First World War Books

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Book SynopsisLearning, innovation and adaptation are not concepts that we necessarily associate with the British army of the First World War. Yet the need to learn from mistakes, to exploit new opportunities and to adapt to complex situations are enduring and timeless. This revealing work is the first institutional examination of the army''s process for learning during the First World War. Drawing on organisational learning and management theories, Aimée Fox critiques existing approaches to military learning in wartime. Focused around a series of case studies, the book ranges across multiple operational theatres and positions the army within a broader context in terms of its relationships with allies and civilians to reveal that learning was more complex and thoroughgoing than initially thought. It grapples with the army''s failings and shortcomings, explores its successes and acknowledges the inherent difficulties of learning in a desperate and lethally competitive environment.Trade Review'Sheds new light on the extent to which the British army in the First World War was a learning organisation. Essential reading for anyone involved or interested in the transformation of today's armed forces to meet new circumstances and future threats.' Lieutenant General Sir John Kiszely, author of Anatomy of a Campaign: The British Fiasco in Norway, 1940'Adapting to changing complex environments, rather than seeking to control them, will be fundamental.' So said UK Defence's Future Force Concept in 2017. Dr Fox's timely, well researched, thought provoking and thoroughly readable book helps remind us that the future imperative for Armed Forces to be able to learn, adapt and change, both tactically and institutionally, quicker than an adversary are far from being just twenty-first century concerns. One hundred years ago the same imperative existed. This book helps unpack how the British Army of the First World War went about turning words - innovation, adaptability, agility and learning - into deeds, both tactically and institutionally. As we commemorate the end of the First World War in 2018, Dr Fox's book is a timely reminder that history has an important role in helping us with our Future Force design and its ethos.' Major General 'Mitch' Mitchell, Director, UK Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre'Aimée Fox's analyses of innovation in the First World War advance our understanding of that critical time period, but she goes much further, offering critical lessons for today's military leaders as well. Learning to Fight is that rare book that can speak equally well to both the past and the present.' Michael S. Neiberg, author of Path to War: How the First World War Created Modern America'Adaptation is predicated upon learning from what was once 'entirely unknown'. Learning to Fight offers a deep dive into how the British Army and its colonial partners measured up to that task in the First World War … This is the latest contribution to a deepening pool of scholarship into military change, and the book offers a unique framework for the study of wartime adaptation … this is a well-executed book that dissipates mythology and discovers insights about the British military of a century ago … Learning to Fight will appeal to students of World War I, and is recommended for scholars interested in military sociology, military learning, and combat effectiveness.' Frank Hoffman, The Strategy Bridge'… a superb contribution to the literature of military innovation … This book is highly recommended for those interested in military innovation in general and in the institutional adaption of the British Army in the First World War in particular.' Benjamin Tuck, Defense & Security Analysis'From an examination of this book we can now state that the British Army was an organisation that published, disseminated, debated, and adapted … Fox's book does a tremendous job of widening our understanding of the process through which an army at war begins to learn'. Chris Kempshall, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research'This book is a new approach to scholarship relating to Britain's military during the conflict, offering a more thorough and sophisticated understanding regarding military learning … Fox succeeds in putting forth a considered and thorough analysis of learning and innovation in the British Army during this period. This book … is invaluable to studies of military history and the Great War.' Laura Boyd, Twentieth Century British History'Aimée Fox has used her wide reading of modern management and business organisation literature to generate a series of questions about how large organisations learn and innovate, and then delved even more widely into archives in both Britain and Australia to discover how the British army went about doing so.' David French, The English Historical Review'An important read for anyone interested in the Great War, this will also be of value to those trying to understand how military institutions change and adapt.' New York Military Affairs Symposium ReviewTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. The Practice of Learning: 1. The legacy of the past; 2. A networked army; 3. Disseminating learning; Part II. Learning in Practice: 4. Inter-theatre; 5. Allies; 6. Civilian expertise; 7. Integrating newcomers; Conclusion.

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Book SynopsisHow did the First World War, the so-called ''Great War'' - widely seen on all sides as ''the war to end all wars'' - impact the development of German philosophy? Combining history and biography with astute philosophical and textual analysis, Nicolas de Warren addresses here the intellectual trajectories of ten significant wartime philosophers: Ernst Bloch, Martin Buber, Ernst Cassirer, Hermann Cohen, György Lukács, Martin Heidegger, Edmund Husserl, Franz Rosenzweig, Max Scheler and Georg Simmel. In exploring their individual works written during and after the War, the author reveals how philosophical concepts and new forms of thinking were forged in response to this unprecedented catastrophe. In reassessing standardized narratives of German thought, the book deepens and enhances our understanding of the intimate and complex relationship between philosophy and violence by demonstrating how the 1914-18 conflict was a crucible for ways of thinking that still define us today.Trade Review'These profound reflections on philosophy and the First World War reveal important dimensions of the genealogy of what still drives contemporary philosophy-the continuing resilience of religion in an increasingly secular world, the modern experience of alienation which seems to know no limits, the problems of violence, the question of history, the meaning of the political. This is, in short, a remarkable book.' James Dodd, The New School for Social Research, New York'World War I, de Warren shows, was a philosophical earthquake. Not only did it transform the philosophers who lived through it, but the war itself acquired a philosophical voice – or, better, voices – that would, for good or ill, echo across twentieth-century thought. Rich in both philosophical and historical insight, German Philosophy and the First World War will remain a touchstone for years to come.' Michael Gubser, James Madison UniversityTable of Contents1. The genius of war, the genius of peace: Max Scheler's demons; 2. Deutschtum und Judentum: Hermann Cohen in the time of the nations; 3. I and you: Martin Buber and dialogical creation; 4. More than life: Georg Simmel's philosophical testament; 5. The apocalypse of hope: Ernst Bloch's phenomenology of utopic spirit; 6. The road to Damascus: György Lukács and History and Class Consciousness; 7. From death into life: Franz Rosenzweig's redemptions; 8. World-philosophy: Ernst Cassirer, freedom in ways of worldmaking; 9. Martin Heidegger and the titanic struggle over being; 10. The tragedy of the person: Edmund Husserl at war.

