Greenwoodman Posted 30 September , 2003 Share Posted 30 September , 2003 Tonight one of my colleagues asked me for one book on "Ypres". He wants one book to read before we go on the college battlefield tour. I opened my mouth - and then closed it again. Mrs Greenwoodman will tell you just how unusual that is! I am engrossed with Ian Passingham's "Pillars of Fire" at the moment, but am fairly light on general Ypres titles. What do Pals recommend as one-volume reads for:- a. ) all the Battles of Ypres b. ) Passchendaele? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gem22 Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Recommending any single book to cover the battles of Ypres is nigh on impossible; your friend would do well to get a copy of Major Holt's Guide to the Salient. That way he will have an introduction to the area and a valuable aid while on the tour. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest A Mafia Man Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 You could try 'They Called It Passchendaele' by Lyn McDonald. I found it a good all-round read. Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annette Burgoyne Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 The above two mentioned are good, also there is Flanders Then and Now, by John Giles and Chris McCarthy's The Third Ypres, Passchendaele, The Day-byDay Account. My first choice would be Flanders Then and Now. Annette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 A decent general view (with not too much detail) is "Passchendaele and the battles of Ypres" by Martin Marix Evans. For 1st Ypres, the Osprey Campaign Series "First Ypres 1914" or "Ypres 1914" by A.Farrer-Hockley are good. A decent "gazetteer" of place names and what happened where and when can be found in the (a little dated in places) 1920's book by Beatrix Brice "The Battle Book of Ypres" which was reprinted a couple of years ago. If I was told to choose just one book, though, I think I'd go for Giles' "Flanders Then and Now" as mentioned above. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 1 October , 2003 Share Posted 1 October , 2003 Passchendaele In Prespective is one volume but a rather long one. It's a compilation of studies of all aspects by various knowledgeable authors including our own pal Paul Reed. It can't be beaten and taken with the Holt guide and map he will be in good shape. If that's too much reading, yes go for Lyn McDonald. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 5 October , 2003 Share Posted 5 October , 2003 For 1st Ypres Farrar Hockley's account is still the key book, although written without access to war diaries, the maps are poor too. The Mons Star, by David Ascoli, is good but brief on 1st Ypres. Avoid both books by Tim Carew - Wipers and The Vanished Army, I know at least one personal account he used which was lifted, uncredited, from a radio play! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 5 October , 2003 Share Posted 5 October , 2003 Richard Holmes ' Army Battlefield Guide - Belgium and Northern France ' published by HMSO ISBN 0-11-772762-8 among other things covers Mons, Le Cateau, 1st and 3rd Ypres with good maps. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 28 November , 2003 Share Posted 28 November , 2003 Depends on how long you have got. Lyn McDonald's is no light read before a jaunt to the battlefields for example. If you buy one book buy Major & Mrs Holts Guide to the Ypres Salient as recommended by many folks here. It has all the 'salient points' you need and can be easily digested whilst walking the battlefields as well. Also mentioned here, the osprey title 'Passchendaele & the battles of ypres 1914-18' is very good. There are plenty of separate books from pen & sword on ypres battleground europe series but the Ypres Salient should see you in good stead! Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tintin1689 Posted 28 November , 2003 Share Posted 28 November , 2003 I thought the "Battle Book of Ypres" was very good - ideal for a visitor as you can look up the places. The perspectives book is big, but you can dip into it I found the section on the medicalservices really fascinating. Tim Carew's books may not be great scholarship, but they are cracking good reads - back in the late seventies/early eighties "Wipers" was always out from our local library - I think it fell to bits in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank_East Posted 29 November , 2003 Share Posted 29 November , 2003 I would say that "Passchendaele in Perspective. TheThird Battle of Ypres"gives a good insight to the many elements that contribute to the account of this particular battle. It also has a valuble bibliography reference for deeper reading. For the official account of the three Ypres Battles, a good reference is the Military Operations ,France and Belgium Series by Edmonds covering 1914,1915 and 1917. Quite expensive but a lot for your money. Regards Frank East Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenwoodman Posted 29 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 29 November , 2003 I thought "This thread looks interesting"!!!!! Then I realised I'd kicked off! So I must apologise to the contributors for not coming back sooner. I passed on the comments contained in the early part of the thread to my friend, and in the end he read (or part-read!) "They called it Passchendaele". Our battlefield tour went extremely well, and attracted not a single adverse comment on the evaluation sheets. My fellow-student (different one to the man with the book), who knows Ypres well, led the coach through the Third Ypres battlefield in such a manner that really brought home the importance of the Gheluvelt plateau, and the advance to the ridges. Excellent stuff. Thanks very much to all the Pals who took the time to contribute to this thread. Not only did it help my friend, but I now know which books to go after to flesh out my own library on Ypres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 29 November , 2003 Share Posted 29 November , 2003 You could try 'They Called It Passchendaele' by Lyn McDonald. I found it a good all-round read. Joe Isn't Lyn McDonald negative towards the British Army ala Donkeys and Lions tact? I've always resisted naysayers in history because it is easy to get published when you spend your time criticizing the past and finding the clay feet of leaders ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 29 November , 2003 Share Posted 29 November , 2003 I haven't yet read it, but there's a new book out that's apparently pretty good focussing on 2nd Ypres - "Magnificent, But it's not War", or something along those lines. