Résultats de recherche de titre
Articles 101 à 120 sur 242
Aristocrats Go to War: Uncovering the Zillebeke Cemetery
Par Jerry Murland. 2010
Zillebekes small churchyard military cemetery provides the inspiration for this charming piece of military and social history. The author has…
researched into the exploits and backgrounds of 27 fallen soldiers, the majority being officers of the Guards and Cavalry, as well as other ranks and six Canadians.The outcome is a fascinating and moving book that emphasizes the indiscriminate nature of war. Privilege and wealth were no protection against bullets and shells and all men regardless of background took their chances, standing shoulder to shoulder. The 1st Battle of Ypres in late 1914 was in many ways the last stand of Britains Contemptible Little Army (as the Kaiser called it) and the Ypres Salient was to remain the focus of so much fighting over the next four years.Thanks to detailed research and support from the families concerned, the author has unearthed letters, memorabilia and photographs.Veterans: The Last Survivors of the Great War (Isis Reminiscence Ser.)
Par Richard Van Emden, Steve Humphries. 1999
Using the veterans own words and photographs, the book brings to life a mixture of their excitement of embarkation for…
France, their unbound optimism and courage, the agony of the trenches, and numbing fear of going over the top. The fight for survival, the long ordeal of those who were wounded and the ever present grief caused by appalling loss and waste of life make for compelling reading.The veterans give us first hand accounts of stark honesty, as they describe in many cases more freely than ever before about experiences which have lived with them for over 80 years.High Noon of Empire: The Diary of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Tyndall, 1895–1915
Par B A James. 2007
"Henry Tyndall was a typical product of the Victorian age—an intensely patriotic army officer who served in India, on the…
North-West Frontier, on the Western Front and in East Africa at the height of the British empire. For 20 years, from 1895 to 1915, he kept a detailed diary that gives a vivid insight into his daily life and concerns, his fellow officers and men, and the British army of his day. He also left a graphic account of his experiences on campaign in the First World War and in the Third Afghan War. B.A. 'Jimmy' James has edited and annotated Tyndall's diary in order to make it fully accessible to the modern reader. As he notes in his introduction, 'this marching soldier of the queen was a gallant officer who conscientiously served his sovereign wherever duty called ... his diary deserves attention as it reflects the manners, customs and attitudes of this vanished age.' "Fromelles: French Flanders (Battleground Europe)
Par Peter Pedersen. 2004
Historian Peter Pedersen examines the World War I battle on the Western Front that decimated an Australian regiment in Fromelles:…
French Flanders.The attack at Fromelles is significant for a number of reasons. It was the Australians’ first major operation on the Western Front and pitted them against a part of the German line that was an object lesson in the siting of a defense. Before the battle, the Australian Gallipoli veterans had airily dismissed the fighting in the new theater as “pleasant”. After it, they said grimly that Anzac was “a picnic” compared to France. Fromelles came as a terrible shock and was a foretaste of things to come. Both the genesis and aftermath of the operation were controversial. The objectives and the tactics employed to achieve them were changed several times and the sufficiency of resources vigorously debated. After the war, the British and Australian Official Historians argued as to how the battle should be interpreted. Most of the correspondence that accompanied their exchange of drafts has not been published. Peter Pedersen’s thorough account of the battle explores the genesis of the operation through the aftermath covering this monumental moment in World War I history.Star Shell Reflections, 1914–1916: The Illustrated Great War Diaries of Jim Maultsaid
Par Jim Maultsaid. 2014
As the centenary of the Great War approaches, this book offers a unique perspective told in the words and illustrations…
of someone who was there , on the front line.Although an American citizen, Jim Maultsaid's parents were Irish and he lived in Donegal. He joined the Young Citizen Volunteers, a group drawn from the ranks of clerical and professional society, at the outbreak of war.Although he left school at age 13, the author was naturally gifted in both writing and drawing, with a great eye for detail, and has often been described as the unofficial war artist.Jim's personal style of writing is engaging, and along with his sketches and illustrations, which are witty at times, takes the reader on a journey through not only the dark days and misery but also reveals the gritty humour that helped him and his 'chums' cope with the horrors of life in the trenches.The diaries offer in words and illustrations, a true insight into the thoughts of the ordinary soldiers, and are filled with untold stories from the Great War, covering aspects that have never been addressed in other books. In particular there is new light shone on the Chinese Labour Corps, where Jim served as Captain, after he was certified unfit for active service due to his wounds.The book has great historical and educational value, and will give those of all ages a real understanding of how this brave generation faced war, and how they struggled to survive.A Marine at Gallipoli on the Western Front: First In, Last Out: The Diary of Harry Askin
Par Harry Askin. 2015
Harry Askin was 22 when he enlisted at Nottingham in September 1914 and was sent to train with the Royal…
Marines at Portsmouth.He set sail with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in late February 1915. On 25 April he was towed ashore to Gallipoli. So began a nine month ordeal of constant fighting and shelling on that bare and desperate Peninsula.In this diary he captures the atmosphere of danger and death, blazing heat in summer and rain and cold at other times. The smell of dead bodies was everywhere and while the fortitude of the troops was astonishing, at times confusion and panic prevailed. Harry was wounded twice in one day but the surgeon removed the bullet and he returned to the firing line.Harry was among the last to withdraw and his reward was to be sent to the Western Front. Again he was wounded. This is a stirring memoir which paints a vivid picture of the horrors of war.Epehy: Hindenburg Line (Battleground Ser.)