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Book SynopsisWhile the history of food on the home front in wartime Britain has mostly focused on rationing, this book reveals the importance and scale of nation-wide communal dining schemes during this era. Welcomed by some as a symbol of a progressive future in which wasteful' home dining would disappear, and derided by others for threatening the social order, these sites of food and eating attracted great political and cultural debate. Using extensive primary source material, Feeding the People in Wartime Britain examines the cuisine served in these communal restaurants and the people who used them. It challenges the notion that communal eating played a marginal role in wartime food policy and reveals the impact they had in advancing nutritional understanding and new food technologies. Comparing them to similar ventures in mainland Europe and understanding the role of propaganda from the Ministry of Food in their success, Evans unearths this neglected history of emergency public feeding Table of ContentsTable of Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgements Introduction: Emergency public feeding in 20th and 21st century Britain § The National Kitchen § The British Restaurant § Public Feeding § Eating Out § Many Mouths § Emergency Measures 1. British Food and Feeding up to the First World War § Introduction § Faith and Consumption § Female Voluntarism, Class and Gender § Scientific Advance, Class, and Nutritional Reform § Humanitarianism, Socialism and the New Liberalism § Conclusion 2. The Birth of Emergency Public Feeding in the First World War Introduction From soup kitchens to communal kitchens The radical threat of communal dining Avoiding the taint of charity and establishing the female role: the organisation of the new national kitchens Conclusion 3. The development of Emergency Public Feeding in the First World War Introduction Food Control Committees and the forward march of public feeding The ‘Peripatetic Piewoman’: a case study in female leadership in public feeding Food Reformers: Nutritional Instruction and Egalitarian Eating ‘Civilizational Value’? Arnold Bennett versus GK Chesterton Resistance grows Conclusion 4. British Food and Feeding in the Interwar period · Introduction · Public Feeding limps on as British society changes · Nutrition, the Body and National Health · Communal Feeding as Communism and the female call for ‘permanent relief’ · International Comparisons · Conclusion 5. The Birth of Emergency Public Feeding in the Second World War Introduction The British Restaurant is born Nutritional Reform § British Restaurants: how they looked and how they worked Left/Right political divisions Conclusion 6. The Development of Emergency Public Feeding in the Second World War Introduction Nutritional reformers versus the sausage roll Emergency Feeding Schemes – the Queen’s Messenger Convoys A Plethora of Schemes Eating Out with Tommy Trinder (and Barbara Cartland) Utility – ‘marginal’ to the war effort, or more significant? Conclusion Conclusion: Emergency feeding in historical perspective Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - First published in 1915, May Byron's Wartime Cookery Book soon became a classic of wartime Home Front cook books. With some 550 recipes, she showed how to make tasty meals from basic, readily available and home-grown products.

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Book SynopsisOriginally published under the title An Airmans Outing, this magnificent title chronicles the daily life of the Flying Officer during the Great War. Touchingly dedicated to The Fallen of Umpty Squadron R.F.C., Bott chronicles the lives and losses of his squadron as they carried out their duties over France in 1916. A modest and unflinching account of Great War aviation, Bott neither aggrandises nor dismisses any achievement of his crack squadron. A squadron that suffered so heavily, holding the record for casualties sustained by any flying squadron during three months, from the beginning of the war to the end of 1916 - a testament to the bravery and determination of the men who continued to serve within it.Tinged by this sadness, My War in the Air 1916 still conveys the aspirations of the British Royal Flying Corps in their early days, and the hope its many flying aces placed in the establishment, as a powerful tool to defend and protect. As W. S. Brancker states inside, War has been t

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Book SynopsisAt the start of the 20th century the Ottoman Navy was a shadow of its former might, a reflection of the empire as a whole - the Sick Man of Europe. Years of defeat, nepotism, and neglect had left the Ottoman Navy with a mix of obsolete vessels, whilst the list of prospective enemies was ever-growing. An increasing Russian naval presence in the Black Sea and the alarming emergence of Italy and Greece as regional Naval powers proved beyond all doubt that intensive modernization was essential, indeed, the fate of the Empire as a naval power depended on it. So the Ottoman Navy looked to the ultimate naval weapon of the age, the dreadnought, two of which were ordered from the British. But politics intervened, and a succession of events culminated in the Ottoman Navy fielding a modern German battlecruiser and state-of-the-art light cruiser instead - with dramatic consequences. In this meticulous study, Ryan Noppen presents a fresh appraisal of the technical aspects and operations of the warsTable of ContentsIntroduction/ Ottoman Warships/ Operations/ Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThe Mosin-Nagant is the world''s longest-surviving and most widely distributed military rifle, having armed the forces of Russia and many other countries for more than five decades. It has seen action from World War I to the present day, but is most famous for its role during World War II when it proved to be an excellent sniping weapon in the hands of marksmen such as Vasily Zaitsev and Simo Häyhä. This study covers the rifle''s entire combat history, from its early development through to its service in combat and the impact it has had on modern firearms.Dramatic battle reports and specially commissioned artwork complement the meticulously researched examination of the Mosin-Nagant provided by author Bill Harriman as he delves into the history of one of the most iconic rifles of World War II.Table of ContentsIntroduction / Development / Use / Impact / Conclusion / Bibliography / Index

