What WW1 books are you reading?

[Canadian J]

I became interested in WW1 when doing some family history research after I discovered that one of my Great Uncles died a prisoner of war in Germany. He was Private William Collie and fought with the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. On reading his service record, which I could download for free from Libraries and Archives Canada, (thanks Canada!) I discovered he was wounded and captured on a night raid on the 8th June 1917 at La Coulotte in the Souchez - Aviion Sector. I wanted to learn more, so after some Googling, I came across the book Fortune Favours the Brave :Tale of Courage and Tenacity in Canadian Military History edited by Colonel Bernd Horn. It is a collection of essays on various episodes of Canadian Military History, from, Roger's Rangers in 1758 to Afghanistan in 2007. Two of the essays concerned WW1, of which one was of the night raid in which my Great Uncle was wounded and captured. I got a second hand copy from Canada and enjoyed reading the book although I was a bit 'melancholy' after reading the essay on the action my Great Uncle was involved in. The other essays cover the War of 1812, WW2 the Korean War, Cold War Submarine Patrols, The Balkans in the 1993, and Afghanistan 2007. One I would recommend.

Since my Great Uncle was a POW, although only for a short time since he died of his wounds in captivity, I looked for more information on what life was like for WW1 POWs. I found his record in the ICRC Archives which showed he had died in the Reserve Lazarett Diakonenanstalt Duisburg but with no mention of where he was buried (my next project). This got me thinking about conditions for POWs and after some Googling I found Silent Battle: Canadian Prisoners of War in Germany 1914-1919 by Desmond Morton. I devoured this book. It was harrowing what some of these poor guys had to suffer at some of the camps and also how badly they were treated when they came home. Well worth a read

Good day Scotsmac! I am just finishing up "The War Behind the Wire" by John Lewis-Stempel. I have really enjoyed it and I think it will be right up your alley! All the best!

[Scotsmac]

Thanks for the heads up Canadian J. Now ordered to be added to the pile of other books to be read

[Black Maria]

Just finished ' Brigade Signals ' by J.B Scrivenor , Basil Blackwell 1932 . The author was nearly forty at the start of the war and living in Malaya, he returned home in

September 1916 and joined the Inns of Court O.T.C , he went up the ranks to become a sergeant but as he was classed as B1 he had to fight hard to eventually

become an officer cadet in the Signal Service of the Royal Engineers. After training he went to France as Brigade Signalling officer to an unnamed Brigade in an

unnamed Division in January 1918, he stayed with the Brigade until February 1919 when he returned home to Malaya.

This is a rare book, having been published after the 1930 watershed and unusual in it's subject, I found it very interesting and a good read, although I found the two

chapters 'In the line' and ' In reserve and at rest' a little confusing as the latter chapter covers the same time period as the first. The authors views on the shortcomings

of the pigeon service are interesting and there is an amusing incident when the Brigade H.Q is sitting down to eat during a heavy bombardment which reminded me of

the famous scene in 'Carry on up the Khyber'.

By the author's own admission he had an enjoyable war, which is quite a rare admission in a Nineteen Thirties memoir , and although arriving late to the battle front and

being in the relative safety of Brigade H.Q ,he did see action during the year and particularly so during the last hundred days. The author doesn't fully name individuals and

refers to his Brigade as Green Brigade and the other two in his Division are called Yellow and Red, he was though in the 57th Division ( 170, 171, 172 Brigades ).

[hazelclark]

A few weeks ago I read "The Secret Battle" by Herbert, (downloaded from Gutenberg) which, until a friend questioned it, I had assumed was a true story. Anyway, I subsequently checked it out and found she was correct. It is a novel. It is, however, an excellent narrative of the war career of a young Oxford student who enlists in the ranks but is persuaded by family to accept a commission, which begins the story of the tragedy that ultimately befalls him after battling through Gallipoli and the Western Front. I recommend it.

Hazel C.

[Sapper D.]

The distant drum - FE Noakes.

On page 70 - ish. Very interesting read and I love the way he describes matters; julst like a schoolboy on an outing to Paris, for the very first time.

A very good read!

[Marilyne]

Hi all,

first of all greetz from sunny Spain... am at my parent's right now, enjoying the sun, shopping on the market's around here and the company of Pico the Jack Russell, also called The Terrible Tennisball Destroyer!! We are yet to find the toy that is truly Pico-proof !!

So apart from just being lazy for a week, I'm reading - as already hinted to - Charles Carrington's "Soldier from the wars returning", Denis Winter's "Death's Men" and of course, counting on past practice that whenever I had to study or work, doing so HERE always seemed to go better ... I'm writing !! After sitting on ONE f... chapter for five weeks, I managed to finish it in less than 48 hours! Must be the dog's good influence !!

and... reading the manual of my new camera.... some pretty nifty pictures soon coming up!!

hasta luego,

M.

[BFBSM]

I am currently reading those books I have access to about the BEF in 1914. My current book is Ypres: The First Battle 1914 by Ian F. W. Beckett. I am finding it very informative.