Par Bill Mitchinson. 2012
The village of Epehy gave its name to one of the most important battles of 1918.Evacuated by the Germans during…
their retreat to the Hindenburg Line, the ruins were occupied by British Forces until the German offensive. They were recaptured in some of the bloodiest engagements of September 1918.Magnificent but Not War: The Second Battle of Ypres, 1915
Par John Dixon. 2009
The book is a detailed account of the fighting around Ypres during April and May 1915. It is essentially a…
day-by-day record of the Second Battle of Ypres which draws heavily upon personal accounts, regimental histories and war diaries to present a comprehensive study of the battle in which Germany became the first nation to use poisonous gas as a weapon. Each phrase of the battle (the Battle of Gravenstafel; the Battle of St. Julien; the Battle of Frezenberg Ridge and the Battle of Bellewarde Ridge) is discussed in detail with maps and photographs where appropriate. the main text is accompanied by a number of appendices including officer casualties; Victoria Cross winners and the British Order of Battle for Hill 60 and the Second Battle of Ypres.The Last Cruise of a German Raider: The Destruction of SMS Emden
Par Wes Olson. 2018
The story of the German light cruiser SMS _Emden_ has been the subject of over a dozen books since her…
destruction at the hands of the Australian light cruiser HMAS _Sydney_ on 9 November 1914. Accounts of _Emden_s raiding activities, her loss on the Cocos Islands, and the escape of her landing party have also appeared in official histories and books on the First World War at sea. No English-language book, however, has pieced together a comprehensive account of the action and the events before and after.In this detailed and riveting new book, Wes Olson has made extensive use of a wealth of first-hand accounts from letters, diaries, memoirs and German survivor statements to produce a detailed reconstruction of the battle at Cocos. By breaking the one-and-a-half-hour action down into ten-minute blocks an accurate, chronological and credible picture has been created, and the extensive use of quotations gives the story a unique vividness.But the book is much more than the account of one naval battle. _The Emden_s activities as a raider at the beginning of the war are outlined; the significance of the departure of the first ANZAC troop convoy, and _Sydneys_ involvement explained. The Cocos raid and the landing of von Mckes party and the dispatch of _Sydney_ to investigate are covered, and Captain Glossops controversial decision to open fire on the wreck of the _Emden_ is analysed. And drawing on the reports produced by Sydneys surgeons, the book presents a facet of naval action often overlooked namely the effect of high explosive shells on the human body.Employing the wealth of archival and photographic material, as well as the numerous first-hand accounts of the German, British and Australian participants, the author has written a work that takes the reader right to the centre of the action and brings alive the immediacy and horror of naval warfare for those who took part.The Home Front: Final Blows and the Year of Victory (The Great War Illustrated)
Par David Bilton. 2015
Many books have looked at the effect of the war on the Home Front, but this is the first book…
to take a look at civilian life at home photographically from an international perspective: covering both Allied and enemy countries, juxtaposing the same situations in different countries to show a similar response.This fifth and final volume chronicles the events of the last year of the war and looks briefly at the beginnings of peace. At the start of the year the civilians on both sides were resigned to another year of pain and further belt-tightening as the shortages grew. Food and materials were in short-supply and the military had first-call on just about everything. People had to learn to make do with what they had. Although the U-boat campaign had been beaten by the introduction of the convoy, rationing needed to be introduced in Britain and France to even out the distribution of essential foods. No one would starve but many went hungry. However, throughout the Central Powers, because of the Allied blockade, the situation was far worse: everything was scarce or difficult to get hold of; some goods were unobtainable except from the Black Market. However, as neither side was prepared to give in, and with no end in sight, civilians just had to get on with their lives as best they could.The book follows the same format as the previous four providing the reader with a brief overview of the events of the year on the Home Front at home and abroad, a detailed timeline and a wealth of photographs, divided into themes: raids, life on the Home front, Christmas, propaganda, casualties and captivity, and home defense. Many of the, over two hundred photos, have not been seen since they were published during the war and some are published here for the first time. The photos are international and give a flavor of what life was like for the civilian during the most turbulent year of the war.This unique series of international photographic books fits in with the authors more textual books on the Home Front: Hull in the Great War, Reading in the Great War volumes 1 and 2, and The Home Front in the Great War.Stafford in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