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Book SynopsisAt the beginning of 1917, the three empires fighting on the Eastern Front were reaching their breaking points, but none was closer than Russia. After the February Revolution, Russia''s ability to wage war faltered and her last desperate gamble, the Kerensky Offensive, saw the final collapse of her army. This helped trigger the Bolshevik Revolution and a crippling peace, but the Central Powers had no opportunity to exploit their gains and, a year later, both the German and Austro-Hungarian empires surrendered and disintegrated.Concluding his acclaimed series on the Eastern Front in World War I, Prit Buttar comprehensively details not only these climactic events, but also the successor wars that raged long after the armistice of 1918. New states rose from the ashes of empire, and war raged as German forces sought to keep them under the aegis of the Fatherland. These unresolved tensions between the former Great Powers and the new states would ultimately lead to the rise of Hitl

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Book SynopsisWinner of the World War One Historical Association's 2021 Norman B. Tomlinson, Jr. PrizeGlobal War, Global Catastrophe presents a history of the First World War as an all-consuming industrial war that forcibly reshaped the international environment and, with it, impacted the futures of all the world's people. Narrated chronologically, and available open access, the authors identify key themes and moments that radicalized the war's conduct and globalized its impact, affecting neutral and belligerent societies alike. These include Germany's invasion of Belgium and Britain's declaration of war in 1914, the expansion of economic warfare in 1915, anti-imperial resistance, the Russian revolutions of 1917 and the United States' entry into the war. Each chapter explains how individuals, communities, nation-states and empires experienced, considered and behaved in relationship to the conflict as it evolved into a total global war. Above all, the book argues that only by integratiTrade ReviewThis book is impressive in its breadth, elegantly written, and provides a short and succinct introduction to the state of the art of research into an ever more global First World War. * European History Quarterly *In blending economic, diplomatic, and social history, Maartje Abbenhuis and Ismee Tames convincingly demonstrate that the gradual shift from a European war to a global conflict dramatically affected neutral states and communities alike, and subsequently destabilized their economies and everyday activities ... Abbenhuis and Tames offer a stunning contribution to the global conflict and furthered Bloomsbury Academic’s reputation as an authoritative publisher. * Journal of Military History *Wonderfully well written and organized, this book is an excellent synthesis of recent scholarship and a major contribution to the existing literature on an important but under researched topic. It also has much to tell us about neutral states in our own world of great power competition. * Michael S. Neiberg, author of Dance of the Furies: Europe and the Outbreak of World War I, USA *This book emerged from the desire of the authors to integrate neutral countries and neutrality into a general history of the First World War. It does this and much more. Above all, this book fully exposes the inescapability of the war’s global influences and how ‘the dynamics of destruction’, to use the authors’ words, affected every part of the world. This book is a revelation of the First World War’s pervasive and destructive reach. * Glyn Harper, Professor of War Studies, Massey University, New Zealand *In this inspiring study, Maartje Abbenhuis and Ismee Tames have succeeded in presenting a truly global view of the First World War. Including states, peoples and individuals of both belligerent and neutral countries, they paint a comprehensive picture of this catastrophic period. * Prof. Dr. Wim Klinkert, Netherlands Defence Academy, University of Amsterdam, Netherlands *Abbenhuis and Tames have written a fine and rich global history of the Great War. They explore the devastating effects of the 1914-18 conflict on societies and families all over the world, and show how a new kind of war, industrialized and transgressive, created political expectations and hopes that could never be realized. * Jay Winter, Charles J. Stille Professor of History emeritus, Yale University, USA *This innovative book highlights the global scope of World War I and the transformations it introduced in societies all around the world, showing its multiple and totalizing echoes. It offers a fascinating and comprehensive perspective of the conflict that reassesses the connections, exchanges and interactions between neutrals and belligerents. * María Inés Tato, PhD in History, CONICET/Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina *The authors turn the conventional history of the Great War inside out. By focusing on colonies, neutral states, the naval war and the world economy, they provide a fresh and powerful analysis of how a world conflict indeed transformed the globe. A bravura performance. * John Horne, emeritus, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland *This book bracingly reappraises the First World War’s global dynamics. Lucidly defining total war as a process, not a model, it shows how the conflict, from its inception, corroded notions of limited war. Importantly, Abbenhuis and Tames demonstrate how neutrality was part and parcel of the war’s logic. * Sophie De Schaepdrijver, Walter L. and Helen P. Ferree Professor of Modern European History, The Pennsylvania State University, USA *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Note on Sources List of Illustrations Introduction: A Total Global Tragedy 1. A World of War before 1914 2. Germany’s Invasion of Belgium and the Expectations of ‘Civilized’ War 3. Short-War Ambitions: The Global Importance of Britain’s Declaration of War 4. Long-War Realities: Economic Warfare and the Evolution of Total War in 1915 5. The ‘Barbarian’ Next Door: Total War at Home and Abroad in 1915 6. The Test of Endurance: Rethinking the War in 1916 7. Nothing Stays the Same: Revolutionary Transformations in 1917 8. The End of Neutrality? The Global Importance of the United States’ Declaration of War 9. Exit… 1918-1919 Select Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisAfterlives of war documents the lives and historical pursuits of the generations who grew up in Australia, Britain and Germany after the First World War. Although they were not direct witnesses to the conflict, they experienced its effects from their earliest years. Based on ninety oral history interviews and observation during the First World War Centenary, this pioneering study reveals the contribution of descendants to the contemporary memory of the First World War, and the intimate personal legacies of the conflict that animate their history-making.Table of ContentsIntroductionPart I: Researcher1 The evidence of afterlives 2 Family transmissionPart II: Observer3 National narratives in the Centenary 4 Meeting in No Man’s Land: motives for remembrance – Michael Roper and Rachel Duffett Part II: Historian5 Fathers and the habits of home 6 Playing at war and being at war 7 Daughters, care and citizenship Part IV: Descendant8 Father and son on Bob’s war 9 Dysentery and the Anzac Legend10 Legacies of dysentery 11 Stomaching peace EpilogueIndex

