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From the Marne to Verdun: The War Diary of Captain Charles Delvert, 101st Infantry, 1914–1916
By Charles Delvert. 2016
Charles Delverts diary records his career as a front-line officer in the French army fighting the Germans during the First…
World War. It is one of the classic accounts of the war in French or indeed in any other language, and it has not been translated into English before. In precise, graphic detail he sets down his wartime experiences and those of his men. He describes the relentless emotional and physical strain of active service and the extraordinary courage and endurance required in battle. His account is essential reading for anyone who is keen to gain a direct insight into the Great War from the French soldier's point of view, and it bears comparison with the best-known English and German memoirs and journals of the Great War.Animals in the Great War (Images of War)
By Lucinda Moore. 2017
Tails from the Great War throws a spot light on the experience of creatures great and small during the First…
World War, vividly telling their stories through the incredible archival images of the Mary Evans Picture Library. The enduring public interest in Michael Morpurgos tale of the war horse reveals an enthusiasm for the animal perspective on war, but what of the untold stories of the war dog, the trench rat or even the ships pig? Through unrivaled access to rarely seen illustrated wartime magazines, books and postcards, discover the sea lions who were trained to detect submarines, and witness the carcass of the 61ft mine-destroying wonder whale. Meet the dog that brought a sailor back from the brink of death, and inspired a Hollywood legend. See how depictions of animals were powerfully manipulated by the propaganda machine on both sides, and how the presence of animals could bring much needed and even lifesaving companionship and cheer amid the carnage of war. As the centenary of the Great War is commemorated all over the world, take a timely journey via the lens of Mary Evans wartime images, and marvel at the often overlooked but significant contribution and experience of animals at war. By turns astonishing, heart-warming and occasionally downright bizarre, Tails from the Great War champions the little-known story of the bison, the chameleon, the canary et al in wartime.Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery (In Memory and in Mourning)
By Paul Chapman. 2016
This is a comprehensive and highly emotive volume, borne of years of intensive research and many trips to the battlefields…
of the Great War. It seeks to humanise the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, to offer the reader a chance to engage with the personal stories of the soldiers whose names have been chiseled there in stone. Poignant stories of camaraderie, tragic twists of fate and noble sacrifice have been collated in an attempt to bring home the reality of war and the true extent of its tragic cost. It is hoped that visitors to the battlefields, whether their relatives are listed within or not, will find their experience enriched by having access to this treasure trove of stories.The story of conscientious objection in Britain begins in 1916, when conscription was introduced for the first time. Some 16,000…
men the first conscientious objectors refused conscription because they believed on grounds of conscience that it was wrong to kill and wrong of any government to force them to do so. As historians mark the centenary of the First World War much emphasis is placed on the bravery of those men who fought and died in the trenches. But those who refused to kill were also courageous. Conscientious objectors in the First World War were treated brutally: they were seen as cowards and traitors, vilified, abused, forced into the army, brutalised and tortured. Some were even sentenced to death in an attempt to break their resistance. Many spent long months and years in prison. Nothing though that the authorities did broke the determined resistance of these men, whose deeply held principles and belief that killing was wrong carried them through and stands as a beacon for individual conscience to this day. Conscientious Objectors of the First World War: A Determined Resistance tells the stories of these remarkable men. It looks at who they were, why they took the stand they did and how they were treated. To bring their voices and experiences to life, Ann Kramer, has used extensive prime source material, including interviews, memoirs and contemporary newspapers. Working from these she describes what it was like for COs to face hostile tribunals, be forced into the army, defy army regulations, be brutalised and endure repeated terms of imprisonment. She concludes by looking at their legacy, which was profound, inspiring a second generation of conscientious objectors during the Second World War, a continuing story that Ann Kramer describes in her companion volume Conscientious Objectors of the Second World War: Refusing to Kill.The German Army in the Spring Offensives 1917: Arras, Aisne & Champagne
By Jack Sheldon. 2015
&“A detailed and vivid account of the battles on three deadly fronts. The research is breathtaking, the assembly of the…