Par Nick Thomas. 2017
Stafford in the Great War tells the fascinating story of a county town and its people between the catastrophic years…
of 1914–18 .The title was written as a companion volume to the author's earlier work, Stafford at War 1939-45, and adopts the same successful formula. The book examines the work of local men and women on the Home Front, before providing details of the towns contribution in every theatre of the war. Early chapters examine the role of Staffordians who served in the British Expeditionary Force, nicknamed The Contemptible Little Army by Kaiser Wilhelm II, and who took part in the Christmas Truce, 1914. The story of the Stafford Territorials of the Stafford Battery, the Staffordshire Yeomanry and the North and South Staffordshire Regiments is also explained, along with the fate of Kitcheners Volunteer Army.The events surrounding the service of a number of local men are recorded in some detail, along with the exploits of men who fought in all of the armed services and support units. Collectively, their stories help outline the course of the war.Staffordians won 120 gallantry awards during the conflict, and those that are not referred to in the main body of the text may be found in an appendix. Also listed are the names and service details of over 400 men whose names were omitted from the towns war memorial.Ironbridge in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
Par Christopher W. Owen. 2017
Famed as the birthplace of modern industry and the first cast iron metal single span bridge, Ironbridge is venerated the…
world over yet its social history is at times unfamiliar.One hundred years ago this sleepy town, set by the river Severn, willingly volunteered its lifeblood to a war that everyone confidently believed would be a short-lived, adventurous romp. Misled by government propaganda, they soon discovered through fighting relative's letters and various official news reports, many of which are unearthed for the first time throughout this book, that it had rapidly degenerated into an endless morass of bloody violence with the probability of their men meeting a painful death on a daily basis thrown in for good measure.The town's wartime heritage is one of enterprise and hard work as the majority of the Great War gun-fodder comprised working-class men drawn from prestigious local companies. Maw & Co, the world-famous ceramic tile maker, raised its own company of enlisted fighting men, in common with other businesses nationwide, that were known as Pals Battalions. As in most instances across the land, it subsequently paid a heavy price for this mass act of patriotism. Ironbridge also became a cradle of the fledgling women's wartime workforce, who helped produce vital heavy munitions components at another famous local company's works.Ironbridge in the Great War is the story of the town's great sacrifice, as evidenced by the numerous and diverse war monuments that populate the town and its surrounding hamlets. This is detailed work that includes fascinating facts about the town, which, despite being constantly under the world spotlight, remained, until now, a part of its hidden wartime social history.Amiens 1918: From Disaster to Victory
Par Gregory Blaxland. 2018
Gregory Blaxland has written a superb account of 1918, the final year of the war when the balance of advantage…
between the combatants changed so dramatically in a matter of weeks that summer.As the realities of the changing nature of warfare by late 1917 made the retention of static lines, no matter how sophisticated, no longer a long term viable option for the defence; and with Russia knocked out of the war, the Germans under Hindenburg and Ludendorff determined on a bold series of major offensives, the first of which was aimed at the British Fifth Army with the objective of seizing Amiens, a crucial rail head and the city that marked the boundary between the BEF and the French. Capture this and the Germans had a good chance of separating the key allied powers. Despite almost destroying Fifth Army and advancing within ten miles of Amiens, the Germans failed in their objective; they turned to a number of other hard thrusts along the line but were foiled on each occasions.Reinforced by substantial numbers of American troops, the allies launched their first, French led, counter attack on 18 July, which many considered the turning point of the 1918 campaign and, indeed the whole war. Shortly afterwards, on 8 August, the BEF (with some French support) attacked with Fourth Army before Amiens and was stunningly successful what Ludendorff described as the Black Day of the German Army. There followed a sequence of blows by all the allies along the Western Front, pushing the Germans back to the borders; with