[Phil Wood]

Today I am mostly reading Peter Harts 'Great War: 1914-1918' - mainly because today I have been out and about and my library has kindly loaned me an ebook version I can read on my phone!

So far (I have reached Gallipoli) it is a more than decent summary of what was going on. No book, even one of Peter Harts lengthy tomes, can do more than summarise the entire war but it's nice to get decent chapters on the Eastern Front, naval activities etc. So far I'd say it was a good introduction to the war - just not so sure I need that much introducing these days, wish I'd read it a few years back!

[ShirlD]

Am hopping from Peter Fitzsimons ' Fromelles & Pozieres (bday gift from son, and last grave of old boy to be visited at Valenciennes was at Fromelles but died as a prisoner of war, hadn't realised that) and Peter Hart's 'The Somme' , will then take on Jack Sheldon's 'Germans at Beaumont Hamel'. Think I will have to get camomile to drink at night, or something!

Cheers

Shirley

[Marilyne]

Still on Ian Ousby's "The Road to Verdun" ... brilliant!!

M.

[Scotsmac]

Finished The War Behind The Wire: The life, death and glory of British Prisoners of War 1914-18 by John Lewis-Stemple. The sub-title says it all. A harrowing and moving book on the fate of British POWs in the Great War. Certainly one book I would recommend reading. I learned so much from this book which put the almost 4 years my Great Uncle spent in Giessen Lager into context.

[Black Maria]

Just finished reading ' The War Letters of a Light Infantryman' by Capt J.E.H Neville M.C published by Sifton Praed & Co 1930. The author joined the 2nd Battalion

Ox and Bucks L.I on the Somme from Sandhurst in December 1916, aged just Nineteen . His letters are written to his Father and two sisters, he was in the 5th Brigade,

2nd Division and saw action during the Retreat to the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Cambrai ( German counterattack) , The German Spring Offensive , when he ate some

dodgy bully beef he found in a dug out and was hospitalised back in blighty till July 1918. He took part in August Counter offensive and was wounded on August 25th

and returned to Blighty. He later was part in the Russian Relief Force and saw action with it between May and September 1919.

[nigelcave]

A few weeks ago I read "The Secret Battle" by Herbert, (downloaded from Gutenberg) which, until a friend questioned it, I had assumed was a true story. Anyway, I subsequently checked it out and found she was correct. It is a novel. It is, however, an excellent narrative of the war career of a young Oxford student who enlists in the ranks but is persuaded by family to accept a commission, which begins the story of the tragedy that ultimately befalls him after battling through Gallipoli and the Western Front. I recommend it.

Hazel C.

Supposed by some to be based on Sub Lt Dyett.

[hazelclark]

Supposed by some to be based on Sub Lt Dyett.

Will check that out if I can.

H.C.

[BFBSM]

Currently reading 1914: The Year The World Ended, by Paul Ham.

I am finding it an interesting read, however, the repetiveness of information is becoming annoying.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/1914-Year-World-Ended-Paul/dp/0857523465/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457980312&sr=8-1&keywords=1914+Paul+ham

A word from the author: http://youtu.be/HlOatZVIRz4.

[MikeyH]

There seems to be a positive glut of Great War related books in local charity shops lately, my recent haul:-

Folio Society Edition of 'In Flanders Field' by Leon Wolf 2003, this will replace my much read Book Club Edition

Folio Society Edition of 'Sagittarius Rising' by Cecil Lewis 1998, foolishly I sold an original first edition without dust jacket over 20 years ago

A Mint copy of 'Bullecourt 1917 - Breaching the Hindenburg Line' by Paul Kendall 2010

'The Ypres Times' the Conway books facsimile (yellow cover) from 2013

and finally picked up today 'The Imperial War Museum book of the First World War' by Malcolm Brown, Pan reprint from 2002. A nice compilation of Great War themed articles.

Added to the current heap, probably have at least a years worth of reading matter!

Mike.

[David Ridgus]

A few weeks ago I read "The Secret Battle" by Herbert, (downloaded from Gutenberg) which, until a friend questioned it, I had assumed was a true story. Anyway, I subsequently checked it out and found she was correct. It is a novel. It is, however, an excellent narrative of the war career of a young Oxford student who enlists in the ranks but is persuaded by family to accept a commission, which begins the story of the tragedy that ultimately befalls him after battling through Gallipoli and the Western Front. I recommend it.

Hazel C.

Hazel

Long time no speak, hope you are well. You are certainly in good company liking this book. Churchill, Lloyd George, and Montgomery all praised it, Churchill going so far as saying something along the lines of it should be read by everyone who wanted to understand the Western Front. I had read 'Misleading Cases' years before and was astonished at the difference in tone. At the risk of cod psychology perhaps the book was catharsis and all his subsequent writing intentionally as far from the horrors of his youth that he could get.