story is masterful.&”—The Long, Long Trail After the great battles of 1916, the Allied Armies planned to launch massive attacks North and South of the Somme. The German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917 forced the new French CinC General Nivelle to rethink and the French embarked on a major attack in the Aisne area and along the Chemin des Dames, with the British conducting large-scale diversionary operations around Arras. The French suffered disastrously and, rendered incapable of further offensive operations, it fell to the British to step up the pressure, which they did albeit at a terrible price. This latest work by expert Jack Sheldon describes the event of Spring 1917 from the defenders&’ perspective. In particular it reveals the methods the Germans used to smash the French attacks and Oberst Fritz von Lossberg&’s transformation of the defenses in the Arras front. Actions described in detail are the bitter battles around Monchy Le Preun, the Roeux Chemical works and Bullecourt as well as the capture of Vimy Ridge. &“This volume of Jack Sheldon&’s highly detailed series of books on the German Army in the Great War follows his usual effective model—employing the clear writing and knowledge learned from dogged, detailed research . . . It would be impossible to offer other than the highest recommendation for this book.&”—Stand To! The Western Front Association &“Incredibly moving and powerful.&”—PennantBridgnorth in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
By Christopher W. Owen. 2019
This social history of WWI explores the wartime sacrifices and contributions made by the people of this charming, historic English…
town. The town of Bridgnorth, located along the Severn River in Shropshire, is a popular tourist destination known for its historic castle and unique funicular rail system. Though it is steeped in military history, much of its role during the Great War has remained obscure until now. Misled by government propaganda, many of Bridgnorth&’s men enlisted in the military for what they thought would be a short-term adventure. Their commitment and fortitude in the face of bloody trench warfare gives testament to the incredible bravery of the people of Bridgnorth, and their losses are evidenced in the various commemorative monuments erected throughout the town and surrounding hamlets. Utilizing contemporary documents and wartime servicemen's poignant letters, some of which are disclosed here for the first time, Bridgnorth in the Great War reveals how this once prosperous and industrious West Midlands' town endured great sacrifice in the name of Britain&’s war effort.The Black Country in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
By Michael Pearson. 2014
This is not a book about the Great War; it is about life during the war. Changes in people's lives:…
their work, home, food, entertainment and news. I used original research material including newspapers, to paint a picture of life in the Black Country.Manufacturing was vital; we were well-equipped to supply the engines of war. The region had motor manufacturers who made aero engines, tanks, guns, munitions and much more. Towards the end of the war the Black Country became one huge munitions works!Some of the greatest changes were societal, women's role changed massively. Wider social change involved the first steps towards equality between the sexes. By 1918 women could vote and stand as MPs. At work, women became clerks, tram drivers, munitions workers and more. With so many men away, without women the war could not have been won.This was the first modern conflict, truly the First World War, where troops globally converged, mainly on France and Belgium, to fight a common enemy. It began in August 1914 amid much excitement and the initial months saw the British Army grow hugely. There were those who did not want to fight, their circumstances will be examined, as well as methods used to 'encourage' them to sign up.The war developed into trench warfare, with heavy casualties, vastly more than thought imaginable. Most Black Country families lost one or more of their loved ones; but there was little time to mourn; in many cases reports were not made public for some time; a well-oiled propaganda machine saw that news did not seriously damage morale.In 1916 war came to the Black Country through a Zeppelin raid. Its affect was devastating and impacted widely as restrictions were placed on lighting and other measures to minimise the effects of probable future raids. By 1917 the Black Country had to cope with more wounded from the front line. Hospitals were full and further measures were needed to accommodate our returning injured heroes. Treatment, feeding and entertainment for the wounded are all examined. Indeed, generally food supply was of concern from day one of the war. Prices rose, supply became short, there were riots protesting about 'profiteering' and eventually rationing was imposed. Alcohol supply was strictly controlled, pubs closed for a period during the day, to stop essential workers neglecting their duties. This change illustrates how life in Britain changed; it was the 1980s before this restriction on pub opening hours was finally lifted.By 1917 the war became a marathon, with no end in sight. The Government sought innovative means to raise money and the Black Country played its part in supporting those initiatives. Local charities raised funds through events including football matches, ftes, collections and more to provide money for good causes. Parcels to prisoners of war, troops serving at the front and the wounded were all catered for. Christmas traditions were preserved, mainly for the children, with parties for those whose father was away at war.Keswick in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