her allies collapsing and with the Imperial Navy in a state of mutiny,The book largely concentrates on the British and Dominion troops of the BEF. The first half is taken up with the attack on Amiens (and, to a lesser extent, on Arras). In the second half of the book the author provides a cohesive account of the British response in retaking the initiative from the Germans, though not failing to give allied nations their due.Besides giving a full narrative account, he also provides a useful critical commentary of the performance of armies and generals.This is a welcome reprint of an accessible account of the crucial year of the war, when on the Western Front the conflict broke free of its entrenched deadlock. Despite the extraordinary achievements of the BEF in 1918, they still remain remarkably little known and even less appreciated.Newcastle-Upon-Tyne in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
Par Craig Armstrong. 2015
With the large number of troops stationed in and around the area and its position as a major industrial city,…
which focused on armaments production, shipbuilding and heavy engineering, the realities of the war were always prominently felt in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The city played a key role in the nation's war effort, as it was a key port and the nation's major exporter of coal a vital link in keeping the war effort going.The proud tradition of military service in the region was reflected in the huge numbers of Newcastle men and women who came forward to serve in the military or in roles such as nursing. The city was the recruitment centre and driving force for the formation of numerous 'Pals' Battalions and the Northumberland Fusiliers, which raised more battalions than any other regiment during the war.For many of those left behind the war was a time of fear and hardship. This book documents the struggle that many suffering families faced in coping with rising wartime prices, longer working hours, endless worry, wartime policies and severe shortages. These issues are brought to light throughout, with a view to how they affected the people of Newcastle and how, with audacity and courage, Newcastle's citizens overcame them. By the end of the war so many Newcastle men had been killed, and others faced an uncertain future in a shattered post-war economy. Despite this, the workers of Newcastle continued to provide incredible charitable support until the end of the war in addition to their already momentous efforts. These efforts are considered greatly in this enlightening book, which is a testimony to the bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Newcastle-upon-Tyne during the Great War.Now the War Is Over: Britain, 1919–1920
Par Simon Fowler, Daniel Weinbren. 2018
How did Britain respond to the momentous events of 1919 and 1920 as it adjusted to peace after four years…
of war? What were the challenges the British people faced and how did they cope with the profound changes that confronted them? Now the War Is Over seeks to answer these questions. It looks at what happened in every sphere of life and it shows how, even today, we are still dealing with the consequences of those years of transition.Across Europe there were revolutions, a war for independence occurred in Ireland, and on mainland Britain there were widespread race riots. However, most servicemen simply wanted to come home to their families and a secure job. Some hoped for a return to the certainties of a pre-war world, but this was impossible too much had happened. As they explore the troubled state of Britain immediately after the war Simon Fowler and Daniel Weinbren give us a fascinating insight into how the global conflict changed the direction of the nation.Following in their best-selling series of Battlefield Guides this is a companion volume to the Holts Western Front South Guide.…
Between the two, they cover the main WW1 Western Front battlefields. This book covers 15 of the most significant battles of the northern area from Nieuwport to just north of The Somme.Whether travelling on the ground or in the mind, the reader is carefully guided through the battlefields with a mixture of succinct military history, cameo memories and stories of VCs and other personalities, interspersed with references to the literature and poetry of the war.This guidebook is based on Tonie and Valmai Holt's 30 years experience of researching, guiding tours and writing about the area, with their unique blend of male and female points of view. It is written to the high standards that have come to be expected of these highly respected authors who are credited with pioneering the modern battlefield tour and whose guide books are referred to as 'The Bibles' . This new edition contains: Brief Historical Background and Summary of each battle, Opening Moves and What Happened, with appropriate quotations Sketch Map for each battle showing battle lines, routes etc and all points of interest described on each timed itinerary Large Sketch Map putting the battlefields (north and south) into perspective Memorials, Museums, Sites of Interest (bunkers, craters etc) War Grave Cemeteries Allied and German GPS Location for every recommended stop War Graves and Commemorative Associations Cameos about individual personalities Useful Tourist Information Where to stay and eatThe Journeys End Battalion: The 9th East Surrey in the Great War