David

[hazelclark]

Hazel

Long time no speak, hope you are well. You are certainly in good company liking this book. Churchill, Lloyd George, and Montgomery all praised it, Churchill going so far as saying something along the lines of it should be read by everyone who wanted to understand the Western Front. I had read 'Misleading Cases' years before and was astonished at the difference in tone. At the risk of cod psychology perhaps the book was catharsis and all his subsequent writing intentionally as far from the horrors of his youth that he could get.

David

Hi to you too David! Afraid I have been going in ten directions at once the past few months and haven't had much time for war stuff. As far as the book is concerned, you may be correct. It must have been awful for him to write, but I suspect there were many such situations where people went off the rails because of what they went through, which were never brought to light. The stigma attached to their demise would have prevented many people from digging into the situation, and it would in any case have taken a long time afterwards for the actual facts of each case leading up to the "Crime" to be assimilated. The families would have been in shock, and other officers and men would have had their own more immediate concerns both during and immediately after the war.

Hazel

[Black Maria]

Just finished reading 'Henry Dundas Scots Guards' printed by Blackwood & Sons 1921. I am not a great fan of memorial volumes and to be honest I found the

first fifty odd pages of this book, which tell the story of Henry's childhood and time at Eton, quite boring. The rest of the book contains Henry's letters from France

when he was a junior officer in 1st Scots Guards from May 1916 till he was killed in September 1918 , by that time he had risen to the rank of Captain and had won

the M.C and bar. He arrived on the Ypres salient in the Spring of 1916 and later saw action on the Somme in September , though he missed the 15th Sept battle

in which his battalion suffered heavy losses. He spent the winter on the Somme under the most trying conditions and became Brigade Bombing and intelligence

officer in February 1917, in August his battalion again suffered heavy losses at 3rd Ypres , he became a Captain and went back to command a Company.

In December he returned home to rest ( shell shock / exhaustion ? ). In January 1918 he returned to command the T.M.B , but in April he returned to his Company

because of losses suffered in the Spring Offensive. He was slightly wounded in May and returned in time to take part in the Hundred days in August, he was killed by

a sniper on September 27th during the attack on the Hindenburg line , he was only twenty one years old.

[JOHN BALL]

Currently reading "The Prince Of Wales Own Civil Service Rifles", recently obtained from the Gutenberg Books site. Finding it a very easy to read book.

John

[Raster Scanning]

"Somme Mud" the diary of E.P.F. Lynch 45th Battalion 1st Australian Imperial Force. A no holds barred account of his time from 1916-1919. Highly recommended

[kenf48]

"Somme Mud" the diary of E.P.F. Lynch 45th Battalion 1st Australian Imperial Force. A no holds barred account of his time from 1916-1919. Highly recommended

OK if you like WW1 fiction I guess, he even outGraves Graves, or his editor does.

Ken

[Tony Ring]

Just finished.. Stand To. A diary of the trenches 1915 - 1918 by Captain Hitchcock. Late 2nd Battalion The Leinster Regiment.

This is a hard covered book I picked up in a second hand book shop in Brisbane. Second edition December 1937.

A very good read that goes into some detail of his day to day activities.

[CarylW]

"Somme Mud" the diary of E.P.F. Lynch 45th Battalion 1st Australian Imperial Force. A no holds barred account of his time from 1916-1919. Highly recommended

I agree. One of the books that came with us on a Somme visit. Visited all the locations mentioned within the book. A powerful evocative read.

[Guest jimmylad]

Just finished "War is like that" by John Stafford Gowland, published by John Hamilton in 1933. Another rarity and another great memoir,

Gowland was only sixteen when he joined an unnamed Territorial Battalion(London Regt?) and is shipped off to France in November 1914

together with his chums "Tubby", Johnny and Bill, who is an old soldier, having served in the Boer War.

There is a good description of the early days of trench warfare and they go "over the top" to capture a section of the German line.

In early 1915 Bill is killed by a stray bullet and the others join the Royal Engineers hoping for a more cushy time but alas they are

disappointed as they find the work hard and as equally dangerous. There is a very good description of the battle of Neuve Chapelle

where Gowland finds himself involved in hand to hand fighting when he has to help defend a trench from a German counter attack.

Gowland is wounded towards the end of 1915 and returns to the western front at the beginning of 1917 as a R.E signaller, he is at

Passchendaele where he gives a good description of trying to mend the telephone lines under constant shell fire.

He is also involved in the Spring Offensives of 1918 finding himself caught up in all three of the German attacks. He returns home after

the armistice still a young man but haunted by the sights he has witnessed, his mother has died of the Spanish flue and his Fathers hair

has turned white with worry. A very well written and very interesting memoir, the style of which reminded me of "With a machine Gun to Cambrai."

I do not know why it is not better known, maybe because it was published quite late or because it was published by a publisher who was

better known for books about the air war. Hopefully one day it will be reprinted, it certainly deserves to be.

Anyone know where I can get hold of a copy 'War is like that'? John Stafford Gowland was my Great Grandfather.