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Book SynopsisAlthough the Royal Navy did not invent the submarine, Norman Friedman's new book demonstrates how innovative the service was, to an extent which few will recognise. Its submarines performed well in combat in both world wars, and often in unheralded ways. Few will be aware that in 1914 Britain had the largest submarine fleet in the world, and that at the end of World War I it had some of the largest and most unusual of all submarines - whose origins and design are all detailed. During the First World War they virtually closed the Baltic to German iron ore traffic, and they helped block supplies to the Turkish army fighting at Gallipoli. British submarines were a major element in the North Sea battles, and they helped fight the U-boat menace. These roles led on to British submarine operations in World War II. Readers will be aware of the role of US submarines in strangling Japan, but perhaps not how British submarines in the Mediterranean fought a parallel costly but successful battle to strangle the German army in North Africa. Like their US counterparts, interwar British submariners were designed largely with the demands of a possible Pacific War, although that was not the war they fought. And the author shows how the demands of such a war, which would be fought over vast distances, collided with interwar British Government attempts to limit costs by holding down the size (and numbers) of submarines. It says much about the ingenuity of British submarine designers that they managed to meet their requirements despite enormous pressure on submarine size. As in other books in this series, the author demonstrates how a combination of evolving strategic and tactical requirements and evolving technology produced successive types of design. The Royal Navy was always painfully aware of the threat enemy submarines posed, and British submariners contributed heavily to the development of British anti-submarine tactics and technology, beginning with largely unknown efforts before the outbreak of World War I. Between the Wars British submariners exploited the new technology of sonar (Asdic), both to find and attack enemies and to avoid being attacked themselves. As a result, they pioneered submarine silencing, with important advantages to the US Navy as it observed the British. And it was a British submarine that pioneered the vital postwar use of submarines as anti-submarine weapons, sinking a U-boat while both were submerged. This feat was unique. Heavily illustrated with photos and original plans, this new volume from Norman Friedman, incorporating so much original analysis, will be eagerly awaited by naval historians and enthusiasts everywhere.

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Book SynopsisVF Eberle MC joined up on the outbreak of the war in No 2 Field Company Royal Engineers, 48th (South Midland) Division, the same company as his brother, who was a captain in it. He was commissioned before sailing for France at the end of March 1915 and remained with it for the rest of the war. In that time he saw action on the Somme and in the Advance to the Hindenburg Line before his Division took part for most of the Battle of Third Ypres (Passchendaele). Transferred to Italy at the end of 1917, he took part in the final stages of the war, including the Battle of Asiago. Besides his eloquent description of the work of a field company RE, he spends some time in outlining his role in the development of the Bangalore Torpedo. Based on his war time letters, diaries and records - which can now be consulted in the Imperial War Museum, it gives a detailed picture of the employment of a field company in war, both during periods of relative tranquility as well as during major offensives. There are relatively few memoirs of Royal Engineers' officers, especially of those in his position, so close to the line. The memoirs benefit from his key eye for observation and his skilful use of the material available to him, making this a fine addition to the literature of the Great War.

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Book SynopsisIn the summer and autumn of 1918, the British Expeditionary Force, under Field Marshal Haig, fought a series of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed mightily to the German Army's final defeat. They did so as part of an Allied coalition, one in which the role of Australian diggers and US doughboys is often forgotten. The Bellicourt Tunnel attack in September 1918, fought in the fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and marked a unique moment in the Allied armies' endeavours. It was the first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a British formation. Additionally, untried American II Corps and experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, with British divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks. Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten desperate German defence. Although celebrated as a marvellous feat of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack generally failed to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the conventional explanation of the US mop up failure and points the finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps commander for particular criticism. Overall, Blair judges the fighting a draw. At the end, like two boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and the Germans, badly battered, were back-pedalling to remain on balance. That said, the day was calamitous for the German Army, even if the clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on the Western Front and hence Imperial Germany itself was bleak indeed.

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Book SynopsisThe annals of the First World War record the Argonne Forest as the epicentre of the famous Meuse-Argonne offensive of 1918\. The largest American operation launched against the Germans during the conflict. During 1914 and 1915 though, amidst the dense forest, French and Italian soldiers withstood the German assaults. All sides suffered horrendous casualties, as each sought to break through the lines. The epic four-year campaign is the subject of Richard Merry's vividly written account. His great-uncle arrived there in September 1914 and started corresponding with his family. Richard traces the stories of some of the men -and women -who became embroiled in the epic forest struggle which culminated in the cold, gas-filled autumnal mist of 1918 when the New Yorkers of the 77th Liberty' Division fought there. One of their number, Charles Whittlesey, and his 'Lost Battalion' held out against insurmountable odds. Sergeant Alvin York, the Tennessee backwoodsman and pacifist, overcame his religious convictions and wrote himself into American military history. The story does not end there; the author describes the aftermath of war in the area -the lethal outbreak of Spanish flu, the reburial of the dead, the rebuilding of the villages and the replanting of the forest before the Germans invaded again in 1940.

