First Day on the Somme - Martin Middlebrook

[593jones]

Whist browsing the Naval and Military Press website, (as you do) I noticed that they have The First Day on the Somme, Revised Edition for sale.  Out of curiosity, does anyone know what the revisions are, and if it's worthwhile buying it, I already have the book, bought in 1971 when it was first published.

[fellop]

It is difficult to see what N&M means by ‘Revised’ edition, I do wish they would, occasionally, add a little more information.

I have a hard back copy [reprint] of 2003 published by Pen and Sword. The ISBN number shown on N&M website is different to the ISBN number in my Pen and Sword reprint so maybe they might be some revisions or updates in the N&M version.

My copy is marked up at £19.95 but I purchased in a [good] second hand book shop for £5 about ten years ago.

In the Authors Preface to the [reprint] book Middlebrook states:

…………………………………… As there are no revisions, I should here highlight the only two known errors in the 1971 edition; namely Major JK Dunlop was in the 53^rd not the 43^rd MGC and the photograph of troops of the 29^th Division advancing into No Mans Land is very probably an enactment. He goes onto mention a few physical changes to the area and terrain since the 1971 book.

It is signed Martin Middlebrook Boston Lincolnshire 2002.

 

Now if this 2003 Pen and Sword reprint has now surfaced as an N&M [re] print and they call it a revised edition or in fact Middlebrook has revised the book and N&M have the publishing rights, I am unable to say.

I might have thought though that if a revised edition of what is sometimes referred to as ‘A Cult Book’ had substantial revisions and was in for a print re-run it might have been news within the community.

 

Regards

Peter

[593jones]

Yes, it might have been helpful if N&M had actually specified what 'revised edition' meant.  If Middlebrook had no revisions for the 2003 edition, it's hard to imagine what has changed since then, so I think I'll pass on this one.  Thanks for your reply, fellop.