Books, articles at present underway

[Joe Sweeney]

In process of writing a book with the working title of:

"The Incomplete Guide to the Uniforming of Tommy Atkins in the Great War"

Why "Incomplete"? I have over 14000 pages of research that so far I've condensed into about 300 with-out photos. With the 10's of thousands of items of issue only a little can be touched upon. It will not cover insignia except in generalities as too many books already exist on this subject. It wont cover any specific regiments but will get fairly in depth into Scottish tribalism. It will cover little in the way of specialized equipment or exotic uniform and no tropical kit (yet). It might also cover rations, pay etc.

Scope for this part (may be overly optomistic) is temperate climes with an emphasis on France and the Home Base. The book tracks the evolution of the Uniforms and kit issued to Other ranks, the machinery of manufacture and official supply channelsy and the official uniform policy in France. Hopefully by illustrating what was done officially others can ballance the unofficial course sometimes taken in the field.

The book is very technical in nature so I've convinced myself that I am writing for a market of maybe half a dozen. So I keep finding myself cutting the scope back and may only deal with the Uniforms on a first go round. I do have a small Canadian publisher interested.

An excerpt from a work still in process:

The Soft Cap:

The final iteration of the Service Dress cap was the adoption of the soft Service Dress cap. This occurred with the approval of pattern 8706/1916 on 11 March 1916. This cap would eventually supplant both the stiff pre-war Service Dress cap and the winter cap for active wear. The winter cap would disappear from France in total by early 1917. The stiff pre-war cap would remain but would rarely be worn on any active fronts. This cap, still issued under the nomenclature of “Cap, Service Dress”, was designed to be both smart and utilitarian. It was in all appearances similar to the pre-war cap with the stiffening removed. It could easily be folded and carried in a pack.

Its adoption closely corresponds to the adoption of the steel helmet as personal equipment, General Routine Order 1602, 3 May 1916. Prior to this date helmets were considered as either unit property or trench stores. Since the helmet was to be worn at all times in the forward areas the need for the winter cap faded. Presumably the soft cap was introduced as a return to a smarter easier to carry cap that could be worn away from trenches when the helmet was not in use. It could also be worn in areas where the winter cap was never considered appropriate, such as on the Lines of Communication and in England.

As stated, its nomenclature for issue purposes was still “Cap, Service Dress” as is reflected in documents such as AF W3321 “Statement Showing Articles of Clothing and Necessaries” and in various post 1916 issue scales found in General Routine Orders. It was issued in lieu of the stiff Service Dress cap. The only time the term “soft” cap is used is when there is a need to distinguish its monetary cost from the “Cap, Service Dress” or to specifically identify a pattern. An example of this is Army Form W.3315, which was a list of rates for common items of clothing and necessaries. This form was circulated to units to supplement the “Priced Vocabulary of Clothing and Necessaries” which was the unabridged listing of monetary costs to all items of clothing in the War Office inventory. The W.3315 form of 5 Dec 1918 lists the Cap, Service Dress as costing 3s with the “Cap, soft, Service Dress” as costing 2s.9d.

As originally introduced, the soft cap’s cut was almost identical to the pre-war Service Dress cap’s, from ventilation grommets to chinstrap. However, no internal hard stiffening was included. Its only concession to body stiffening was reinforcing stitches along the peak and around the cap band with a limited amount of internal headband and peak stiffening. The stitches at least provided a modicum of stiffness to the body to present a minimally smart appearance. The soft cap was made with a lining of “American Cloth”. The headband was made of shirt flannel similar to the winter cap.. “American Cloth” was the black lacquered cloth that was found in the pre-war Service Dress caps.

The first change came with pattern 9066/1916, however no details of this change remain. This was followed by pattern 9738/1917, 28 November 1917, which replaced the headband flannel with “American Cloth” creating a lining entirely of “American Cloth”.

An alternate pattern of soft cap was introduced with pattern 9783/1917, 19 December 1917. This introduced the “Cap, soft, Service Dress Gabardine” as an alternate pattern acceptable for manufacture, wear and issue alongside the caps made of serge. At first the gabardine caps were lined exactly like the serge versions with “American Cloth”. However pattern 9847/1918, 19 March 1918, authorized the use of cotton lining in lieu of “American Cloth and flannel”. This pattern was again considered an acceptable alternative to the previous patterns. It is possible that this pattern applied to both serge and gabardine caps, but it is most commonly found in the gabardine versions. The final wartime pattern was “committee” pattern 3085/1918, 29 October 1918. This is listed as an alternative to pattern 9847 with the nomenclature “Cap, soft, Service Dress”. In all probability 9847 refers to gabardine caps and 3085 to serge caps.

Because most of the different soft cap patterns were considered alternate patterns most varieties were manufactured and issued concurrently.

