zoomer Posted 21 March , 2009 Share Posted 21 March , 2009 Finally got my hands on (via inter-library loan) Mike Young's "Army Service Corps". When I ordered this the librarian couldn't find it on the screen and even resorted to Amazon to find it. She kept asking me if I had the correct title/author etc. It wasn't until I saw her type in "Army Service Core" that I knew what the problem had been. Education/Schmeducation. I confess I am a bit disappointed in the book; too much on the mechanised transport and not enough about the horse transport side. The appendices are invaluable however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil@basildon Posted 21 March , 2009 Share Posted 21 March , 2009 I have a copy of "Zeppelin Adventures" by Rolf Harben. This was printed in 1932! This gives the Zeppelin story from the German perspective, the author was a Zeppelin crewman. I obtained it about 20 years ago at a jumble sale for the grand sum of 5p. I am now brushing off the dust and am going to read it again. Is this the oldest (and cheapest) book on this forum? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 21 March , 2009 Share Posted 21 March , 2009 Just finished Cambrai by Bryn Hammond. A cracking good book. Informative and enjoyable. To anyone who has not read it do so. Regards Arm Ps wondering what to read next from the shelf and floor selection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Banning Posted 27 March , 2009 Share Posted 27 March , 2009 Just finished "Langemarck and Cambrai" by Captain Geoffrey Dugdale MC, an officer in the 6th KSLI. It describes his part in the 20th (Light) Division's attacks at Langemarck on 16 August 1917 and Cambrai in Nov 1917. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised by his admission of nerves causing him to burst into tears and weep for half an hour in front of his General at Cambrai. Picked this up from N&MP on one of their special offer promotions and thought it well worth the cash. http://www.naval-military-press.com/langem...i-pr-20676.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footsore Private Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 Have finished two profound books over the last few months. 1. Modris Ekstein's The Rites of Spring. 2. Paul Fussell's Great War and Modern Memory. Both are outstanding history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterhogg Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 1. Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning: The Great War in European Cultural History by Jay Winter. Very interesting exploration of the impact of the war on memory, myth, culture and commemoration. It serves well as a follow-up of sorts to Eksteins and Fussel's books. 2. As From Kemmel Hill by Arthur Behrend. The memoire of an adjutant in France and Flanders, 1917 &1 918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassoon Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 1. Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning: The Great War in European Cultural History by Jay Winter. Very interesting exploration of the impact of the war on memory, myth, culture and commemoration. It serves well as a follow-up of sorts to Eksteins and Fussel's books. I also just completed this book. Winter is one of my favourite WWI historians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 I'm reading Richard Holmes' Tommy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nthornton1979 Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 I'm sure it's already been mentioned somewhere here. I've just finished 'Storm of Steel' by Ernst Junger (for the third time) One of the best (if not THE best WW1 book) there is. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 ^ I just finished it for the first time last week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nthornton1979 Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 He certainly knew how to fight, that's for sure. For a first hand account, they don't get any better in my opinion. What did you think of it Matt ? Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoMH Posted 19 April , 2009 Share Posted 19 April , 2009 Have finished two profound books over the last few months. 1. Modris Ekstein's The Rites of Spring. 2. Paul Fussell's Great War and Modern Memory. Both are outstanding history. I read Paul Fussell's Great War & Modern Memory a few months back - and enjoyed it immensely. One thing about it is the wake up to how profound an influence the Great War had on culture - particularly everyday culture. I will read it again. Joanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footsore Private Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 I read Paul Fussell's Great War & Modern Memory a few months back - and enjoyed it immensely. One thing about it is the wake up to how profound an influence the Great War had on culture - particularly everyday culture. I will read it again. Joanna Hi Joanna, Fussell's work is a masterpiece. Ekstein's work also covers a lot of ground about the changes in art, society, music, dance etc due to the war. Regards, footsore private Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 I'm reading Ed Lengel's "To Conquer Hell". My first doughboy read. Loving it! Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoMH Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 Hi Joanna, Fussell's work is a masterpiece. Ekstein's work also covers a lot of ground about the changes in art, society, music, dance etc due to the war. Regards, footsore private Thanks, I'll take a look at Ekstein's book. Joanna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melwar Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 Gallipoli The End of the Myth by Robin Prior. A nice, sparkly new read just in time for Anzac Day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meltow Posted 20 April , 2009 Share Posted 20 April , 2009 Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden; I was surprised at the easy availability of morphine within the trenches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinhat47 Posted 21 April , 2009 Share Posted 21 April , 2009 He certainly knew how to fight, that's for sure. For a first hand account, they don't get any better in my opinion. What did you think of it Matt ? Neil It was excellent. It really stripped away all the causes and reasons for fighting and left just a soldier doing his job to the utmost of his ability. Despite all the accolades of being a "German warrior poet" and the Nazis' love for his book, nowhere does Ernst perpetrate any hatred or ideologies against whom he is fighting. There's absolutely none of that "Kill the French and English who are holding Germany down!" or "Lunch in Paris by Christmas!" stuff. In fact, in many cases, his poetry turns to the beauty of the natural world, small towns and people and sadness at seeing it being destroyed by war -- but has to put it out of his mind because he must remember what he is there to do -- fight. It really is a remarkable book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keir Posted 27 April , 2009 Share Posted 27 April , 2009 Finished Strachan's First World War which was a great read; highly recommend it for another approach to the study. The book is covered in annotations I made to share wioth my students. Currently reading Morrow's The Great War: An Imperial History which I find is rather mis-named. Strachan pays more attention to the colonies; in fact, Morrow claims Currie was the Canadian PM at the time he was supposed to be leading his troops through the Paschendaele mud. But then, he also uncritically (as in, without footnote) states that there were Tommies who believed they had seen an angel over them at Mons when the story itself came from a short story that found itself spread through propaganda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gheluvelt Posted 28 April , 2009 Share Posted 28 April , 2009 Just re-read 2 books: Somme - by Lyn MacDonald Tommy - by Richard Holmes. Enjoyed them second time around too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 28 April , 2009 Share Posted 28 April , 2009 Since I am soon to guide a school from the area, I thought I'd better read up about the Bradford Pals, so got a copy of David Raw's book, and am thoroughly enjoying it. As a result of the research on the Liverpool War Memorial, next will be Love Letter from the Front edited by Jean kelly. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 10 May , 2009 Share Posted 10 May , 2009 I am currently reading "Love letters from the Front" , edited by Jean Kelly. The letters are from Eric Appleby, an engineering student at Liverpool University, the war memorial of which I am researching. They cover 1914 to his death in 1916 and are to his enamorata Phyllis in Athlone. There is a great deal of information relating to the experience of a subaltern in the RFA at the Front, with period as the FOO, explosions, the food, weather, cold, wet etc., but there is also a great deal about his love for Phyl. I can't help by get a strange feeling, almost of voyeurism,as I read them. I am sure that in the past most of us will have written soppy love letters, never expecting them to be read by anyone but the addressee, let alone published, and as i read I feel almost as if I am poking my nose into matters which were meant to be private and remain that way. I have not felt this way about any other such publications, but so powerful are his feelings, and his love comes through so deeply in every letter, that I feel as if I am intruding in what was meant to be private. I don't know if I am being a bit over=sensitive here. Has anyone else read the book? Is it just me? Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 11 May , 2009 Share Posted 11 May , 2009 I'm now reading Terry Carter's history of the Birmingham Pals, one of whom was a great uncle of mine, KIA in 1916. Having recently obtained a photograph of him, I'm scrutinising the numerous photographs to see if I can spot him! cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 2 June , 2009 Share Posted 2 June , 2009 I'm reading one I should have read a long time ago- Bill Gammages "The Broken Years". Recommended by a forum member. Keep dipping into a book called "Moon over Malaya" by Johnathon Moffatt and Audrey Holmes McCormick about the 2nd Argylls and the Royal Marines in Singapore during WW2. I know its off-topic but the Argyll's commander Ian Stewart was apparently the youngest officer in the British army when he left Sandhurst. He was an 18 year old platoon commander in August 1914 with the Argylls and according to the book the first British officer to land on French soil and the first mentioned in despatches. Interesting book. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel Posted 2 June , 2009 Share Posted 2 June , 2009 Excursions and Alarms by Tom Bridges - reads like he thoroughly enjoyed himself during his early Army career and gives an insight in to the type of man that the Officer "class" contained. Some nice brief descriptions of Senior Officers as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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