What WW1 books are you reading?

[kenf48]

Like all her books, a must read if you want to read the stories of those who were there. As a radio producer she, along with Middlebrook realised they wouldn't be around forever.

Perhaps there has been more recent appraisal and analysis but I have most of her books and often refer to them.

Ken

[johnboy]

Thanks Ken I look forward to reading it. A bargain I hope at £1.99.!

[trenchtrotter]

Londoners On The Western Front "The 58th (2/1st London) Division In The Great War".

David Martin

A much needed history of this fine Division. Some good stuff on supply lines at Ypres also included.

A somewhat dare I say less than polished text and at times jumpy / repeating but nevertheless worth a place on the book shelf. I am just at the March Offensive section.

I would recommend if you want learn about the much neglected second line Territorials in the War.

TT

[MikeyH]

Was fortunate to pick up today, at a local small antique shop for under a tenner, a nicely worn but complete copy of the 'Field Service Pocket Book 1914 - reprinted with amendments 1916'. Has no owners name written in sadly, but the front pocket in the brown cloth stitched cover, has folded in copies of plates 11, 111 and 1V, (SMLE rifle and parts), taken from 'Musketry Regulations 1909'. So overall a good find.

Mike.

[The Scorer]

I've just read "Trains to the Trenches" by Andrew Roden.

It's the story of the work carried out by the railways during the First World War, both by the Allies and by the Central Powers. It's mainly about the Western and Eastern Fronts, but does have chapters on the other areas as well, so it's pretty comprehensive. It's a large format book, with lots of pictures, and copies of the Thomas Cook maps for Europe etc. in the back.

For First World War railway enthusiasts, it's a good read, and is recommended.

[Black Maria]

Just finished ' Four Days: August 1914' by Gerald Spencer Pryse , published by John Lane in 1932. A tale of the authors journey across France from Boulogne to the outskirts of
Villers Cotterets from August 28th to the 31st. The author begins his tale as the war breaks out, he is on holiday with his well to do friends in Brittany and returns home to pull a few
strings and is sent to France (in what capacity he does not really say, only that he is "running errands" ).At Boulogne he meets the British chauffeur of a wealthy South American who
has to travel to Paris to meet his employer, so he sets off with him across France to Paris via Amiens, on the way witnessing the terror of the fleeing population and the confusion of the retreating French Army, he also comes across some British cavalry and brushes across the path of the advancing German Army.


As the book is over three hundred pages long and only covers four days it is very descriptive and detailed and at times rather slow going but it does give the reader an idea of the utter
confused state of affairs which prevailed in France during the early days of the war, with the population facing the advancing Germans not knowing when or if they were about to be
overrun and the French Army in confusion as to exactly where the Germans were and questioning the reason why the B.E.F were falling back.

The author was a famous artist who later won the M.C as a captain in the Q.V.R and became an official war artist, he died in 1956.

[The Scorer]

I've just read two more books, both of which are very short and didn't take long!

The first one was "Hell Let Loose" by Frank Olding, which is the story of the 3rd Battalion, the Monmouthshire Regiment in the First World War. It's published by the Abergavenny Local History Group and begins with the Battalion's mobilisation in 1914 and ends with the final disbanding in 1916.

The text is very easy to read, and deals with the important dates and places where the Battalion fought. There are plenty of photographs in the text, and the reproduction of these is very good. I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in the Battalion.

The second book is A History of the 38th (Welsh) Division", written by the GSO's 1 of the Division and edited by Lieutenant Colonel J E Munby CMG, DSO, who was GSO1 from October 1917. It is a recent reprint by The Naval & Military Press of the original publication which came out in 1920.

The book starts with the formation of the Division in September 1914 and details the activities of it until December 1918. Although it isn't a big book (just under 100 pages) it gives full details of the activities of the Division and it's component parts, and also in includes lists of the Line of Battle, the Roll of Commanders and Staff, and the decorations awarded to the Division.

Although it's well written, it differs from "Hell Let Loose" in that it's fairly impersonal. I also found it strange that there's very little mention of the casualties suffered in most of the battles - and none at all in the chapter about Mametz Wood apart from noting that the COs of the 13th and 16th Battalions of the RWF were killed. It was worth reading, but if I'd known what it was like, I probably wouldn't have bought it if I'm honest.

[JOHN BALL]

Just beginning "Our Greatest Battle (The Meuse- Argonne)" written by Frederick Palmer.

A book of American Offensives, and other Offensives that American troops participated in between May- November 1918. Up to 500 pages with maps. Available on Gutenberg books.

