BlackSeptember1918 Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this , but here goes.. I'm looking for books in English that cover the French battles of WWI . I have books that cover the 1914 French battles , and also some that cover Verdun , but I would be interested in books that cover the 1915 Champagne -Artois offensives , and also the 1917 Nivelle offensive . Also the French part of the Battle of the Somme . Can anyone reccommend any books to me please ?. Thanks for any reply's . Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 Hello Phil, I can thionk of only a few that you might want to read. The first is 'My 75' by Paul Lintier and another on the French mutinies, 'Dare Call it Treason' by Richard Watt. I have not sen many others that you already covered. It is not something I have seen often over the years. 'My 75' covers the opening days of the war up through early 1915 I believe, it has been some time since I have read it. Hope this helps. Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 Also Alistair Horne's 'Price of Glory' an account of the Battle of Verdun, possibly the best-written WW1 book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSeptember1918 Posted 9 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 9 November , 2003 Thankyou for your reply's Ralph and Hedley I have to agree that the Price of Glory is a wonderful book mate , I also have another that a bloke wrote as his first book just simply called Verdun ..Mason I think is his name? ...It is good but mainly covers what Horne already has contributed . The two titles you mentioned Ralph sound very interesting ! . I'll look for them . I'm not sure if you've read Liason 1914 ...but that is a great book and a very interesting study of Lanrazac . It is quite damming of Lanrazac though , so must be taken in perspective . I have found it hard to find books in English that cover these battles in any depth , and I've been told that there isn't very much , even in French about the French on the Somme . Quite sad seeing they had 204,000 casualties , and the great American poet Alan Seeger was killed on the 4th fighting with the Legion . Thankyou both for your reply's . If anyone knows of any others I would be happy to add them to my wish list also . Phil.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedley Malloch Posted 9 November , 2003 Share Posted 9 November , 2003 Some of the oldest English language accounts of French battles and campaigns are the Michelin Guides to the French battlefields. I think the Army and Navy Press are reprinting these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
healdav Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 Naval and Military press are indeed reprinting at least some of the Michelin guides, and very good they are if used as 'then and now'. On Verdun, get Christina Holstein's excellent book on Douaumont in the Battleground Europe series. It only came out this year. Apart from that, there is very little in English that I can find, although you might find the story of the American voluneer ambulance service to be of interest. You can download it from the UKANS site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSeptember1918 Posted 10 November , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2003 Thanks for that extra imfo guy's! . I'll definately make use of it . To me , it's quite a shame that no-one has seen fit to provide many English text books on this subject . It is such a big part of the war , and I think would be very intereting to many people , and I'm guessing a great chance for a historian to cover battles that haven't had 1000 books written about them . I almost convinced a French internet friend of mine to start an English text book on the French part of the Somme , but unfortunately like many of us , his business commitments don't leave him much time for such things . Oh well ...here's hoping that the situation will change in the future . For quite some time I was content to just know the basics about the ( substancial ) French part of the war , but my French friend told me many story's handed down from vets , and made me want to learn more about these men . Just as a totally off topic comment , I notice there are some threads in other area's about new medal collectors . One can do worse than collecting a few bravery groups to French and Belgium servicemen . The low price asked for these is almost laughable and I'm sure in years to come they will increase greatly in price ( if it is as an investment that you want to buy them) . They come unnamed as issued , but so do German awards , and I've payed 2 arms and half a leg for those groups . Thanks again guy's. Phil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 10 November , 2003 Share Posted 10 November , 2003 I have asked over the years for something on French role in 1916 Somme fighting in English with no luck. We are going to cover the ground in our US Branch WFA 2005 Somme trip. Pals from elsewhere are welcome whether WFA or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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