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Book SynopsisThis book describes the wartime experiences of Reverend David Railton, MC, who was a chaplain on the Western Front during WWI. As a chaplain, Railton supported soldiers in their worst moments, he buried the fallen, comforted the wounded, wrote to the families of the missing and killed, and helped the survivors to remember and mark the loss of their comrades so that they were able to move on and do their job. He was present at many battles, and received the Military Cross for rescuing an officer and two men under heavy fire on the Somme.It was Railton’s idea to bring home the body of a fallen comrade, whose identity was unknown, from the battlefields of Belgium and France to be buried in Westminster Abbey. Although suffering from what was obviously Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, after the war he carried out his duties as the vicar of Margate and took on many philanthropic works on behalf of the poor, especially supporting ex-servicemen who came home and had to deal with the aftermath of a terrible war and crippling unemployment.The story of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has been told several times, including the part played by the Reverend David Railton, M.C. However, this book – based on hundreds of Railton's original letters, notes, and writings – is the first book to tell the story of the man himself and his flag, which he used as an altar cloth and shroud throughout the war, was consecrated a year after the burial of the Unknown Warrior, and now hangs in Westminster Abbey.Trade ReviewRailton's is a story worth telling and Richard's narrative of wartime events and peacetime social conditions is clear and effective. * Stand to! *The Flag is a memoir full of hope and inspiration. It offers up a lesson to us all. It's a must-read and, once and for all, ensures the life and times of Padré Railton will never be forgotten. BRITAIN AT WAR BOOK OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER 2018 * Britain at War Magazine *The book explains how Railton was moved to create a symbol which every family in the country could identify. That symbol lies inside Westminster Abbey in the shape of the Unknown Soldier. […] Such a legacy is monumental and a fitting tribute to the work of the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department during the war. * Gun Mart *We have waited nearly a century for Reverend David Railton's story, and this book does this humble and decent man a great service. It is an extraordinary story. * Guards Magazine *...a worthwhile biography and one well worth reading. * Long Long Trail *The book is an attractive addition to the mass of literature about the First World War and about the tasks and frequent heroism of the chaplains. * Church Times *This is a well-researched book...The style of writing brings home something of what it was to be an army chaplain amid the battles in France and Flanders. * Methodist Recorder *Table of ContentsPrologue – 1: Sleepless Nights – 2: Early Days in France – 3: Vimy Ridge – 4: The Graveyards – 5: Military Cross – 6: Winter of Death – 7: Private Blakemore – 8: The Quiet Sector – 9: Back to Blighty – 10: It’s Now or Never – 11: The Unknown Warrior – 12: Hanging the Flag – 13: Going Home

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Book SynopsisPicture a daredevil combatant, secret agent and brilliant inventor all rolled into one. Such a man was pyrotechnical genius Frank Brock, a scion of the famous firework family and one of Britain’s great, unsung heroes. A remarkable combination of James Bond and ‘Q’, Frank was killed in action one hundred years ago. His story has never been told before, yet he made an extraordinary contribution to the British war effort between 1914 and 1918, saving thousands of lives. Frank could easily have been the template for 007. A heavyweight boxer, rugby player and brilliant shot, he uniquely held commissions in all three branches of the armed services – army, navy and air force – during the First World War. As an inventor he ended Germany’s dream of air supremacy with his pioneering Brock Bullet. A year later he helped prevent German domination of the Channel by inventing giant flares which lit up the sea at night and forced U-boats into deep mine fields. It did not end there. As a secret agent he dashed to France on his wedding day, rowed across a lake into enemy territory, and prepared the ground for the world’s first strategic bombing raid – ordered by Winston Churchill – on a Zeppelin base in southern Germany. Later, as a combatant, he played a leading role in one of the war’s most daring naval raids – a raid only made possible because of the artificial fog heinvented to mask the attacking vessels.Gunpowder and Glory tells more than Frank’s remarkable story of invention and derring-do. Woven into the narrative is the dazzling history of Brock’s Fireworks, the world-famous firm started by Frank’s five-times great-grandfather, and which he was being groomed to run.Trade Review...highly recommended. It is hard to imagine what a display with 50,000 sq feet of set pieces would be like. It brings home what an amazing cultural history we have in the UK with fireworks. * Fireworks Discussion Forum 09/11/2021 *Gunpowder & Glory is an excellent addition . . a beautifully crafted book . . which conveys the huge Brock enterprise . . . and quite rightly includes many of the old photographs, particularly the incredibly convincing heads of famous people. . . . The modern firework displays are fast moving with a larger net explosive content . . . . but more limited in style. As we read about the famous displays at the Crystal Palace and the pleasure that they obviously gave, we must not forget them. * Fireworks Magazine *Brock was both an ingenious inventor and man of action – a man who well deserves this well written and illustrated biography authored by his grandson and a journalist. * Garrison Library 16/08/2021 *...a very well-written and gripping book partly on a global fireworks company and partly on apparently one of the most critical persons on the British side in WWI. * International Journal of Intelligence and Counterintelligence *In places, Brock’s own life reads so fantastical you might think Rudyard Kipling had invented it, but all was true. […] This is a story well told. * Muster Magazine *Accessibly and attractively written . . . a fascinating story of one of the most amazing figures in the history of the Royal Navy and a recommended read. * Navy News *The style of his death during the Zeebrugge raid in April 1918 is something which reflects the way his lived his life and can be summed up in one word ‘extraordinary’ * gunmart.net *There is something of the ripping yarn about it, and with the descriptions of Frank Brock as a “…daredevil combatant, secret agent and brilliant inventor…. pyrotechnical genius, one of Britain’s great, unsung heroes….” plus the lurid cover, I felt that I was in for an enjoyable read. I wasn’t wrong. * Naval Review *Gunpowder & Glory is a glorious book to read, told at a racing pace and well-illustrated. This is a must read book. * Warships International *A book that reads like fascinating dinner conversation... Frank lived at a time when it was possible — and men, at any rate, were encouraged — to be more than one thing... He should have been in a lab somewhere, cooking up another bullet, another light ... Today, he surely would be suitably contained, his efforts efficiently channelled, his spirit carefully and surgically broken. * The Spectator *Admiral Keyes, in trying to dissuade him from taking part in the raid, had told Brock beforehand that his genius for inventions was just too valuable. Unfortunately, it was not in the nature of this unique individual to listen. * NavyBooks 05/07/2021 *“The real life Q and Bond all rolled into one... the first biography of a man whose initials appropriately spelt FAB.” * RAF News *A fascinating and engaging biography that will add depth and colour to any Great War Guide’s knowledge. * Despatches *A fascinating combination of military and corporate history. This fascinating book does a good job of telling their story. * Baird Maritime *Frank Brock is a hero whose story needs to be told. * The Globe and Laurel *Written in a very readable rollicking style of Wing Commander Frank Brock OBE, a quite extraordinary character who made a unique and special contribution in World War I… It provides a fascinating and at times a gripping read and is certainly well recommended. * Scuttlebutt 12/06/2020 *This very readable book has many connections with the subcontinent, and the story of fireworks and their role as entertainment and spectacle over the centuries is a bonus. * Durbar 09/06/2020 *It is a fascinating story in its own right! This is a great book, easy to read and with much background information useful for wargamers. Brock himself is larger than life and an astonishing figure; strongly recommended. * Miniature Wargames *The first biography of Frank Brock, one of Sutton’s most famous residents, has just been published. * Sutton Voice *..its fascinating dust cover is based on a Brock’s poster for the Crystal Palace summer display season of 1909, the fireworks for which were made in the factory on Gander Green Lane. * Past on Glass blog *Table of ContentsChapter 1: Come on, you Boys Chapter 2: A Whiff of Black Powder Chapter 3: Fireworks in their Blood Chapter 4: Taking the Palace by Storm Chapter 5: The Shakespeare of Pyrotechnics Chapter 6: Whatever you are, be Brave Boys! Chapter 7: Pomp and Circumstance Chapter 8: A Carpet of Violets Chapter 9: Monsters of the Sky Chapter 10: Seeking the Holy Grail Chapter 11: The Magic Bullet Chapter 12: Father of Invention Chapter 13: Striking the Viper’s Nest Chapter 14: Brock of the Mole Chapter 15: The Finest Feat Chapter 16: Brock’s Benefit