By Ruth Mansergh. 2016
Keswick in the Great War is an expert account of this Lake District market town's fascinating, yet largely forgotten, contribution…
to the Great War effort from the outbreak of war in 1914, to the long-awaited Allied victory in 1918.It charts the remarkable, and sometimes moving, stories of several heroic local figures, including Lord and Lady Rochdale, who converted their home into a VAD hospital; Caleb Barnes, a former headteacher of Braithwaite Primary School who was taken prisoner in Belgium; Catherine Elizabeth Marshall, supporter of The No-Conscription Fellowship, whose husband, the chairman of the NCF, was imprisoned in 1916; and Reverend Bettison, Curate of Crosthwaite, who was mobilised on 4 August 1914 and sent to Burma in October 1914. The book also acts as an accessible reference guide to local war memorials, such as The Fretwork War Shrine, as integrated throughout are rare wartime illustrations of these memorials and rolls of honour, like the recently discovered roll of honour found inside Underskiddaw Church Rooms.Overall, this is a poignant testimony to the momentous efforts, bravery, self-sacrifice and determination of the people of Keswick during the Great War, who sought to find normality in a reality so far removed from anything they had ever known.On a calm, tropical afternoon in the South Atlantic Ocean in April 1942, a British tramp steamer, the SS Willesden,…
was shelled, torpedoed and sunk by a German raider, the KMS Thor. The Willesden was carrying 47 officers and crew, and a cargo of vital war supplies destined for Britains 8th Army in North Africa. Five of Willesdens crew were killed in the attack. Among the survivors was Second Mate David Millar, who along with his crewmen was rescued by the Germans and interned on a succession of prison ships, before being handed over to the Japanese. Badly wounded, David spent the rest of the war as a POW in a camp at Fukushima, north of Tokyo.The Thor was also responsible for sinking two other steamers, the SS Kirkpool and SS Nankin. Their survivors, including 38 women and children, were dispatched to the same POW camp.What is remarkable about this story, apart from its inherent drama, is that these civilian POWs numbering more than 130 in all were officially listed as Missing at Sea: their presence in the camp remained a closely guarded secret. This meant that it was many months in some cases, years before the fog of mystery surrounding their disappearance lifted, and family and friends knew whether their loved ones were dead or alive. Lost at Sea tells the little-known story of these survivors. It is a tale of honour between enemy naval commanders; of suffering, courage and endurance, as months of imprisonment turned to years; and of the powerful relationships that form when people are forced together in life-threatening circumstances. Greatly enhancing the poignancy of this story is the fact that David Millar was the authors father.Ypres: Contemporary Combat Images from the Great War (The Illustrated War Reports)
By Bob Carruthers. 2015
This powerful collection, depicting the grim realities of the four-year struggle for the Ypres salient, showcases the work of the…
contemporary combat artists and illustrators from the Great War era. Included here are the works of serious artists, propagandists, illustrators and humourists. The result is a stunning and vivid graphic record of life and death in the most infamous campaign of the Great War, as reported to contemporary audiences at a time when the events of the Great War were still unfolding. During the Great War artists and illustrators produced a highly accurate visual record of the fleeting moments the bulky cameras couldn't reproduce. These works form a body ofwar reportage that are as valid as the written word. Today, the work of the combat illustrators and the official war artists from the Great War era is overlooked by historians in favour of photographs, but these illustrations are nonetheless important, as they provide a contemporary record of hand-to-hand fighting, trench raids, aerial dogfights, sea battles, desperate last stands, night actions and cavalry chargesEscaping from the Kaiser: The Dramatic Experiences of a Tommy POW
By H. W. Tustin. 1939
Only a week after joining the 8th Durhams in April 1915 Private Herbert Tustin was captured at the Battle of…
