Somme guidebook?

[Ryan1997]

Hello,

Apologies if this question has been asked hundreds of times before.

Due to go to The Somme in February. I had purchased the Holts Somme guidebook thinking it would be what I am after…

Although it seems informative, I have found that it predominantly focuses on the cemeteries and not so much the action on the ground. 
(The map is useful though). I do plan on visiting the cemeteries but would also like a guide book that explains what occurred at different points for example: Sunken Road XYZ was in the line here etc etc…

Can anyone recommend a good all round guidebook that contains the above?

 

I have tried the search bar but the results for this topic seem to be years old now and I feel there may be a few newer editions that have been released.

 

Thanks in advance.

Ryan. 

[BillyH]

Not exactly a guide book, but Gerald Gliddon's "Somme 1916 - A Battlefield Companion" is excellent. Quite a big book to carry around though.

BillyH.

[Michelle Young]

Probably the Battleground Europe guides to whichever sector you are heading to, plus Walking The Somme by Paul Reed. Easier to carry, but I agree that the Gliddon  book is excellent. 

[Loopgraaf]

Which Somme area are you going too? For Arras as example you have a guide "A visitors guide, The Battlefields of Arras North"

Guides of Major and mrs Holts battlefieldguides. 

Walking the Somme, from the Battlefield guide. 

[WilliamRev]

If your travel arrangements mean that you can take a selection of books with you in the car, then I would include the following:

You mentioned that you have Major and Mrs Holt's Holt's Guide to the Somme - not to be dismissed, because it is very useful to ensure that you do not miss museums and other notable visitor attractions.

Paul Reed's Walking The Somme is simply excellent, especially since he often shows you walkable footpaths that you might not otherwise spot.

Gary Sheffield's The Somme is superb as a concise 200 page paperback history of the 1916 battle with useful maps and orders of battle, useful to have with you at all times as you tour the battlefields. (Loads of v. cheap second-hand copies are available on Amazon.) 

As mentioned above by BillyH, Gliddon's Somme 1916 - A Battlefield Companion is extremely useful (to keep in the car) to look up Somme villages that you come to but have not researched. (Again, loads of cheap second-hand copies available on Amazon.)

And as mentioned above by Michelle, the Battleground Europe books are invaluable if there is a particular small area that you are interested in exploring, (there are at least fifteen of these on the Somme) such as the one on Bazentin Ridge (the most relevant to my studies on my grandfather's brief appearance in the battle). Once again there are cheap second-hand copies of all of these available on Amazon.

[My trips to the Western Front have been greatly enhanced by the use of Linesman, which I would highly recommend in addition to books.]

William

[seaJane]

May I recommend bookfinder.com as a source of secondhand books? It can be cheaper than Amazon (and better for small dealers, if that is a concern of yours).

[Michelle Young]

Although the OP doesn’t seem interested in the replies here, I will throw this into the mix as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Somme-Day-day-Account/dp/1860198732

[WilliamRev]

2 hours ago, Michelle Young said:

Although the OP doesn’t seem interested in the replies here, I will throw this into the mix as well.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Somme-Day-day-Account/dp/1860198732

Ooh yes! A fabulously useful book which everybody should buy, (and second-hand copies are obscenely cheap at the moment!).

[The companion volume Passchendaele: The Day-By- Day Account is just as useful, although second-hand copies are usually a little more expensive.]

William

[Michelle Young]

@Ryan1997 so all the effort members have put into helping you isn’t of interest to you? 

[Don Regiano]

4 hours ago, Michelle Young said:

@Ryan1997 so all the effort members have put into helping you isn’t of interest to you? 

Apparently not Michelle (he last visited the Forum on Tuesday).  At least it got me to look up Gliddon's book - cheaper on that auction site - so at least some benefit.

Reg

[Michelle Young]

I have both versions of the Gliddon book, the 1987 When  The Barrage Lifts and the 1994 expanded reprint.

[Ryan1997]

Sorry all for the delay in my response. 
 

I am usually notified by email when someone responds. Unfortunately, for this thread my email has not notified me. (Not sure why). 
 

Thank you for the suggestions. 
Just ordered Paul Reeds- Walking The Somme as it seems to be mentioned quite a few times. 
Will look into the others!

 

Thanks All,

Ryan.

[Tom Kilkenny]

If you've the time - and the weather permits! - you really have to walk the ground. Paul Reed's book is a gem. 

[Ryan1997]

11 hours ago, Tom Kilkenny said:

If you've the time - and the weather permits! - you really have to walk the ground. Paul Reed's book is a gem. 

I have roughly 4 days over there. 
I imagine it will be a mixed bag of walking/driving some of the routes.

Hopefully in the future I can walk the lot! 

 

[WilliamRev]

One of the best things about Paul Reed's book is that his walks always begin from places that are to park a car or two. My last few trips to the Somme have involved parties of seven or eight people, with three cars between us, so I always double-check with Google Earth that the available parking space can cope with this number; I don't think that Paul has let us down yet!

William

[chaz]

not recommending a book as such but , have you a certain soldier/ regiment or area you want to visit or just a general look around?

I would then look at dates and the war diary for the regiment at the time. This will give you areas to concentrate on.

This then can let you look at Paul Reed's Walking the Somme series or Martin Middlebrook's , both split in to areas where you can drive to then walk around and back to the car.

 

The Somme is a large area and 4 days , presumably with travelling will leave much out.

[Ryan1997]

2 hours ago, chaz said:

not recommending a book as such but , have you a certain soldier/ regiment or area you want to visit or just a general look around?

I would then look at dates and the war diary for the regiment at the time. This will give you areas to concentrate on.

This then can let you look at Paul Reed's Walking the Somme series or Martin Middlebrook's , both split in to areas where you can drive to then walk around and back to the car.

 

The Somme is a large area and 4 days , presumably with travelling will leave much out.

As it will be my first time to the Somme region I am wanting to visit the mainstream areas from the 1st July but also some of the 1918 areas when my Great-Grandfather was over there.

Whatever I don’t manage to get to on my first run, I will pick up on a later visit.

I also have a few soldiers in mind and will look to create some sort of route card for the trip! 

 

[WilliamRev]

For the first day of the 1916 battle of the Somme you might like this book HERE. In all of their guide books Cooksey and Murland take care not to duplicate those of Paul Reed, and often you find that you can combine the two to make a different or longer walk.

Although I do not own a copy I have just come across this second book on the Somme by the same team, HERE. However , if it is like their previous offerings it will be worth getting hold of a copy.

William