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Book SynopsisThe true story of German secret agents engaged in a campaign of subversion and terror in the United States before and during World War I.Many believe that World War I was only fought over there, as the popular 1917 song goes, in the trenches and muddy battlefields of Northern France and Belgiumthey are wrong.There was a secret war fought in America; on remote railway bridges and waterways linking the United States and Canada; aboard burning and exploding ships in the Atlantic Ocean; in the smoldering ruins of America''s bombed and burned-out factories, munitions plants, and railway centers; and waged in carefully disguised clandestine workshops where improvised explosive devices and deadly toxins were designed and manufactured. It was irregular warfare on a scale that caught the United States woefully unprepared.This is the true story of German secret agents engaged in a campaign of subversion and terror on the American homeland before and during World War I.

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Book SynopsisThis remarkable woman, Ida May Morris was an imaginative raconteur, telling tall tales to entertain her family and friends. Her own story takes the reader through history as Ida experiences discrimination, brutal riots, class struggles, sexual abuse and the suffrage movements. When her husband William is killed at the Battle of the Somme, she takes her two children and extended family to Australia for a better life. Moving to the raw outback was not a simple solution.

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Book SynopsisLetters From a Yankee Doughboy is a collection of more than 125 letters written by Private 1st Class Raymond W. Maker, to his sister, Eva, a county nurse living in Framingham, Massachusetts, describing his everyday service in combat during World War 1. These letters, edited by Private Maker’s grandson, Major Bruce H. Norton (USMC retired) are accompanied by 365 pocket-diary entries that Raymond religiously kept throughout the year 1918.Private Maker was assigned to Company C, 101st Field Signal Battalion, as a wireman, whose duty was to repair and replace the communications lines that were destroyed by artillery and mortar barrages during the horrific battles that took place between German infantry forces and the 26th “Yankee” Division of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), in France, from October of 1917 until the end of the war.Assigned to the 104th Infantry Regiment, Private Maker saw the very worst of ground warfare. He fought at the Battle of Belleau Wood; was gassed by German artillery forces at the Battle of Château-Thierry and was wounded by artillery fire outside of Verdun, just one day before the Armistice was signed. The theme of his letters will vividly evoke memories in the tens of thousands of men and women who have served their country and their friends and loved ones.As a postscript, toward the end of the war, Raymond took the key to the North Gate of Verdun as a battlefield keepsake and mailed it home to his sister, instructing her to “keep that key, as someday it will be of value.” On November 11, 2018 – the centenary of Armistice Day – the author returned that key to Thierry Hubscher, the Director of the Mémorial de Verdun, to be placed on display in that great Museum, closing a 100-year chapter in Raymond’s life.

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Book SynopsisJuly 1918. Preparing to speak to an eager audience, 61-year-old Teddy Roosevelt receives the telegram that all parents of children who serve in war fear most: His son Quentin's plane has been shot down in a dogfight over France. His fate is unknown. Despite rising fear for his youngest son, Teddy takes the stage to speak to his beloved fellow citizens. It is, he says, "my simple duty." But the speech evolves from politics and the war, into an examination of his life, the choices he's made, and the costs of his "Warrior Philosophy."Overflowing with his love of nature, adventure, and justice, Teddy dramatically illustrates the life of one of America's greatest presidents. His many accomplishments ranged from charging up San Juan Hill in Cuba as commander of the Rough Riders, to facing down U.S. corporate monopolies, to launching the Great White Fleet, building the Panama Canal, and the preservation of hundreds of millions of acres of natural American beauty. And finally, to the vigorous life at Sagamore Hill and his immense pride in a beloved and rambunctious family. Teddy reveals how even the greatest of men is still just a man, and how even the most modest man can grow to be great.Trade ReviewCovering both Roosevelt's formative years and his achievements in the White House, and summarizing the politics of his time, Teddy is an excellent graphic biography that serves as a compelling reminder of why Theodore Roosevelt is considered one of the greatest US presidents." —Foreword Reviews