Issues of the soft Service Dress cap are recorded as 11,276,853 from 1 August 1914 to the week ending 2 June 1919 with 7,486,641 being issued overseas. The normal demands for this cap were 7,000 a week.

* this date is arbitrarely used in the Statistics of Military effort of the British Empire, no Soft caps were produced before March 1916.

Joe Sweeney

[Ralph J. Whitehead]

An der Somme or something along these lines. The experience of the German XIV Reserve Corps from September 1914 to June 30, 1916. 1914 finished, first part of 1915 done and an outline for the remainder. I hope to explain how the Somme front formed, how it developed and became the defensive position facing the British and French July 1st Offensive.

The title is up in the air so far, the illustrations are mainly unpublished or not seen in 70 years, there should be a concise casualty list of the units that served on the Somme (almost every unit will be listed). There will be a breakdown of the French and German units facing each other in 1914 and more.

I hope to be finished with the bulk this year and off to potential publishers by 2004. I do this mainly to keep my sanity, which my wife will disagree with, she feels I lost it years ago.

Ralph

[Andrew P]

No book but have finished research on Harry Freame, called by Bean greatest scout on Anzac. He was half Japanese, quite unusual for Australian of the time. He was from - get ready for this- KENTUCKY NSW. That's why I started researching him. Soon learned his story had already been done so ST! article will be largely the work of the man who had already done this and good thing too, I never could have matched his work. His wife is related to a relative and she had some things.

Hi Paul

Freame was mentioned in the latest edition of the AWM magazine 'Wartime'. It was in relation to the story of the death of Captain Lalor and his lost sword on April 25th 1915.

Cheers

[christine liava'a]

36 so far, without Margaret's- she hasn't replied yet!

I was serious about the publisher! Chris, are you looking for a new job?

[armourersergeant]

Baker Pals Publishing Company Ltd, does have a good ring to it.

Annette how the heck do you go about publishing a book yourself it must be very complicated and then trying to market it must be just as hard. It seems to me that writing the book must the easy part then getting someone to publish it is the difficult bit?

Arm

[MartinWills]

...how the heck do you go about publishing a book yourself it must be very complicated and then trying to market it must be just as hard. It seems to me that writing the book must the easy part then getting someone to publish it is the difficult bit? ...

It's not as difficult as it used to be with the advent of digital publishing and "Print-on-Demand". The big change is that you no longer have to commit to a substantial print run (1000 or 2000) to make it economical. None the less you do have to fund the initial cost and then collect the returns bit by bit, and presume that the copies will sell. You do need to have space to store the copies.

You can look to a suitable printer who will work from a word file or similar (look at Great Northern Publishing). Alternatively you can prepare everything, including illustrations, in Adobe Acrobat and just use a digital printing supplier (eg Anthony Rowe). A good tip is to use standard publishing sizes and not standard paper sizes (eg A4; A5). There are a number of companies offering this type of service.

The other question is whether to go down the formal route with ISBN number, which you apply for and may have to pay for. Using an ISBN number and "publically" publishing commits you to around six "deposit" copies which you send free to institutes like the Bodleian and British libraries. It does however get you included in the book trade catalogue of volumes in print (Whitaker) which provides some publicity.

Whilst marketing is an issue you would probably find that administration can be equally taxing. If you deal with any significant number of bookshops you will probably find that they are slow payers (and the reminders cost postage and more) and there is the risk of bad debts and booksellers ceasing to trade. There are reliable outlets for Great War books like Ray Westlake which will probably be happy to take a number of copies.

A big decision is to decide the scope of publication of your work and how you are prepared to market it. A "local" volume can be sold through local adverts and a select choice of local booksellers and the local media are often happy to run articles linking local history and the book which can be very helpful. I imagine that the "sales and wants" on this forum may also help sell the odd copy.

Don't expect to make your fortune, even if you manage to to secure the support of a publisher to do all the work for you - very few people actually make a living as a writer. There may be scope for a "Catherine Cookson" culminating, beneath the clock at Waterloo, a search for long lost family medals or a "Jilly Cooper" set behind steamed up car windows at Thiepval, but we are none of us writing fiction of this type, as far as I know.

Having said all that, perhaps there is scope for a writers co-operative for publishing. Who knows?

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi Arm

It was very hard work, it fried my few brain cells, but Martin says it all in his post above, it is not something to take on light heartedly. There are lots of pit falls but it as not put me off doing the next one myself, money is always the big drawback, I had to give up all my vices

Its llike Martin says "don't expect to make your fortune" even if I sell all my books, I'll be making a £35 lose (I could have charged more per book to cover all costs but £12.50 was a little to high as it was to my mind). But I did not care if I made a loss, its nothing to the loses the lads made to their lives and souls.