Par Michael Lucas. 2012
R.C. Sherriff, author of Journeys End, the most famous play of the Great War, saw all his front line service…
with the 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment. This intense experience profoundly affected his writing and, through his play, it continues to have a powerful influence on our understanding of the conflict. Yet the story of his battalion has never been told in full until now. In The Journeys End Battalion, Michael Lucas gives a vivid account of its history. Using official and unofficial sources, diaries, letters, and British and German wartime records, he describes the individuals who served in it and the operations they took part in. He identifies the inspiration for Journeys End and considers how Sherriff delved into his experiences and those of his fellow soldiers in order to create his drama. So not only does the book shed new light on the wartime career of R.C. Sherriff, but it is a valuable record of the operation of a British battalion on the Western Front during the Great War.The Passchendaele Campaign, 1917 (British Expeditionary Force)
Par Andrew Rawson. 2017
This is an account of the British Expeditionary Forces battles in the summer and autumn of 1917. It begins with…
the Allied plan to free up the Flanders coast, to limit German naval and submarine attacks on British shipping.The opening offensive began with the detonation of nineteen mines on 7 June and ended with the capture of the Messines Ridge. The main offensive started with success on 31 July but was soon bogged down due to the August rains. Three huge attacks between 20 September and 4 October had the Germans reeling, but again the weather intervened and the campaign concluded with futile attacks across the muddy slopes of the Passchendaele Ridge.Each large battle and minor action is given equal treatment, giving a detailed insight into the most talked about side of the campaign, the British side. There are details on the planning of each offensive and the changing tactics used by both sides. There is discussion about how the infantry, the artillery, the cavalry, the engineers and Royal Flying Corps worked together. Over sixty new maps chart the day-by-day progress of each battle and action.Together the narrative and maps provide an insight into the British Armys experience during this important campaign. The men who made a difference are mentioned; those who led the advances, those who stopped the counterattacks and those who were awarded the Victoria Cross. Discover the Passchendaele campaign and learn how the British Armys brave soldiers fought and died fighting for their objectives.Haig's Generals
Par Steven J. Corvi. 2009
An in-depth study of Douglas Haig's army commanders on the Western Front during the First World War. Assesses their careers…
and characters, looks critically at their performance in command and examines their relationship with their subordinates and with Haig himself. Chapters are devoted to Allenby, Byng, Birdwood, Gough, Horne, Monro, Plumer, Rawlinson and Smith-Dorrien. Offers a fascinating insight into the mentality of these men and into their methods as they sought a solution to the problem of war on the Western Front. A fascinating and original contribution to the history of the war in the trenches.Contributors include: John Bourne, Matthew Hughes, John Lee, William Philpott, Simon Robbins, Gary Sheffield, Peter Simkins, Ian F. W. Beckett, Steven J. Corvi.The Struggle for the Dardanelles: The Memoirs of a German Staff Officer in Ottoman Service
Par Major Erich Prigge. 2017
This is a detailed eye-witness account of the Dardanelles/Gallipoli campaign from the perspective of the Turks, through the eyes of…
Major Erich Prigge an adjutant to Marshal Liman von Sanders, the German commander-in-chief of the Ottoman forces in the Dardanelles. The focus is overwhelmingly on combat but includes related matters such as reconnaissance and logistics. Packed with specific information and technical detail as well as action, it should be of great interest to historians and enthusiasts. Prigge actually wrote two accounts of the campaign. The first, published in January 1916 while the fighting continued, revealed so much information that the Ottoman government asked the German authorities to suppress it. The other, published later that year, included coverage of the British evacuation. Although Prigge had removed many of the sensitive details of unit names, casualties etc., he had substantially rewritten and augmented many passages with lively descriptive material. Philip Rance here presents the first English translations of both versions, which together form one of the most complete and valuable accounts of this campaign available from the Turkish perspective.