Marilyne Posted 3 February , 2014 Share Posted 3 February , 2014 Hello Marilyne, I've read the David book. Not bad but more an highly illustrated story than an in depth study of the campaign. Hopê this helps Carl I would endorse that Carl. However I would say there are photographs in that book that I have never seen elsewhere and I often find myself leafing through it for that reason David Now back to finishing Her Private's We, in which I was distracted half way through. Good reading all All the best, Jim Carl and David, thanks for the review... Jim, let me know how "Her Privates we" is... it's on my list... MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 9 February , 2014 Share Posted 9 February , 2014 Finished 'Reminiscences of a Grenadier', I found it a bit disappointing, he mentions lots of officers by name and details places and what Company attacked when and how etc a bit too boring for me, I'm more interested in the personal details of life in and out of the trenches. But still if your interested in the Grenadier Guards/ H.A.C or a particular officer you may find it of interest. He was in the H.A.C till April15 then gained a commission in the 2nd Grenadiers , was transferred to the 3rd Grenadier Guards and fought at Loos, Somme, 3rd Ypres, sent home for rest and returned in May 18 as Company Commander for the Hundred days, Carol Carstairs (A Generation Missing) was in his Company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 17 February , 2014 Share Posted 17 February , 2014 Finished reading 'A Subaltern in the field' by E.C Matthews published by Heath Cranton in 1920, a strange book in some ways it is only 63pp and begins with the author leaving on a troopship for the front in June 1916 taking part in the diversionary attack before the Somme offensive, then up to Ypres then back to the tail end of the Somme and then a jump (no explanation) to the Nieppe Forest in the Spring of 1918 and then the final push to victory, when he is wounded. Although Matthews was a subaltern (D.C.L.I) you would be hard pushed to tell from his writing , he could almost be an ordinary Tommy. The postscript is interesting because the author warns that a future war is likely, and we should keep a strong Army, Navy and Air force, this is usually the backdrop to memoirs written in the thirties but this book was written just a year after Versailles . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derekspiers Posted 17 February , 2014 Share Posted 17 February , 2014 Farndale's history of the Royal Regiment of Artillery - the Forgotten Fronts. Superb. Hi Robert What level of detail is there about the RGA Companies based in West Africa in 1914 which were drawn into action in Togoland and Cameroon? My Grandfather served with 50 Coy RGA in Sierra Leone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bobgurling Posted 17 February , 2014 Share Posted 17 February , 2014 If anybody wants to read F Haydn Hornsey's Hell on Earth, it is available as an eBook on Amazon Kindle UK. The reprint has a new introduction and has biographical details of the author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 18 February , 2014 Share Posted 18 February , 2014 Just started reading ''With the Black Watch : the story of the Marne' by Scout Joe Cassells , who served with 1st Black Watch, 1st (Guards) Brigade , 1st Division. Published by Melrose ( c. 1917). It has been reprinted lately under the title 'The Black Watch: a record in action' and 'Stand & Fall: a soldiers recollections of the contemptible little army and the retreat from Mons to the Marne'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Bennitt Posted 18 February , 2014 Share Posted 18 February , 2014 I'm into 'The Canadian Emma Gees', a history of the Canadian Machine-Gun Corps' by Lt-Colonel C.S. Grafton, another free download from the Internet Archive. Very good so far, with accounts of deeds of gallantry and harsh words for the British high command, who were allegedly slow to appreciate the value of the machine-gun. Cheers Martin B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 18 February , 2014 Share Posted 18 February , 2014 I have decided to re-read all of my 200 odd books again, starting with 1914 - The Retreat from Mons being my first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 18 February , 2014 Share Posted 18 February , 2014 I have decided to re-read all of my 200 odd books again, starting with 1914 - The Retreat from Mons being my first. I've had a smilar idea, though possibly starting with a different volume, but it's a bit daunting, isn't it? Let us know how you get on, and if I set off on the same road, I'll do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 19 February , 2014 Share Posted 19 February , 2014 I have decided to re-read all of my 200 odd books again, starting with 1914 - The Retreat from Mons being my first. Good luck !!! I'm still behind on Schedule, with 49 still to go... and as long as I'm playing Stratego at school, you'll probably finish before me!! MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 19 February , 2014 Share Posted 19 February , 2014 I've never read a book twice. If it's a book I really liked first time around I fear I may be disappointed on re-reading it. And given that there are thousands of WW1 books to chose from I shan't get anyway near reading them even once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 19 February , 2014 Share Posted 19 February , 2014 It depends on the type of reading undertaken. For research you often read relevant chapters over and over again. Fiction; I read and discard and appreciate the quality of the novel read for it's ephemeral quality. Non-fiction is different. I would re-read when the call comes according to a far deeper criteria. Ie a specific interest in a particular person or event or an inner feeling in recalling a book read twenty years previous which urges you to a re-read due to a feeling that I lost something the first time around due to my