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Remembered Today:

What WW1 books are you reading?


andigger

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Hi everyone

I have just finished the book A War in Words which I won with Hew Strachan's book The First World War in a CH4 Comp.

The book is personal accounts from soldiers, eyewitnesses and victims, it has an interview from one of the serbian assassins of Franz Ferdinands. A lot of the letters and diaries have never been published in English before. I found book to be very moving and the experiences contain therein gives you a lot to think about.

Best wishes

Mary

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have just finished Martin Middlebrook's "Captain Stanilands's Journey" The North Midland Territorials go to War.

This is an excellent little volume which was written when the author investigated a house name (Lindenhoek) in his native Boston, Lincs. It tells the story of the Staniland brothers but then takes in the story of the men of the Boston Territorial Company who all volunteered for war service. It is also a useful guide to some of the lessser known memorials and cemeteries around Ypres.

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Just finished rereading John Keegan's "The Face of Battle" for something like the 3rd time - always learn something new from that one.

I guess I'm going on a bit of a Keegan kick as I've just started "Battle At Sea: From Man-of-war To Submarine" which looks at Trafalgar, Jutland, Midway, and the Battle of the Atlantic. I've just started it - but it's quite interesting so far.

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Currently reading Liddell-Hart's History of the FWW, interesting to read his account considering he fought and also to refresh my memory of the main battles which is a bit lacking at the moment.

cheers

Kris

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Tank Battles of World War 1. Bryan Cooper, Garden City Press, 1974. (I was 3!)

Quite readable, interesting facts such as learning to shot the main gun from Naval Vessels (to simulate pitch and roll of a moving tank) and one hours action equaled three hours recovery for the crew due to the shocing conditions inside the tank.

As I suffer from motion sickness, I prefer to walk, but these things are fascinating.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My hot-off-the-press copy of Under the Devil's Eye - Britain's Salonika Army by Forum member Alan Wakefield, and forum-member-katb's-fiance Simon Moody.

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Guest tartan87terror

Today I picked up 2 WW1 books from public library.

Started reading "A Foreign Field - A true story of love and betrayal in the Great War" by Ben Macintyre, 2001.

Next will be "Blindfold and Alone - British Military Executions in the Great War" by Cathryn Corns & John Hughes-Wilson, 2001.

Should keep me going for a couple of weeks!

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Im currently reading "TOMMY". I would recommend this book, Im nowhere near finished but it has been a very good read so far.

Paul K

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Can highly recommend "Le feu" ("The fire") by Henri Barbusse, the diary of a French "poilu". Very high literary standard too.

Another book I keep coming back to is "Some desperate glory" by Edwin Campion Vaughan, the diary of a young officer from early January 1917 till late August 1917.

Other favourite books of mine include "The war the infantry knew 1914 - 1919" by Captain J.C. Dunn and "Armageddon Road" Billy Congreve, edited by Terry Norman.

Hope this helps. :rolleyes:

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My hot-off-the-press copy of Under the Devil's Eye - Britain's Salonika Army by Forum member Alan Wakefield, and forum-member-katb's-fiance Simon Moody.

Woohoo!

I have been looking at Robin Neilland's new book on the Old Contmpibles, which looks a really good read.

Also recently read Dominic Hibbert's Wilfred Owen book which was fascinating.

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"In enemy hands - a British Territorial soldier in Germany 1915-1919". by Malcolm Hall, pub. Tempus 2002. Story of a Private in the 12th Londons (The Rangers), who was taken POW on the Frezenberg Ridge in 1915. Good read, and brilliantly illustrated with original and then and now photos. Grab a copy if you can.