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Book SynopsisThe First World War was a watershed in world history. Tragic but far from futile, its origins, events and legacy have roused impassioned debate, creating multiple interpretations and confusion for those encountering the period for the first time. Synthesising the latest scholarship, acclaimed historian Gary Sheffield cuts to the heart of the conflict. He explores such key issues as: - the causes of war- the great battles on land, sea and in the air- the search for the peace and peace settlements- the political, social and economic consequences- the impact of 'total war' on the belligerents and the individual- and the place of the Great War in the history of warfare Accessible and authoritative, this is the ultimate introduction for anyone wanting a clear understanding of what happened and why.Trade Review‘The best short history of World War One that is currently available’ * Jeremy Black, Professor of History, University of Exeter *‘An excellent introduction to this vast subject which will be accessible to those beginning to study the conflict as well as a stimulating read for more experienced scholars.’ * Brian Bond, Emeritus Professor of Military History, Kings College, London *‘A compelling and original account that should become a set text for anyone wanting to understand the events of 1914-18.’ * James Holland, bestselling author of The Battle of Britain and Dam Busters *‘Professor Gary Sheffield, one of the leading figures in the field, turns his considerable talent to providing the most up-to-date view of this most controversial of conflicts. The result is history at its very best; masterfully written, engaging, and thought provoking.’ * Andrew Wiest, Founding Director of the Center for the Study of War and Society, University of Southe *‘One of Britain’s foremost historians of the Great War offers here a clear and concise account of the great catastrophe of the 20th Century. Drawing on an enormous knowledge of secondary literature combined with many years of immersion in the archives, the result is a masterful mix of narrative and analysis that will prove both provocative and stimulating.’ * Jeffrey Grey, Professor of History, UNSW Canberra *‘In a book all the more impressive for its brevity, Gary Sheffield covers a remarkable amount of ground, from the war's causes to its consequences.’ * Michael Neiberg, Professor of History at the University of Southern Mississippi *‘Gary Sheffield is one of Britain's foremost historians of the First World War – insightful, original and superbly informed.’ -- Max Hastings'[An]iconoclastic tour de force.' * Niall Ferguson, Sunday Telegraph on Forgotten Victory *'Outstanding' -- Sir Michael Howard on Forgotten Victory'Well written and persuasive …objective and well-rounded... This scholarly rehabilitation should be the standard biography of Haig.' * Andrew Roberts, Mail on Sunday on The Chief *'Solid scholarship and admirable advocacy.' * Sunday Telegraph on The Chief *

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Book Synopsis'Teutonic Titans: Hindenburg, Ludendorff, and the Kaiser's Military Elite' covers the era 1847-1955-heavily illustrated with over 500 images of German Emperor Wilhelm II's First World War marshals and generals, emphasizing their lives, careers, battles, and campaigns. The book covers both Western and Eastern Fronts, as well as the Balkans, Baltics, Middle, and Far East. It is also heavily detailed with maps, cartoons, graphics, and photographs, plus descriptions of strategies, tactics, weapons, statistics on all losses, and results. Period cartoons add to the vast array of photographic sources worldwide: United States National Archives and Library of Congress, Washington and College Park, Maryland; Imperial War Museum London: Bundesarchiv, Bonn, and also His Majesty's own albums at Doorn House, Holland, many of them previously unpublished. German Crown Prince Wilhelm and Bavarian Crown Prince Rupprecht, all German Chiefs of General Staff and War Ministers are detailed as well, plus all top Allied leaders and commanders: Woodrow Wilson, John J. Pershing; David Lloyd George, King George V, Sir Douglas Haig, and Sir John French among them; Tsar Nicholas II, Grand Duke Michael, and more; Frenchmen Henri Petain, Joffre, Foch, and Weygand; as well as those of Serbia, Italy, Greece, Rumania, and Bulgaria.Table of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgments; Timeline of Events; 1 Stage, 1847-1914; 2 East, 1914-18; 3 Middle East, 1914-18; 4 Balkan States, 1916-18; 5 Baltic States, 1916-18; 6 West, 1914-18; 7 Armistice and Revolution, 1918-20; 8 Weimar Republic, 1921-31; 9 Nazis, 1932-34; 10 Scepters, 1935-36; 11 Swastikas, 1937-45; 12 Imperial & Royal Exits, 1951-55; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisThese three Battleground Europe books on Ypres 1914 mark the centenary of the final major battle of the 1914 campaign on the Western Front. Although fought over a relatively small area and short time span, the fighting was even more than usually chaotic and the stakes were extremely high. Authors Nigel Cave and Jack Sheldon combine their respective expertise to tell the story of the men - British, French, Indian and German - who fought over the unremarkable undulating ground that was to become firmly placed in British national conscience ever afterwards. The most direct route to Ypres for the advancing German columns in October 1914 was along the axis of the Menin Road. It was here that the Old Contemptibles of the BEF earned their legendary heroic status as they fought off increasingly desperate German assaults day after day, whilst place names such as Zandvoorde, Polygon Wood and Gheluvelt were first etched into the British national consciousness. Bent and battered by the German storm, dressed in rags and short of food, equipment and ammunition, the regiments of the old professional army stood their ground against huge odds.When, on 11th November, they finally halted the Prussian Guards around Polygon Wood, virtually within sight of Ypres, they were reduced to one thin firing line. The BEF was at its last gasp, but it had inflicted a crushing defeat on the German army.