Ypres. He describes the horror of trench warfare, his treatment on being taken a POW and the three day train journey into Germany.There followed 16 months captivity at Rennbahn POW Camp with its hunger, hardships, brutality, work regime, friendships, humour and the different national characteristics of fellow POWs.In late summer 1916 together with a Canadian POW, Gerrie Burk, the author escaped over the wire. For the next 10 days travelling by night, sleeping rough and stealing basic food they headed for Holland. Somehow they miraculously managed to avoid re-capture despite the closest of calls. Once on the Dutch coast they found a boat, SS Grenadier to carry them across the mine-strewn, submarine infested North Sea to England, arriving on 18 September.This amazing story of war, imprisonment, escape and survival concludes with the author's wife recalling the hero's welcome home, the joyful reunion and his proposal of marriage.Betrayed Ally: China in the Great War
By Frances Wood. 2016
The Great War helped China emerge from humiliation and obscurity and take its first tentative steps as a full member…
of the global community.In 1912 the Qing Dynasty had ended. President Yuan Shikai, who seized power in 1914, offered the British 50,000 troops to recover the German colony in Shandong but this was refused. In 1916 China sent a vast army of labourers to Europe. In 1917 she declared war on Germany despite this effectively making the real enemy Japan an ally.The betrayal came when Japan was awarded the former German colony. This inspired the rise of Chinese nationalism and communism, enflamed by Russia. The scene was set for Japans incursions into China and thirty years of bloodshed.One hundred years on, the time is right for this accessible and authoritative account of Chinas role in The Great War and assessment of its national and international significanceBritain's Great War Experience: Life at Home and Abroad, 1914–1918
By Peter Liddle. 2014
Expertly written and beautifully presented, this book of outstanding photographs, documents and art work captures the spirit of the British…
people as they faced and successfully came through the prolonged challenge of the First World War. Using previously unpublished material from the Liddle Collection in the University Library at Leeds and supporting this with photographs from private and public collections from many parts of the British Isles, Britons Experience the Great War brings the experience of soldiers, sailors and airmen graphically close. It is, however, not just the fighting fronts which are so well represented: from the industrial, agricultural, domestic, educational and war resistance scenes, the response to war of workers, wives, sweethearts, students, children, rebels and resisters is made clear. Fund raising, rationing, humour, anxiety and grief are documented in this book in a way which provides touching testimony of the spirit of the times.With almost four hundred illustrations, the book spans the British Isles and the most remote fighting fronts.Breaking Point of the French Army: The Nivelle Offensive of 1917
By David Murphy. 2015
This historical analysis of the ill-fated Franco-British operation reveals how it nearly spelled defeat for the Triple Entente in WWI.…
In December of 1916, General Robert Nivelle was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the French armies fighting the Germans on the Western Front. A national hero, he had enjoyed a meteoric rise to high command and public acclaim since the beginning of the Great War. In return, he proclaimed he 'had the formula' that would ensure victory and end the conflict in 1917. But his offensive was a bloody and humiliating failure for France, one that could have opened the way for French defeat. Historian David Murphy presents a penetrating, in-depth analysis of The Nivelle Offensive, demonstrating why it failed and underscoring its importance in the course of the First World War. Murphy describes how the charismatic officer used his charm and intelligence to win the support of French and British politicians, but also how his vanity and braggadocio displayed no sense of operational security. By the opening of the campaign, his plan was an open secret and he had lost the ability to critically assess the operation as it developed. The result was disaster.Deborah and the War of the Tanks
By John Taylor. 2016
Deborah is a British First World War tank that rose from the grave after taking part in one of the…
most momentous battles in history. In November 1917 she played a leading role in the first successful massed tank attack at Cambrai. Eighty years later, in a remarkable feat of archaeology, the tanks buried remains were rediscovered and excavated, and are now preserved as a memorial to the battle and to the men who fought in it. John Taylors book tells the tale of the tank and her crew and tracks down their descendants to uncover a human story every bit as compelling as the military one.Britain Goes to War: How the First World War Began to Reshape the Nation
By Dr Peter Liddle. 2015
The First World War had a profound impact on British society and on British relations with continental Europe, the Dominions,…
the United States and the emerging Soviet Union. The pre-war world was transformed, and the world that we recognize today began to take shape. That is why, 100 years after the outbreak, the time is right for this collection of thought-provoking chapters that reassesses why Britain went to war and the preparations made by the armed forces, the government and the nation at large for the unprecedented conflict that ensued.A group of distinguished historians looks back, with the clarity of a modern perspective, at the issues that were critical to Britain's war effort as the nation embarked on the most intense and damaging struggle in its history. In a series of penetrating chapters they explore the reasons for Britain going to war, the official preparations, the public reaction, the readiness of the armed forces, internment, the impact of the opening campaign, the experience of the soldiers, recruitment, training, weaponry, the political implications, and the care of the wounded.Oxford in the Great War (Your Towns & Cities in the Great War)