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No Parachute "the Exploits of a Fighter Pilot in the First World War" by Arthur Gould Lee. The sub-title says it all. An old paperback, printed by Arrow back in 1969, that I picked up in a secondhand bookshop and I must say a great read. Very scathing of the problems of supply to the RFC with decent aircraft as compared to those supplied to the RNAS. Based on letters that Lt ASG Lee, Sherwood Foresters, attached to the RFC wrote home on a more or less daily basis during his time as a fighter pilot in 1917. If you ever come across a copy get it and enjoy a view of the Battle of Messines etc etc from a pilots perspective.

Steve

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What are you reading (WWI related) and would you recommend it?

Just ordered Lyn McDonald's "The Roses of No Man's Land". Reviews on Amazon were very good. Anyone read it lately?

Robbie

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Hi everyone

I have just finished the book A War in Words which I won with Hew Strachan's book The First World War in a CH4 Comp.

The book is personal accounts from soldiers, eyewitnesses and victims, it has an interview from one of the serbian assassins of Franz Ferdinands. A lot of the letters and diaries have never been published in English before. I found book to be very moving and the experiences contain therein gives you a lot to think about.

Best wishes

Mary

I've just picked up a copy of this very book and was wondering if anyone had red it and what they thought of it.It looks from your comments,that i have picked up a good one !!.

Stephen :D

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Robbie... I have read 'Roses' and I thought it was great. I loved the personal accounts which Lyn MacDonald is famous for, and not knowing much about the VAD or medical corps I thought it was very insightful.

Enjoy the read.

Andy

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I got a copy of Forgotten Lunatics of the Great War (2004) by Peter Barham today. It discusses and provides first-hand accounts of WW1 serviceman who were hospitalized with mental health problems caused by the trauma of the war. It lists the psychiatric hospitals that were set up for these guys whose numbers were ever-increasing as the GW progressed. In the early stages of the war such men were sent to regular military hospitals but these were soon overflowing with those needing special psychiatric car. It is a very detailed book and quite long but I recommend it to Pals interested in mental health.

Robbie

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I have read 'Roses' and I thought it was great. I loved the personal accounts which Lyn MacDonald is famous for, and not knowing much about the VAD or medical corps I thought it was very insightful.

Thanks Andy, I am enjoying it very much.

Robbie

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Can highly recommend "Le feu" ("The fire") by Henri Barbusse, the diary of a French "poilu". Very high literary standard too.

:rolleyes:

What taste! I can never understand why this isn't better known as it is an excellent read. Can it be that we tend to foget that the French were involved in the Great War

When Kate has finished "Beneath the Devil's Eye" I will finally get a chance to read it and I think armourersergeant is about to dip into its pages as well.

I also have "Forgotten Lunatics of the Great War" on the pile of "next to read...". Like many others I felt that it was ill served by its title. I saw a copy in a bookshop, however, and after and after a lengthy browse I came to the conclusion it was better than it's title suggested.

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I have just finished Sir Peter de la Billieres "Supreme Courage: 150 years of the Victoria Cross".

Great book, an inspiration to everyone, I felt humbled reading it.

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When Kate has finished "Beneath the Devil's Eye" I will finally get a chance to read it and I think armourersergeant is about to dip into its pages as well.

Just looking longingly at it now actually Martin, whilst the wife is upstairs, sssh i can hear her snoring from here, bless. Wonder if she will forget i just got this book tonight and let it slip through the net (said she could pop it into the xmas pressie pile, only way i could get it through the door!!)

just finishing up Prior and Wilsons 'Command on the Western Front' and 'Plumer' by Geoffrey Powell is looking longingly at me from the desk.

regards

Arm.

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Has anyone read "In Pale Battalions" by Robert Goddard?.

'Dedicated' to

Frederick John Goddaed, First Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment

Born Kimpton, 18th August 1885

Missing, presumed killed in action, Ypres, 27th April 1915

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Has anyone read "In Pale Battalions" by Robert Goddard?.

Yes, and I enjoyed it. I don't read much fiction at all, but found a copy in charity shop and gave it a whirl. It is a good story and well-written, and because it is set at home across a lengthy time-span there is little for the military historian to get worked up about.

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