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 29 November , 2003 Share Posted 29 November , 2003 Correct Dave, 'Magnificent But Not War: The Second Battle of Ypres 1915' by John Dixon - came out in October Not got it yet but on my list too! Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim_Grundy Posted 30 November , 2003 Share Posted 30 November , 2003 I liked Peter Hart and Nigel Steel's, "Passchendaele: The Sacrificial Ground" and Trevor Wilson & Robin Prior's "Passchendaele: The Untold Story". They are two very different books, with the latter dealing much more at the strategic level, but I think they complement each other very well. Cheers, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 1 December , 2003 Share Posted 1 December , 2003 Tonight one of my colleagues asked me for one book on "Ypres". He wants one book to read before we go on the college battlefield tour. I opened my mouth - and then closed it again. Mrs Greenwoodman will tell you just how unusual that is! I am engrossed with Ian Passingham's "Pillars of Fire" at the moment, but am fairly light on general Ypres titles. What do Pals recommend as one-volume reads for:- a. ) all the Battles of Ypres b. ) Passchendaele? Try also some of the smallish books in the Pen & Sword series eg A walk round Plugstreet A Haven in Hell (re. Talbot House) Salient Points- 1 & 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lemon trench Posted 1 December , 2003 Share Posted 1 December , 2003 A Storm in Flanders by Winston Groom. An American view, but excellent all the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 For 1st Ypres Farrar Hockley's account is still the key book, although written without access to war diaries, the maps are poor too. The Mons Star, by David Ascoli, is good but brief on 1st Ypres. Just curious if there are ISBNs for these books, or how hard they might be to get. I am interested in reading more about 1st Ypres, so if there are other books out there please let me know. Thanks, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salientpoints Posted 25 October , 2004 Share Posted 25 October , 2004 For 1st Ypres Farrar Hockley's account is still the key book, although written without access to war diaries, the maps are poor too. The Mons Star, by David Ascoli, is good but brief on 1st Ypres. Just curious if there are ISBNs for these books, or how hard they might be to get. I am interested in reading more about 1st Ypres, so if there are other books out there please let me know. Thanks, Andy Farrar Hockley - Ypres ISBN 1841450464 David Ascoli - Mons Star ISBN 1841581275 Ian Beckett - First Ypres (Longman/Osprey) ISBN 0582506123 All UK editions Cheers Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 9 January , 2005 Share Posted 9 January , 2005 I've just started Prior & Wilson's Passchendaele - the Untold Story. The second edition's foreward is wonderful in the historiography of the literature up to 2002. I am wondering about other's reaction to this book. A couple of notes ... I didn't think Keegan's work was too much toward the futility of the war view which the author's remark upon. The authors also try to temper their Lions led by Donkeys argument a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 9 January , 2005 Share Posted 9 January , 2005 Isn't Lyn McDonald negative towards the British Army ala Donkeys and Lions tact? Andy ... I don't think Mac Donald was negative towards anyone. Some of the criticism she receives is that she relies a lot on first hand account more than digesting what happened. I think there is a place for this type of history, first hand accounts add a lot to the over all understanding of events in a way that books written many years after the events couldn't. But I am not telling you anything you don't already know. I am interested in what you think of '..the Untold Story'. I read Steel and Hart's book on Passchendaele and really liked it. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scarletto Posted 9 January , 2005 Share Posted 9 January , 2005 Well, i still like carews books, however yes you have to sort out the wheat from the chaff so to speak, but i would recommend Ascoli, ive seen the book knocking about a few large cheap bookstores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatterySergeantMajor Posted 9 January , 2005 Share Posted 9 January , 2005 I've just started Prior & Wilson's Passchendaele - the Untold Story. The second edition's foreward is wonderful in the historiography of the literature up to 2002. I am wondering about other's reaction to this book. A couple of notes ... I didn't think Keegan's work was too much toward the futility of the war view which the author's remark upon. The authors also try to temper their Lions led by Donkeys argument a bit. The book is OK, but the title doesn't keep it's promises. I did not discover much things in it which were not told before. Erwin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyford Posted 9 January , 2005 Share Posted 9 January , 2005 Not a book, but a new CD produced by Archive CD Books Canada, which covers Second Ypres. I described it in another thread in this section, when I got it as a Christmas present. 'The History of the Canadian Forces in the Great War' - Col. Duguid. Duguid only completed the 'History' up to Sept. 1915 in 2 volumes and he meticulously cross referenced War Diaries, messages, sketches, etc. It is very detailed, fully searchable, because of its CD format and is useful in tracing the movements of the BEF, as well as the CEF, at the time. The maps, which have scanned very well, can be printed out in sections and show detail of troops' positions and movements, a.m. & p.m. For reference, I also use the Holt book and 'St. Julien' Graham Keech in the Battleground Europe series Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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