immaturity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 20 February , 2014 Share Posted 20 February , 2014 I used to re-read quite often when I was young but now there are so many books left I want to read I don't feel I can spare the time. I did re-read 'Tommy' this year and I do tend to read 'A Month in the Country' at regular intervals, and 'The Wind in the Willows' when I'm ill, but apart from that it's always what's next on the huge pile of unread books. The answer at the moment is 'Tolkien and the Great War' which I'm enjoying very much David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverFox100 Posted 22 February , 2014 Share Posted 22 February , 2014 Recently completed The Old Contemptibles by Robin Neillands. Thoroughly recommend if you have an interest in the early battles of the BEF. Well written and interesting to read, maintaining a pace to suit the subject. Also, just started A Tommy at Ypres by William Williamson a present for Xmas from my son. This is turning out to be one of the most interesting 'diary' reads I have read to date. Good descriptive writing and certainly maintaining my interest. Have also recently purchased History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery by Sir Martin Farnsdale. Some tome this, one that I have been dipping into as I am following my grandfathers journey, but after just one chapter I can see that it is going to be a book that both needs to be read and studied. All in, well written and full of immense information. Regards Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 Recently completed The Old Contemptibles by Robin Neillands. Thoroughly recommend if you have an interest in the early battles of the BEF. Well written and interesting to read, maintaining a pace to suit the subject. Regards Mike Nice to hear this book getting a good puff. I loved it too but reviews on the forum of Neillands are always rather ambivalent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenneth505 Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 The answer at the moment is 'Tolkien and the Great War' which I'm enjoying very much. David Just couldn't find my way into that one, to much etymology and not enough about the signal corps. I've kept it on the shelf though. Quite enjoying Three Armies on the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hastings Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 Nice to hear this book getting a good puff. I loved it too but reviews on the forum of Neillands are always rather ambivalent. I liked both his 1914 and 1915 books, yet to read his 1916 one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ridgus Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 I liked both his 1914 and 1915 books, yet to read his 1916 one Jim I didn't realise he had written one on 1916. Just checked and 'Attrition 1916' is £2.99 on Kindle at the moment. I think you've just made another sale, Mr Hastings! David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 let me know how "Her Privates we" is... it's on my list... MM. Brilliant. Excellent. How many superlatives do you want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 Nice to hear this book getting a good puff. I loved it too but reviews on the forum of Neillands are always rather ambivalent. I've given up even trying to read Neillands' books; they always strike me as turgid in the extreme. "Unreadable" does it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marilyne Posted 23 February , 2014 Share Posted 23 February , 2014 Brilliant. Excellent. How many superlatives do you want? Thanks!! This is just enough to move it up the pile, a bit closer to the top!! M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Just starting 'The War Behind the Wire; The life, death and glory of British Prisoners of War 1914-18' by John Lewis - Stempel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverFox100 Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Thanks!! This is just enough to move it up the pile, a bit closer to the top!! M.[/quote As I said, I enjoyed reading this book and found the writing very readable, so recommend to you M Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Hastings Posted 24 February , 2014 Share Posted 24 February , 2014 Carl and David, thanks for the review... Jim, let me know how "Her Privates we" is... it's on my list... MM. Hi Marilyne, This book is insightful and well written, but, in Amazon parlance I'd have given it 4 stars out of 5 rather than 5 out of 5 .... then I read from Chapter XV to the end .... propelling it to 5 out of 5!! Bit philosophical and deep in places (just my own view), which broke up the reading for me, but still very worthwhile. An interesting read following Return of the Brute definitely. Happy reading all Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyH Posted 26 February , 2014 Share Posted 26 February , 2014 'With the German Guns' by Herbert Sulzbach (pub. by Leo Cooper in 1973) Just added to my 'to be read pile', a clean copy with dust jacket, signed by the author in German 'With Good Wishes'. Was lucky to pick this up in a local antiques centre recently for a very reasonable £4. The book was originally published in Germany around 1933 and was due to be published in English in 1937, but the publishers did not want to take the risk of publishing with another war in the offing. Sulzbach must be pretty unique in that he served with the German Artillery in World War One and with the British Army in WW2, his role in that conflict being as an interpreter and in prisoner of war liaison. A letter inserted in the book reveals that this copy was presented by Herbert Sulzbach at a parade of the 'Old Contemptibles' in Ipswich in 1985 where he was guest of honour. He in turn was presented with a history of 'The Old Contemptibles' by the British Veterans, a nice touch. Herbert Sulzbach (O.B.E.) died later that year (1985). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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