Annette

[Kate Wills]

I have several irons in the fire at the moment:

I want to do something with my musical meanderings, perhaps some kind of musical companion to the Great War, taking in the home front, composers and musicians at war, organised and spontaneous music-making and entertainment, effects on concert life, etc etc. Something to show that there is more to WW1 music than Home Fires, Butterworth and VW3.

My files range from barrel organs to grand opera, bell-ringing to violin sonatas and much besides, and I would love to know of any musical / entertainment references Pals may come across in their researches. Anything goes, even whistling is of interest.

I am also involved in a collaboration researching the career of Major Blair Swannell, Northampton's first international rugby player who fell with the 1st Bttn AIF at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915.

However, these pursuits must now make room for a new and vast undertaking, as Martin and I tackle the 7th Northants. from 1916 to disbandment.

[Roy Evans]

This is rather scary, but like our esteemed leader I am also a Manufacturing Engineer with an interest and possible book on the South Staffords, but in my case the 2nd Batt,n. I am also becoming increasingly interested in logistics of army supplies, - maybe my next project.

Roy

[Paul Reed]

However, these pursuits must now make room for a new and vast undertaking, as Martin and I tackle the 7th Northants. from 1916 to disbandment.

What is it you are doing on this battalion? I might be able to help with a couple of leads/photos etc.... and why only from 1916?!

[Bernard_Lewis]

Chris - self publishing is - in my view - a last resort (commendable though it is as a tribute to the lads) and I can imagine the difficulties. I sounded out a well known bookshop chain on the possibility of stocking a self published work and got no response. I'd have considered it as a 'fallback' if all else failed.

The local archive service recently published a book by myself on the Poor Law in Victorian Swansea and even then the book chain were not quick in taking copies despite it being professionally printed etc (and hopefully readable)! Thee've since had a modest quantity and sold out - even now restocking seems - to me - slow...

Three local publishers declined my Swansea Battalion work - I've been told since they will only 'contribute' to the costs of of publication, most of the cah being put up by yourself.

Happily a well known publisher from Barnsley have now given me a contract and the book should be in print next year. I'd certainly give them a try Chris.

Bernard

[John W]

The other question is whether to go down the formal route with ISBN number, which you apply for and may have to pay for. Using an ISBN number and "publically" publishing commits you to around six "deposit" copies which you send free to institutes like the Bodleian and British libraries. It does however get you included in the book trade catalogue of volumes in print (Whitaker) which provides some publicity.

I have not commented on this thread but well here goes.

I have run a small hobby publishing company for over 10 years (its a long story why we started it anybody with a burning curiosity can e mail me)

THe bottom line is its not that expensive to do, unless you want to produce hardbacks.

ISBNs are really esential and should not cost anything unless you pay whitakers to generate the numbers. This process is not beyond failed CSE maths with the aid of a calculator

You are required to deposit 4 copies as I remember to the 4 deposit libraries.

Book shops rarely buy on spec such books as we produce, they do order them for customers though usually via whitakers book ordering service.

With a good printer it is feasable to print as few as 100 copies although the binding cost gets a bit high. The last book I did was about 100 pages with a colour cover and 4 colour plates, it cost me about £2000 including the authors royalty the printrun was 500 with 1000 copies of the colour pages (saves money in the future. retail price £8.50 I let you do the maths. (this was a couple of years ago) Books with no colour cost a lot less.

Hope this helps anybody thinking of going this route

JOhn

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi all

Another thing, is how big a market you are aiming at, if your book/article is about a Battle like the Somme, then the market should be a large one, and in that case it would be best to go to a publisher, but if you know your market will be small, and you are slightly mad like myself then its worth thinking of.

I never evan thought of going to a publisher, what with computers and the good soft ware you can get these days, it can be done. Like I said before its not something to take on light heartedly, but for small print runs its worth thinking of (sorry started to repeat myself).

Another thing when going it alone, its helps if you can find a helpful and friendly printer, like the one I went to.

Good luck to all who are in the process of producing a book/article, big or small.

Annette

[christine liava'a]

John.

Your comments about ISBN numbers was interesting.

In NZ the situation is slightly different, althouigh in practice it probably works out the same.

By law, all publishers, business or private, are required to obtain ISBN or ISSN numbers for their publications. This is done by informing the National Library of NZ of the details, and they will issue numbers, which you then put on your book.

As well, you must supply 3 copies for legal deposit at the National Library.

The National Library is just that, a library from which all other libraries in NZ can borrow, on interloan, and individuals in Wellington can also borrow

from it.

The National Library publishes a monthly list of all their accessions, and copies of this are used by book sellers, libraries etc for information about new books and their publishers, then they make whatever orders they want. This works well for non fiction reference type material, but does not create best sellers!

....................................

Are you volunteering to become the official Bakers Pals Publishing Company?!

There would seem to be about 25 works available to be published in Britain over the next few years.!

......................................

PS I was expecting a comment from you on the "penguin" thread!!!

