker 1933 in another Creighton translation  as Hanged Men.

The books are amongst the most "literary" of the 130 or so German novels, diaries and personal accounts (by those of less than field rank) published in the UK, many also in the US since the start of the Great war to date. (The Brits also published forged German accounts during the war showing what absolute swine the enemy were!

Edited 1 May , 2021 by David Filsell

[Dust Jacket Collector]

56 minutes ago, David Filsell said:

 It too  was also published in the UK by Martin Secker 1933 in another Creighton  as Hanged Men.

I think you mean 'Changed Men', David. Hanged Men sounds a bit grim! It came in a wonderful jacket showing a Howitzer in action (image in the 'Favourite Book Jacket ' thread).

[David Filsell]

Apologies and thanks for the correction. Brain again defeated fingers. It is another good read

Regards

David

[other ranker]

I am very excited to show that I took delivery of 'Nothing of Importance' today from Canada which is the last piece of my 'Dust Jacket Collector top 20' quest that has taken me about 20 years! 'There's a Devil in the Drum' has taken some finding, this is an old library one in DJC's facsimile jacket.

[charlesmessenger]

Wow!

 

Charles M

[Black Maria]

Congratulations , a nice collection of true classics .' A Subaltern on the Somme' was the first jacketed memoir in my collection , I picked it up

at a flea market and I can still remember the feeling of joy as the seller said he only wanted a fiver for it.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

1 hour ago, other ranker said:

I am very excited to show that I took delivery of 'Nothing of Importance' today from Canada which is the last piece of my 'Dust Jacket Collector top 20' quest that has taken me about 20 years! 'There's a Devil in the Drum' has taken some finding, this is an old library one in DJC's facsimile jacket.

 

Many congratulations, Other Ranker. Allow me to award you with a virtual gold star. If you want a bar to go with it you'll have to find jackets for them all! I'm not sure how easy I'd find it to get them all these days. Most of mine on that list were found years ago & although there was no internet then there seemed to be far more dealers in such books.

Perhaps I should add a further 20 to keep you occupied for the next few years??

[other ranker]

Set the challenge DJC! I wonder how many I already have of the next 20?

[David Ridgus]

Only just found this thread after some time away from the Forum, and what a very enjoyable read it has been. Had I been around my nomination would have been 'Nothing of Importance'. Hardly an original choice I know (I note it was DJC's pick) but having just reread it again over the last few weeks I was reminded just how breathtakingly good it is.

 

And now to join my fellow teacher Jim Hastings in detention, I can't resist mentioning 'Up to Mametz' by Llewelyn Wyn Griffith and 'Tommy' by Richard Holmes

 

David

[David Filsell]

Good choice.

[Dust Jacket Collector]

2 hours ago, David Filsell said:

Good choice.

Are you able to produce a definitive list yet, David?

[David Filsell]

Mr DJC

I think we have a pretty good selection of important works here. Certainly few duds, although there are some I know only by reputation and the opinions of others. Are you expecting me to pull it all together:) !! I actually think it better for people to read through and read the recommendations. Interestingly there has been little if any criticism of the choices, which, as they say, is nice.

Regards

David

[geraint]

How did I miss this thread?

No mention as yet of the French classic Under Fire by Henri Barbusse.

English edition in the Everyman Library 1965.

 

Also - my 'British' contender (like it or loath it; it's still a classic), would be Crozier's Brass Hat in No Man's Land

[Derek Black]

6 hours ago, geraint said:

Also - my 'British' contender (like it or loath it; it's still a classic), would be Crozier's Brass Hat in No Man's Land

 

For those of us unaware for the reasons it may be loathed, can you elabourate?

 

Cheers,

Derek.

[David Filsell]

It's certainly not a bad read, but also written by a fascinating and flawed character as Charles Messenger's recent biography Broken Sword showed.Others may 'feel different' but I think it an interesting choice.  

[bill24chev]

I must recommend  "Fifty Amazin Stories of the Great War" this book was the start of my interest in WW1.

As it says there were 50 accounts of the war by the Men (and If I remember right at least one woman). Three articles stand out for me.

 

An account of the Battle of Jutland by an officer  on  HMS Southampton. (this is quoted in either Castles of Steel or Maj. Gen Julian Thompsons history of the RN in WW1 and other books on Jutland.

 

An account entitled "Storm Over Albert" which told of an Airman who had problems changing a Lewis Gun magazine and ended holding on to it for dear life when he accidently rolled his aircraft over and was thrown out of the cockpit.

 

The third article I recall was entitled "the Phantom Brigade" telling of the Advetures of a small group of five straglers from Four different Infantry Regiments (hence the title) and an ACS soldier commanded by a L.Cpl.

 

I think it was published by a Book club such as Readers Digest because we had another book I think titled Fifty amazing stories of the Victorian era" which included a piece on General "Bobs" Roberts march from Kabul to Kandahar and the subsequent battle.

[paulgranger]

Your airman was Louis Strange, and I believe his memoir has recently been reissued. That incident with the Lewis Gun is one to read with your fingers over your eyes, so to speak!