By Malcolm Graham. 2014
This book tells the fascinating, and largely forgotten, story of Oxford's part in the Great War. The University City became…
a military training camp as soldiers and officer cadets occupied men's colleges left virtually empty as undergraduates enlisted. Public buildings were converted into military hospitals where many war casualties were treated. The City also took in Belgian and Serbian refugees.Oxford dons engaged in vital war work, and academic life largely depended upon the women's colleges. Local industries, including Morris's new car factory at Cowley, converted to war production, and women made munitions or replaced men in other work.Fear of invasion sparked the formation of a Dad's Army, and a black-out protected the City from air raids. Civilians, especially women, supported the war effort through fund-raising and voluntary work. They also cultivated war allotments as food shortages led to communal kitchens and rationing.This expert account shows a civilian population coping with anxiety during a titanic struggle in which college heads and the humblest citizens were afflicted equally by the loss of loved ones.The Russian Revolution: World War to Civil War, 1917–1921 (Images of War)
By Nik Cornish. 2012
Often the drama of the October Revolution and the Bolshevik seizure of power overshadow the disastrous Russian-German war that preceded…
it and the extended, confusing, many-sided civil war between the Reds and the Whites that followed. But Nik Cornishs vivid photographic history gives equal coverage to each of these momentous events and shows how the Russian empire of the Romanovs was transformed into the Soviet dictatorship. Contemporary photographs show the leading characters in the drama Tsar Nicholas II, Kerensky, Lenin and Trotsky and other Bosheviks, and the White commanders Denikin, Kolchak, Wrangel and the rest. But they also record, in an unforgettable way, the ordinary people who were caught up in the surge of events civilian crowds on the city streets, peasant groups in the villages, the faces of common soldiers on all sides who fought on multiple fronts across Russia from Poland, the Baltic states and the White Sea to the Black Sea and Siberia. The scale of the conflict was remarkable, as was the intensity of the experience of those who took part and witnessed it, and this collection of historic photographs gives a poignant insight into the conditions of their time. It is a fascinating introduction to a period that saw a sea change in Russian history.Dawn of Victory, Thank You China!: Star Shell Reflections, 1918–1919
By Jim Maultsaid. 2017
Jim Maultsaids third and final book, The Dawn of Victory, Thank You China! is based on his service with the…
169 Chinese Labour Corps (CLC) between 1918 1919.There were 96,000 Chinese volunteer in the CLC and their achievements have gone largely unrecognized for 100 years. As Jim Maultsaids diaries and drawings vividly testify, they made a stupendous and lasting contribution both during and in the aftermath of The Great War. He writes Never did I see human beings work as we worked those Chinese boys of ours. In all weathers, the Chinese turned their hands to every kind of task, initially keeping the wheels of war turning and after the Armistice clearing the debris of war and recovering the tens of thousands of anonymous dead.Maultsaids down-to-earth prose and superb drawings capture the unique nature of the CLCs efforts. His admiration for their stoic, indeed heroic efforts is obvious and, thanks to the preservation of these unique diaries, the coolies who toiled so tirelessly can at last receive long overdue credit.The author/artist served for over five years and was there to say goodbye and thank you to all those who served in his unit.Aisne 1914: The Bef And The Birth Of The Western Front (Battleground Early Battles 1914)
By Jerry Murland. 2013
The 1914 Battle of the Aisne, officially from 12 15 September, came about as a result of the German retirement…
from the Battle of the Marne, which took place further south as the huge conscript armies of France and Germany jostled for position almost within sight of Paris. By the time the British arrived on the Aisne the battle line stretched some 150 miles from Noyon in the west to Verdun in the east and it was only along a tiny fifteen mile sector in the middle that the The British Expeditionary Force was engaged. However, it fought bitter engagements, which took place in difficult conditions and casualties were heavy. The Aisne fighting was the final attempt by the allies to follow through from the success of the Marne. It also marked the successful establishment by the Germans of a sound defensive line on this part of the front.As seen in 'Scale Military Modelling Monthly'.