John

[HenryTheGerman]

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

"Palingbeek 1915 - The Battle for the Ridge Between The Bluff and Hill 60"

Written by Hugh Shipman who lives in the middle of that area close to Ypres.

The book is brilliant. The photographies are outstandingly expressive and interesting.

The "Naval & Military Press" comment:

"Focused on a key stretch of ridge south of Ypres, this book compares the descriptions of each key event from British, French and German sources. The book covers the First Battle of Ypres with specific attention on the centre of the battlefield along the canal and railway at Hollebeke. This is followed by the French loss of Hill 60 in December, fighting at The Bluff in early 1915, and the mine warfare that followed. Each page is accompanied by a relevant photograph or map, 120 in all. The photographs were chosen as ones taken from a precise location identifiable today. Excepting a few field postcards and IWM material, the photographs are all previously unpublished."

Well done, Hugh !

[War Rant]

Thanks Henry.

I am really pleased you liked the book. I was hoping that someone would report on having read it on the GWF, without having blow my own trumpet. I hope it properly covers this small area of the war. I tried to express the efforts of each nation in an even manner and fill in the details of a few events of late 1914, early 1915 which are sometimes mentioned but seldom with much detail.

Book fact: Until almost the last moment, the book was going to be titled 'Frontschwein', but I was talked out of it by someone more sensible than me.

Hugh

[JWK]

Just finished "Meeting the enemy; the human face of the great war" by Richard van Emden

A good read but, as we'd say here in the Netherlands "The title does not cover the cargo".

Half or more of the book is about the plight/experiences of British born wives of German nationals, who are therefor German nationals or something (I lost track).

I'd loved to read (a lot) more about the Wagners and the Brewsters e.g. , but they got snowed under (in my opinion) by "Princess" Blüchner and her dinners at the Adlon.

Better title for the book would be "The British in Germany during WW1" or something in that style.

[The Scorer]

I have just finished reading "The Dodger" by Tim Carroll.

It's the biography of Johnny Dodge (1894 - 1960), who was by marriage a cousin of Winston Churchill and took part in the Great Escape. However, before that, he was an American who became a naturalised Briton and joined the Royal Naval Division at the start of the First World War.

He was part of the ill-fated defence of Antwerp and then part of the landings at Gallipoli. He was one of the men who dug Rupert Brooke's grave before the landings during which he was wounded and invalided home. He then transferred to the army (the 10th Battalion of the Royal West Surrey Regiment aka "The Battersea Battalion") and fought on the Western Front from 1916 to 1918.

His final activity was as a Lieutenant Colonel as the CO of the 16th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, with which he ended the war in Belgium, not very far from Antwerp.

His interwar activities included being arrested by the Russian Secret Police ("The Cheka"). He joined up at the start of the Second World War, was captured in France and became a prisoner of war until 1945, hence his involvement in the Great Escape and other incidents.

It's a good read, and a well written story of a very colourful character; I recommend it.

[Canadian J]

Just finished "Meeting the enemy; the human face of the great war" by Richard van Emden

A good read but, as we'd say here in the Netherlands "The title does not cover the cargo".

Half or more of the book is about the plight/experiences of British born wives of German nationals, who are therefor German nationals or something (I lost track).

I'd loved to read (a lot) more about the Wagners and the Brewsters e.g. , but they got snowed under (in my opinion) by "Princess" Blüchner and her dinners at the Adlon.

Better title for the book would be "The British in Germany during WW1" or something in that style.

Thanks for your review JWK! I was planning on giving this one a go so it's nice to have the heads up!

- J

[Forton]

Just finished "Meeting the enemy; the human face of the great war" by Richard van Emden

A good read but, as we'd say here in the Netherlands "The title does not cover the cargo".

Half or more of the book is about the plight/experiences of British born wives of German nationals, who are therefor German nationals or something (I lost track).

I'd loved to read (a lot) more about the Wagners and the Brewsters e.g. , but they got snowed under (in my opinion) by "Princess" Blüchner and her dinners at the Adlon.

Better title for the book would be "The British in Germany during WW1" or something in that style.

Dear JWK

I find your review of my book rather off-hand and odd, to put it mildly.

