armourersergeant Posted 27 February , 2005 Share Posted 27 February , 2005 1915 CAMPAIGN IN FRANCE. The Battles of Aubers Ridge, Festubert & Loos considered in Relation to the Field Service Regulations Has anyone read this book. If so is it any good and how critical is it given the time it was written and the fact that it was aimed at 'teaching' serving officers? regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 27 February , 2005 Share Posted 27 February , 2005 Arm I have read it. It offered a very interesting perspective on the battles. Well worth getting in my opinion, but only as a supplement to other more detailed accounts. The author's attempts to link the battles back to Field Service Regulations was particularly interesting. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 27 February , 2005 Share Posted 27 February , 2005 Here is an sampler; part of the critique of the Battle of Aubers Ridge: 'In the FSR it is stated that: - "Counter-battery work will form an important part of the artillery plan. The object to aim at is to neutralize all hostile batteries which by their fire can impede the advance of the infantry." Ten minutes after the first assault from our trenches, there was another attempt on the part of the 2nd, 3rd and Dehra Dun Brigades to reach the enemy's positions, but again we were unsuccessful, as the artillery had not in the time and with the ammunition available been able to neutralize the German fire power. Nor was machine gun fire superimposed on any part of the artillery barrage to increase its intensity and depth, as advocated in FSR 74 (4). The result was that our advancing lines suffered heavily from frontal and enfilade machine gun fire, and the few men who managed to get through the gaps made in the wire were unable to get any footing in the enemy's front line trenches. The organizing of further assaults now became difficult, owing to the fact that there were a number of our wounded close to enemy's wire, and owing to the forward trenches being congested with casualties, so that our artillery was not able to cut the enemy's wire or to silence their machine guns. Our attacks, after the further ten minutes' bombardment, were made at some points against the same objectives which in the first attack had failed.' Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 27 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 27 February , 2005 Thanks Robert, regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 28 February , 2005 Share Posted 28 February , 2005 Well worth getting in my opinion, but only as a supplement to other more detailed accounts. Robert, What other books would you recommend? I have tried to find good books on the 1915 battles and honestly the selection seems rather sparce. Arm.... do you have the detials on the book, ISBN perhaps? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 28 February , 2005 Share Posted 28 February , 2005 Andy There are some nice books for the battles around this time, quite apart from the British Official Histories. For Neuve Chapelle: 'The Battle of Neuve Chapelle - French Flanders ' by G Bridger. ISBN: 0850526485 is one of the better books in the Battleground Europe series. I did have another hardback book on Neuve Chapelle but I think it has been 'tidied' For the Battle of Aubers Ridge: 'A Serious Disappointment' by A Bristow. ISBN 0 85052 462 8. For the Battle of Loos: 'Loos 1915: The Unwanted Battle' by G Corrigan. ISBN: 1862272395. 'Loos 1915: The Northern Battle and Hohenzollern Redoubt' by A Rawson. ISBN: 0850529034 'Loos: Hill 70' by A Rawson. ISBN: 0850529042 'The Battle of Loos' by P Warner. ISBN 1840222298. (quite disjointed and the most difficult to read if you want a clear understanding of how the Battle of Loos was fought and the aftermath) Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 28 February , 2005 Share Posted 28 February , 2005 "A Serious Disappointment" is not the most rewarding of volumes, and some have said simply that it lives up to its title - which I think is a little unfair. Another interesting volume that impinges on Loos is "With the Guns" by F.O.O (forward observation officer) - London Eveleigh Nash 1916. It provides an interesting perspective from the artillery viewpoint and is well worth reading though one needs to bear in mind it was published during the war. Philip Warner's volume is well worth reading for it's wealth on personal experience but as Robert says it not a clear guide to the battle. Patrick Macgill's "The Great Push" is a contemporary novelisation of his experiences with the London Irish (18th Londons/47th Div). I've not really seen any comment on Gordon Corrigan's book so would welcome any feedback. I believe Niall Cherry is preparing a volume on Loos as well. Sad to say that so little is written though a number of period memoirs etc. touch on this period. Regards, Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 28 February , 2005 Author Share Posted 28 February , 2005 I've not really seen any comment on Gordon Corrigan's book so would welcome any feedback. I have yet to see a copy of this book and even though Amazon say it was released last october i have my doubts that it has been so. I shall see Mr Corrigan on saturday of this week at Birmingham University and shall try to find out whats happening. regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 1 March , 2005 Share Posted 1 March , 2005 Thanks Arm It would be helpful to get an update. As for 'A Serious Disappointment', it is one of the few books on this most neglected phase of the war. Coupled with Lyn Macdonald's book '1915: The Death of Innocence', it left me with a deep sense of sadness at the tragedy of it all. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 16 November , 2005 Share Posted 16 November , 2005 Seems like Gordon Corrigan's book has come available. Amazon Link Has anyone read it? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 16 November , 2005 Share Posted 16 November , 2005 Amazon e-mailed me last week to say that Gordon Corrigan's book "The Unwanted battle" had been cancelled and would not be available, although it still appears on their listings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 16 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2005 Why am I not surprised? Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 22 November , 2005 Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Arm, Did you get any joy from Maj Corrigan? (back in Mar I realise, but I am new!) I have had an order with both amazon and Tesco for over a year, without success. Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 22 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 22 November , 2005 Given that his book has yet to arrive in stock, or it seems in print, you will not be surprised to hear that he did not make the meeting to talk. His place was taken by Dr Nick Lloyd who was good. I fear that Mr Corrigan will never talk or write about Loos!!! Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 That is most disappointing. I did enjoy his 'Mud, Blood and Poppycock'. It was, I believe, an easy read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 23 November , 2005 Author Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Roxy, I have not read his book Mud etc but many have on this forum, it caused a debate that some of it was well over the top in respect of being pro the commanders. if you do a search you may find it. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roxy Posted 23 November , 2005 Share Posted 23 November , 2005 Arm, Thanks. I'll have a look and see what the erudite folk thought. The Great War is obviously an emotive subject an it can be difficult to sway people from their opinions. Hopefully this type of forum allows all sides of the argument to be made. 'Mud etc' certainly had a different view point to 'The Donkeys' or even 'Tommy'. I've even got a copy of Ben Elton's latest, but it's not top of thereading list just yet. I think it will have to wait until I've completed 'Sahib' and ' The Pity of War' first. Of course I will definately make comment on the appropriate thread. Still, apart from a minor tiff regarding egbert's grandfather, this forum appears to have a far more pleasant atmosphere than is often found on PPRuNe! Roxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 I just finished Philip Warner's book The Battle of Loos and its fair to middling. The account of the battle gains almost no ground in opening up a new perspective on the battle. (Pun intended) The personal accounts are interesting, but Warner really should have edited and cut down on the extraneous material. If you have the book read it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get it. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dikke Bertha Posted 3 May , 2006 Share Posted 3 May , 2006 Andigger Thanks for your views on the Loos book. I bought Philip Warner's book on Loos while in London for only £3.99. I later regretted it as I do not really like personal accounts. It is in my "to read" pile but down the end. I think I may well buy another book on Loos in the meantime. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 21 November , 2020 Share Posted 21 November , 2020 Just reviving this one to enquire if anyone has some more recent advise on readings on the 1915 battles, especially Loos, and published AFTER 2006 ??? there's Peter Doyle and Nick Lloyd ... any suggestion?? M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 21 November , 2020 Share Posted 21 November , 2020 Niall Cherry: Most Unfavourable Ground Came out at much the same time as Nick Lloyd's book' personally, I preferred Lloyd's, but this is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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