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Book SynopsisThe motorised wheels of war begin to turnIn 1914 as the B. E. F was quickly hurried to the battle lines-by whatever means possible-British troops were amused to see familiar commercial vehicles trundle past, resplendent with their colourful advertisements for household products. The French civilian population was equally amused, bemused and occasionally confused by this incongruous sight. The Great War, with powered flying machines, submarines, motor transport and tanks, was the first major mechanised war. The invention of the internal combustion engine metamorphosed the waging of war. Motor transport could efficiently move both men and materials, the dispatch rider was no longer the glittering aide-de-camp but a drab, goggled corporal on a motorcycle, and weapons of destruction could be carried behind the steel plating of motorised armoured cars and tanks. This subject fascinates those interested in the history of modern warfare and to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, the Leonaur Editors have compiled this special three-in-one book about the Great War from the perspective of ''the motor.'' The first title here is an excellent overview of the subject, accompanied by useful illustrations and diagrams, which covers each aspect of the motor at war. Next is a manufactures catalogue with detailed views and elevations of the very commercial vehicles that carried British troops to the front in 1914. The final piece is an extract about motor transport and armoured vehicles in the first decades of the 20th century. This is a useful reference guide for all military vehicle enthusiasts.Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

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Book SynopsisA unique Leonaur edition-never before available in this formJohn Buchan was a popular author of historical and adventure fiction whose works remain in print to the present day. He also wrote important works of non-fiction that are less well remembered. Among these was a commissioned, multi-volume history of the First World War that was so well regarded that it became a source-work for other historians. This Leonaur Original, drawn from Buchan''s history, and including many maps, battle plans, photographs and illustrations, has been published to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War on the Western Front as overwhelming German forces swept through Belgium and France. This was a mobile war-much like the wars fought in Europe for hundreds of years-of marching infantry and cavalry armed with lances and swords. The battle at Mons, the dogged retreat of the ''Contemptible Little Army'' of the B. E. F., the incredible resistance of the out-dated Belgian Forces, the battles of the Marne and Aisne as the tide turned, and the carnage of the First Battle of Ypres as the war became a stalemate of wire, mud and trenches at the close of the year, are all covered in Buchan''s brilliant take on just six months of war in 1914.Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

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Book SynopsisThe bloodiest battle in the history of the British Army.In 1916 the Great War seemed caught in a stalemate. The British were determined to break it with a huge summer push. By the time the campaign wound down in November, it proved to be the most destructive ever encounter for the Army, seeing thousands of casualties for every day of the conflict. It wasn’t meant to have been like this: the British had a massive artillery superiority, and were primed to crush their enemy. In the end, despite fierce fighting, the Germans lost far fewer men.The Somme has come to be an emblem for the horrors of war, for the pounding of shells and the hunkering down in rain-sodden trenches. What happened? How did it go so wrong for the British? Here in sharp detail, the bestselling writer John Harris tells the story of one the key battles of world history, describing in gripping terms how a series of events soon spiralled wildly, and hopelessly, out of control.This is an unforgettable history of assault and bitter defence that takes the reader into the ferocious heart of a conflict whose scars remain today.

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Book SynopsisThe typewritten script of a First World War pilot's diary with a large number of photographs was submitted to the publishers William Heinemann and published by them in 1933. Heinemann stated on the book's jacket that the diary contained no names, dates, or anything that could reveal the identity of the writer or the squadron in which he served. The publishers understood that the diarist was killed in action in 1918 and that it was in deference to the wishes of those who were close to him that his diary should be published. So remarkable were the photographs that their veracity was immediately questioned, but no proof of their authenticity or otherwise could be ascertained. It was not until 1983 that a collection of documents, photographs and artefacts was presented to the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum. Some of the photographs were recognised as being those of the mystery diarist and the truth was soon revealed. The author was Wesley Archer, an American with Canadian parents who served with the RFC in the First World War, and the photographs and diary had been faked.

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Book Synopsis'Old Bill' began as the cartoon creation of Captain Bruce Bairnsfather: born amidst the carnage of WWI 'Old Bill' lampooned life within the trenches and went on to become a beloved character within the play The Better 'Ole which filled the music halls of the United Kingdom. But who was 'Old Bill'? Certainly, there was no agreement amongst professional historians. So, when John Belcher was handed a collection of documents and photographs by an elderly relative, he was both surprised and intrigued to discover that 'Old Bill' was apparently his great uncle, Thomas Rafferty. This discovery set the author off on a journey to find out more. Who exactly was this remarkable man, a Lance Corporal in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment who had died at the Second battle of Ypres? What was his connection with Bruce Bairnsfather? Why had Bairnsfather denied to his widow Kate that he had known Rafferty as 'Old Bill'? Kate would, all the same, eventually be acknowledged and accepted by the public as the wife of 'Old Bill' and be presented with a Commemorative Peace Medal. Over time, however, Rafferty - the man behind the myth - was quietly forgotten. This book is the culmination of several years' research by John Belcher, his great nephew, that collates a range of evidence to establish Rafferty's claim to be the real 'Old Bill' of the western trenches. All royalties from the sale of this book will be donated to charity.

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Book SynopsisThat notions of femininity were seriously disrupted during the First World War has become obvious in recent years. But what happened to masculinity at the same time? Based on letters, diaries and oral histories, "Dismembering the Male" explores the impact of the 'war to end all wars' on the male body. Joanna Bourke argues convincingly that military experiences led to a greater sharing of gender identities between men of different classes and ages. She concludes that attempts to construct a new type of masculinity failed as the threat of another war, and with it the sacrifice of a new generation of men, intensified.Trade ReviewBourke evokes a real tenderness and understanding for the men who were pushed to breaking point and beyond ... in a book well illustrated with contemporary photographs and sketches from men's letters and diaries ... a fine work Times Higher Education Supplement cogent insights into wartime experience Independent on Sunday stunning The Observer

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Book SynopsisThe Ypres Times was the journal of the remembrance movement, the Ypres League. Founded in 1921, the League was the creation of Henry Beckles Willson and Beatrix Brice. Both Brice and Beckles Willson understood the crucial significance of Ypres to the British Empire, and believed it their sacred duty to maintain the memory of those who had fought and fell in its defence. As the League’s journal, the Ypres Times published a huge range of material. It carried reminiscences of veterans, discussions about the rebuilding of Ypres, the developing work of the Imperial War Graves Commission in the salient, and the erection and unveiling of unit memorials. The Ypres Times reproduced for the first time, in facsimile format and bound in three volumes provides a fascinating insight into the way the British Empire’s central commemorative site was understood and imagined in the twenties and thirties.

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