You say that 'half or more of the book' is about the plight of British-born wives of Germans when, in fact, while a fascinating story, it is perhaps 10% of the book's contents. Even then, it is the hitherto untold story of the Naturalisation Act of 1870 and how this act made British-born women married to Germans, and German-born women married to Englishmen, enemy aliens in their own country (a devastating prospect for tens of thousands of women and their children). Princess Blucher, a fascinating observer of the situation in Germany is quoted a number of times, but her direct participation in the book is around 1% of the book's 384 pages (I've checked). The stories of the Brewsters and of the Wagners are fascinating but, of course, I can only use what exists; I can't invent more material.

I would also like to point out that you fail to even mention that around half the book, or more, is about the Western Front.

The book includes the stories of:

1. Truces (including the exchange of newspapers across the trenches).

2. Captain Campbell, the only man to write to the kaiser to ask is he could pop home and see his dying mother (permission was granted).

3. Downed RFC pilots visiting the mess of the Germans who had brought them down, and, furthermore, of how the Germans eves-dropped on captured British officers.

4. The formation of the Irish Brigade, and later on the devastating story of how 2,000 British POWs were sent (as an act of retribution) to the Russian Front.

5. The lesser known Christmas Truce of 1915 and the Court Martial of Sir Ian Colquhoun for his part in the fraternisation.

6. How paranoid the British became over enemy spies on the Western Front.

7. The extraordinary story of Major Yate and his escape from a POW camp and suicide.

8. The wonderful testimony of the Rev. Williams and the survival of the British built St George's Chapel in Berlin - he is quoted at length because his is an astonishing witness to war.

9. The formation of the Kaiser's Own, the battalions of the Middlesex Regiment that were formed of the British-born sons of German immigrants to Britain.

10 The exodus of British subjects from Germany on the outbreak of war, and the death of Henry Hadley, the hitherto unknown story of Britain's first casualty.

11. Soldiers' accusations and counter accusations of battlefield attrocities but also the extraordinary exchange of personal items of dead soldiers between the families of the fallen.

12. The attack on the German community in Britain after the sinking of the Lusitania and the interment of Germans in Britain.

I could go on, but I think I have made my point. Somehow I think calling the book, as you suggest, 'The British in Germany in WW1', would be considered a little wide of the mark. Meeting the Enemy, on all fronts, is, I feel, the right title.

Kind regards

Richard

[MikeyH]

Richard,

Have had your book on my 'books to read' pile for some time. Your summary has just made me place it on top!

Regards,

Mike.

[Forton]

Richard,

Have had your book on my 'books to read' pile for some time. Your summary has just made me place it on top!

Regards,

Mike.

Thank you, Mike. I hope you enjoy the book. It is the culmination of many thousands of hours in the National Archives, I promise you!

All best

Richard

[CarylW]

Thank you, Mike. I hope you enjoy the book. It is the culmination of many thousands of hours in the National Archives, I promise you!

All best

Richard

Thanks for the summary Richard. I've just moved the book up my To Be Read pile too!

[Forton]

Thanks for the summary Richard. I've just moved the book up my To Be Read pile too!

Thank you, Cary.

[hazelclark]

Moi aussi! If nothing else, JWK has been the catalyst to get everyone to move their copies to the top of the Pile.

Hazel

[charlesmessenger]

I would also strongly recommend Richard's book. He gave the WFA London Branch a most excellent taster for it last Thursday night.

Charles M

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

I recently read "Passchendaele: The Sacrificial Ground by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart".

Excellent. A well written book that is so easy to read.

That inspired me to try "1918: A Very British Victory" also by Peter Hart. Another excellent book that just flows easily.

[The Scorer]

I have not long finished "Martin-Leake Double VC" by Ann Clayton.

It's the story of Arthur Martin-Leake, the first man to be awarded the VC and bar, and is a companion to her 1992 biography of Noel Chavasse VC and bar. Published in 1994, as well as being his story, it also gives much information on the rest of the family - he was one of eight children (two girls and six boys). Most of them lived to a good age (Arthur was 79 when he died and only one of them (Arthur) married - which is quite remarkable in itself, as he wasn't what you would call an admirer of the ladies and it was a great shock to many when he did get married.

Strangely enough, I found that there's not a great deal of detail about the actions in which he was awarded both VCs. The citations are there, but they don't go into very much detail; however, it's clear that he was a very brave man and fully deserved both awards.

I bought my copy via Amazon, as it's now out of print ... well recommended if you can get a copy!

[paulgranger]

Pen and Sword have just reissued 'Martin-Leake'

[The Scorer]

Pen and Sword have just reissued 'Martin-Leake'

In that case, it's probably in a better condition than mine .... doh!

[paulgranger]

Sorry, my post about the reissue looked a bit smug, didn't mean to be.