[Kate Wills]

Penguin..."small hobby publishing company..." methinks John is being exceptionally modest!!

[Guest stevebec]

As mentioned its always best to cut cost by either not including colour and reducing your hard work down in pages.

This the printer will help, by either reducing the font (letter size) and cut down on the photos.

If you keep all to a manageble size you can get out a good work and keep the costs down also.

The hardest part is to know what the hold and what to throw. When you have suffered so much to make the work, it is like your baby.

S.B

[john w.]

I have spent the last year nearly on a severe learning curve in the research into Military executions... I have had superb support from Rosemary Clarke and Julian Putkowski and many Pals here on the Forum who have humoured my ramblings.

It has taken me the last six months to come up with what maybe a new angle into the issue, and I am at last making for me some progress into it, yet at the same time I am ploughing through the existing material available..

My hope is to produce a radio programme on the issue. This has already been accepted by Radio New Zealand once completed... all I got to do is make it once my research is finished....

John

[John W]

By law, all publishers, business or private, are required to obtain ISBN or ISSN numbers for their publications.

....................................

Are you volunteering to become the official Bakers Pals Publishing Company?!

The l;aw bit about ISBN and ISSN is more or less the same in the UK, publishers are supposed to have them.

For the real anoraks this is how the ISBN works

mine is

1 874351 ** ?

the one is the country code, 1 = UK the next bit is my publisher no in my case a 6 digit one, the ** is the book no so I can publish up to 100 books with my no( so if you are going to be a publishing magnet dooing 100s you have a smaller publisher no) and finally the ?= a check digit to make sure its a valid no.

You basically write out the numbers less the check digit multiply each by a number from 1 to 9 ( I think starting at the country code, add it all together and then use the check digit to make id divide by 11, (so they can get a computer to do it)

On the subject of would I publish for Pals the answer at the moment is no, because I don't have the time to give your projects what they deserve to promote it. I am of course happy to help people do it themselves with advice and contacts.

Ok now I am off to packbefore I get shouted at, we leave to go on holiday for a few days in about an hour!!

JOhn

[Bryn_Hammond]

I'm working on the 'Theory and Practice of Tank-Other Arms Co-operation on the Western Front during the First World War' at Birmingham University.

My brother says it should be entitled 'Tanks a Million'...

(Oh, by the way, yes, I KNOW someone really DID call their book on Second World War armour that)...

[christine liava'a]

What about " Tank you , Tank You , Tank you!'

or " Tanks very much!"

[Christina Holstein]

Just published "Fort Douaumont - Verdun" for Pen and Sword's Battleground Europe series. Begun another in the series with the provisional title of "Fleury-Souville" but I'm working full time at the moment and it won't appear for a while. No articles at present, except for one on Ft. Douaumont for a coming edition of 'Firestep' the magazine of the London branch of the WFA. I've also contributed a chapter in French on the retaking of the Butte de Vauquois by the Americans on 25 September 1918 to a book that will be published next year by the Friends of the Butte. It deals with the history of the Butte before, during and after WWI.

Christina Holstein

[bmac]

For my own amusement I am c. 300 pages into a book about the attack of the 56th (London) Division on Gommecourt on 1st July 1916. My mother's cousin (see sig below) was one of the many 'missing' on that day and my grandfather was a NCO promoted 2nd Lieutenant to replace one of the many junior officer losses suffered by the Division.

Couple of other projects on the Somme up my sleeve

[smilingsixth]

Great idea.

I am working on a unit history of the 1/6th Welsh Regt (TF) and its servive in WW1 fron 1914 - 1919. The battalion went to France 29 Oct 1914 and did not arrive home until 23 Oct 1919. The book does not have a title yet but I do like the nick name of the battalion - "The Smiling Sixth" but have not decided yet as still have a great deal of work to do.

Would love to hear from anybody who has any pictures or info they might like to share.

Have a huge database on the officers and men and will be glad to look any names, rank and numbers for anyone who is interested.

Simon Lee ( Swansea)

[Matt Dixon]

Title: "The path of the just is a shining light: The Roll of Honour of All Saints School, Bloxham", been doing this for 2 years.

Title comes from the translation of the school motto. Writing this for personal satisfaction only, and would like to sell copies at the school to raise money for a new war memorial.

Very keen to write something about the West Midlands CWGC cemeteries.

Writing an article about Oxfordshire School OTC's in WW1, and one about the restoration project of Lance Cpl George Onions VC's grave in Quinton Cemetery, Birmingham.

[Ste]

I am in the early stages of research for a piece on the 1/5 South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales Volunteers). My Great Great Grandfather was killed whilst serving with the battalion, whose men were recruited from in and around my town.

I'd be very interested to talk with anyone with a particular interest in the SLR, 55th Division, 4th Division, or Territorials in general.

Cheers,

Ste