GIBBS - THE GERMANS ON THE SOMME

[delta]

I have recently been reading "THE GERMANS ON THE SOMME" by Philip Gibbs.

In it, he tells of the growing loss of morale amongst the German units fightign the British and quotes from a variery of letters and sources to demonstrate how their ability to fight was curtailed.

Could some-one advise me whether Gibbs was given access to such captured dta, if so, how much of his writing is fact, and how much fiction

[Desmond7]

I think he did a post-war 'round up' called 'Now it can be told' ... it may be worth comparing his treatment of the Germans/Somme subject in that volume to see how his view match up?

Personally, I think Gibbs must have had some very good sources. Putting aside the 'our boys done well' nature of his 1914-18 reports, his accounts of battles etc seem to be fairly accurate.

In general reading terms, I think the nature of the Somme battle as a grinder which DID have an adverse affect on German (and I'm quite sure British) morale is pretty much on the button.

Just my two cents.

Des

[Desmond7]

I posed a similar question about Gibbs and his relationship with the 'brass' some time ago.

 

 

[6th Shropshires]

Hi delta

I can not help with your question but Philip Gibbs did not always get his facts right, his account of British attack on Hooge on 9th August 1915 as incorrect facts in it plus omissions. He talks of Yorkshire troops rushing the Crater but it was in fact the King's Shropshire Light Infanrty who captured the Crater. He makes no meation at all of the Shropshires part in the battle. While his work is very interesting reading I no longer fully trust his accounts.

Annette