specialops Posted 15 February , 2004 Share Posted 15 February , 2004 Just finished (in 3 days) " The Hood Battalion" Royal Naval Division: Antwerp, Gallipoli, France 1914-1918. by Leonard Sellers. ISBN 0-85052-386-9 A great book I just couldn't put down. Well recommended Tony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawson Posted 16 February , 2004 Share Posted 16 February , 2004 Hello. Just read "It's only me" by David Raw. A very good book about a very brave man. I think I've found a new hero..The Reverend Theodore Bayley Hardy. VC. DSO. MC Also 'Tickled to death to go'. By Richard Van Emden. A fine book dealing with the memoirs of a Dragoon guardsman, from the outset of the war. and I'm currently reading 'Cannon fodder' by A Stuart Dolden. Cheers Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialops Posted 16 February , 2004 Share Posted 16 February , 2004 Just got out of the library "Passchendaele" The Sacrificial Ground by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart and "The Road to Verdun" by Ian Ousby looking forward to reading this one as I've only read Empire forces books to date. These should last me a bit, the only thing I find when I start these books I tend to get right into them and I finish them rather quickly, then I have to scour the local libraries and cheap book shops to get a fix ( have I got a problem?). Can't stay here as I need to start reading as I'm get withdrawal symptoms. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staffsyeoman Posted 16 February , 2004 Share Posted 16 February , 2004 “Glory is No Compensation: The Border Regiment at Gallipoli” by Ralph May (with Stuart Eastwood & Clive Elderton) (Silver Link Publishing, Kettering) 320pp, Illus, Maps. £19.95 (ISBN 1 85794 214 0) Reviewing it for the National Army Museum. Astonishingly good use of regimental archives and records (then again, Col May was the first curator of the King's Own Royal Border Regt Museum..). Half the book is a nominal roll (officers and soldiers) of the 1st and 6th (Service) Bns; a complete Roll of Honour and Decorations. If you're interested in Gallipoli, buy it. If you're interested in the Border Regiment, walk over broken glass to buy it - an essential purchase. It is so well produced that the asking price is a complete and utter steal. (In crude terms, that's the review distilled!) My only cavil... if Fred Fenackerpan had tried to write such a book, would the museum have been so forthcoming? So many examples of disinterested regimental museums with private researchers.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartinWills Posted 16 February , 2004 Share Posted 16 February , 2004 Phil, Someone told me there is a good review of this volume in the book review section ... Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 16 February , 2004 Share Posted 16 February , 2004 Just got out of the library "The Road to Verdun" by Ian Ousby looking forward to reading this one as I've only read Empire forces books to date. Tony..........Just finished this book............not great if you are looking for a potted history of what happened where on the battlefield...........but excellent if you want to get into the psyche of the French & understand why Verdun was (& perhaps still is) so important to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 17 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 17 February , 2004 I would agree. The book was a bit different than I expected. Not bad, but as Will indicates it was more intellectual than fact based. Very interesting read though. By not factual I mean to say that it deals more with larger ideas and concepts rather than names, dates, and places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Bosano-Andrews Posted 17 February , 2004 Share Posted 17 February , 2004 1915 Lyn MacDonald. First time reading a book with so many personal accounts as opposed to rather dry facts and figures. I'm disappointed that there is no mention of Salonika though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 17 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 17 February , 2004 The Enemy's House Divided...... This is a book about the collapse of Imperial Germany in 1918. Since I have just started a couple of the most interesting things about the book are that it was orignally written by Charles de Gaulle in 1924, and the modern translator has dedicated the book to the policemen and fire fighters who died on 9/11. Oh, also the introduction is 50 pages. Most interesting since the book is about 130 pages total. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred van Woerkom Posted 17 February , 2004 Share Posted 17 February , 2004 I am currently reading THE MYRIAD FACES OF WAR by Trevor Wilson, 864 pages in the paperback edition (Polity Press and Basil Blackwell Inc). This is one of my top three general surveys. It is a mastely book, combining what happened to the British army and navy with news from the homefront and also has fragments from diaries and letters. It is so good because the author asks many questions: 'Yes, they did this, but what could they have done? What were the alternatives for the politicians, the generals, the admirals etc." Am also reading THE SOMME BATTLEFIELDS by Martin Middlebrook. It has that rarity : excellent maps! Lots of information on where to go and what to look for. Fred Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
specialops Posted 17 February , 2004 Share Posted 17 February , 2004 Will and andigger Thanks for the forewarning on 'road to verdun' I,m half way through it and at first it was hard going, but as I got further into it the easier and more interesting it has become. Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Kane Posted 19 February , 2004 Share Posted 19 February , 2004 Just finished 'War Underground The Tunnellers Of The Great War' by Alexander Barrie, a very interesting account of a special breed of people. In the early stages of 'Passchendaele' by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart, to be followed by 'Pillars Of Fire' The Battle Of Messines Ridge by Ian Passingham. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 20 February , 2004 Share Posted 20 February , 2004 JIn the early stages of 'Passchendaele' by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart, to be followed by 'Pillars Of Fire' The Battle Of Messines Ridge by Ian Passingham. Both good reads, Jim. The anecdotes about Passchendaele make for tough reading, as you might expect. I liked the additional material about the gunners, who played such a key role in enabling the advances that did take place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest familytreefreak Posted 20 February , 2004 Share Posted 20 February , 2004 I am reading an excellent book, based on letters from Canadian Soldiers, The Book of War Letters by Paul Grescoe (Author), Audrey Grescoe (Author). It covers letters from all the war that involved the Canadians including British immigrants that signed up in Canada, sometimes, funny, sometimes heartfelt, but always touching. Before each letter the author discribes breifly the battle the soldier was involved in, and after the letter what the soldiers fate was. Highly recommended and available on www.amazon.com. 1551991055.01._PE_PI_SCMZZZZZZZ_ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desmond7 Posted 20 February , 2004 Share Posted 20 February , 2004 Just finished 'Soldiers' - By Philip Ziegler. First man profiled is Bombardier Albert Alexandre - fought at Ypres with Channel Islands unit in 1918 when a 15-year-old. Book is based on experiences of soldering by Chelsea pensioners. I loved it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monty Posted 21 February , 2004 Share Posted 21 February , 2004 Hull Pals by David Bilton - A very good source of info on the Hull Pals. World War 1 in Colour, Charles messenger - Nice pics Gallipoli by L A Carlyon - Havent really read much, but a beefy book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Biplane pilot Posted 22 February , 2004 Share Posted 22 February , 2004 I'm finishing a history of the Flanders MarineKorps and starting Massie's "Dreadnought." A surprising variety of friends & colleagues either has read or is reading the follow-on, "Castles of Steel." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 22 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 22 February , 2004 Pilot..... I am interested to know your opinion of Dreadnought and what your friends think of Castles. I spoke with someone yesterday who couldn't say enough good things about both books, especially Castles. I find naval history hard to follow, sorry I am more of a land lubber, but some have suggested I would enjoy both books. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MRS STEVEN Posted 22 February , 2004 Share Posted 22 February , 2004 my little one and i are reading THE FRIGHTFUL FIRST WORLDWAR by terry deary. part of the horrible histories series it is full of interesting facts and some amusing tales as well as a brief time line. it does not negliget to inform of the horrors of war, yet presents them in a way that will hold a childs interest. aimed at chilren of about ten( an age where they can begin to understand), i would recommend you get this one for your childen/grand childen as essential reading. it is never too early to learn that so many died to put us where we are today. amanda xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burlington Posted 22 February , 2004 Share Posted 22 February , 2004 I have just bought ' Goodbye to all that' but have not yet started it. Can't wait. Anyone else read it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 22 February , 2004 Share Posted 22 February , 2004 Having finished "General Jack's Diary 1914-1918" by Brig.Gen.James L. Jack, who began the war with the 1st Cameronians, I today started the first of Pat Barker's trilogy "Regeneration". A hundred pages in and I am hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 22 February , 2004 Share Posted 22 February , 2004 Just started on Ross Anderson's "The Forgotten Front - The East African Campaign 1914-1918". At long last there is something to cover this much neglected arena of conflict. I hope it's worth the wait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 23 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2004 Burlington... Good Bye to All That is a great book. What is very interesting is that although the book is Robert Graves personal history of the war, he did embellish the events. I had to read the book in college and my professor was able to disect many of the areas where Graves added to the story in an effort to sell more books. Unfortuantely I only have my memory from the class and notes to look back on, but I was wondering if there were any Pals out there who knew of a professional critique of the book that might elaborate. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borden Battery Posted 23 February , 2004 Share Posted 23 February , 2004 Here are some books worth reading and then reading again: "Paris 1919" by Margaret MacMillan is very well written with a great deal of information packed into it. "The Journal of Private Fraser" gives one an understanding of the common CEF soldier. "When Your Numbers Up" by Desmond Morton is another good book for CEF/BEF readers "No Where to Run" by Tim Cook carefully documents the use of poison gas [esp CEF] "Passchendaele - The Sacrificial Ground" has moving first-person accounts of the entire battle. Perhaps the worst book is "The Myth of the Great War" by John Mosier. [How USA won the war type] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garde Grenadier Posted 24 February , 2004 Share Posted 24 February , 2004 I have just finished "FOUR YEARS ON THE WESTERN FRONT" by a Rifleman (aka Aubrey Smith) - a reprint of 1999 - quite a thick volume, but fascinating from the first to the last page. Great stuff to read -though of course a bit biased (anti-German), which is quite understandable just after the war. Daniel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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