First World War Books

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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Book SynopsisA masterpiece of humanism, Time Stood Still recounts Paul Cohen-Portheim's years of internment in England as an enemy alien during World War One. A passionate but balanced argument against internment and its inherently dehumanizing effects.

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Book SynopsisHabsburg Sons describes Jewish participation in the Habsburg Army, 1788-1918, concentrating on their role in World War I. Approximately 300,000-350,000 Jews fought in the Austro-Hungarian Armies on all fronts. Of these, 30,000–40,000 died of wounds or illness, approximately 25,000 were officers. At least 17% were taken prisoner in camps all over Russia and Central Asia. Many soldiers were Orthodox Ostjuden, and soldiers came into regular contact with Jewish civilians. Over 130 Feldrabbiner (chaplains) served mainly on Eastern and Italian Fronts. Antisemitism was present but generally not overt. The book uses personal diaries and newspaper articles (most available in English for the first time) to describe their experiences. The comparative experiences of Jews in German, Russian, Italian Armies is also summarized.Trade Review“Like many of Dr. Appelbaum’s previous books, which looked at the Jewish troops and chaplains in the German Army, [Habsburg Sons] reveals a landscape we know almost nothing about: the lives of Jewish soldiers who fought on the side of the Central Powers in World War I. Because of what the Germans and Austrians and their collaborators did to the Jews in World War II, we can hardly picture the patriotic Jewish sons of Germany or Austro-Hungary—but Dr. Appelbaum’s works open that world up for us. He does not simply present a dry history of these soldiers and chaplains. Instead, acting both as author and translator, he develops their story using their own words, from their contemporaneous accounts and later memoirs… [T]he records of how the Jews served their countries and how they felt about their efforts remain a poignant testament of their belief regarding where they belonged and what they were obligated to do.”— Yossi Krausz, Ami MagazineTable of ContentsTable of ContentsForeword: A History of a Bygone Era, by Manfried Rauchensteiner Jewish Soldiers in Habsburg Austria, by Gerald Lamprecht IntroductionPlatesChapter 1. Setting the StageChapter 2. Jews in the Armies of Austro-Hungary before the Great War: A Comparative FrameworkChapter 3. The Kaiser Needs You! Initial Reaction to the Declaration of WarChapter 4. Snapshots from the Eastern Front: Diaries, Memoirs, ReportsChapter 5. Snapshots from Other Fronts: The Balkans, Italy, and PalestineChapter 6. Austro-Hungarian Feldrabbiner: Tallit, Torah, and TobaccoChapter 7. Captives of the Tsar in European Russia, Siberia, and Central AsiaChapter 8. Epilogue. The Fate of Habsburg Jewish Veterans and Their Influence on Postwar EuropeBibliography

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Book SynopsisHabsburg Sons describes Jewish participation in the Habsburg Army, 1788-1918, concentrating on their role in World War I. Approximately 300,000-350,000 Jews fought in the Austro-Hungarian Armies on all fronts. Of these, 30,000–40,000 died of wounds or illness, approximately 25,000 were officers. At least 17% were taken prisoner in camps all over Russia and Central Asia. Many soldiers were Orthodox Ostjuden, and soldiers came into regular contact with Jewish civilians. Over 130 Feldrabbiner (chaplains) served mainly on Eastern and Italian Fronts. Antisemitism was present but generally not overt. The book uses personal diaries and newspaper articles (most available in English for the first time) to describe their experiences. The comparative experiences of Jews in German, Russian, Italian Armies is also summarized.Trade Review“Like many of Dr. Appelbaum’s previous books, which looked at the Jewish troops and chaplains in the German Army, [Habsburg Sons] reveals a landscape we know almost nothing about: the lives of Jewish soldiers who fought on the side of the Central Powers in World War I. Because of what the Germans and Austrians and their collaborators did to the Jews in World War II, we can hardly picture the patriotic Jewish sons of Germany or Austro-Hungary—but Dr. Appelbaum’s works open that world up for us. He does not simply present a dry history of these soldiers and chaplains. Instead, acting both as author and translator, he develops their story using their own words, from their contemporaneous accounts and later memoirs… [T]he records of how the Jews served their countries and how they felt about their efforts remain a poignant testament of their belief regarding where they belonged and what they were obligated to do.”— Yossi Krausz, Ami MagazineTable of ContentsTable of ContentsForeword: A History of a Bygone Era, by Manfried Rauchensteiner Jewish Soldiers in Habsburg Austria, by Gerald Lamprecht IntroductionPlatesChapter 1. Setting the StageChapter 2. Jews in the Armies of Austro-Hungary before the Great War: A Comparative FrameworkChapter 3. The Kaiser Needs You! Initial Reaction to the Declaration of WarChapter 4. Snapshots from the Eastern Front: Diaries, Memoirs, ReportsChapter 5. Snapshots from Other Fronts: The Balkans, Italy, and PalestineChapter 6. Austro-Hungarian Feldrabbiner: Tallit, Torah, and TobaccoChapter 7. Captives of the Tsar in European Russia, Siberia, and Central AsiaChapter 8. Epilogue. The Fate of Habsburg Jewish Veterans and Their Influence on Postwar EuropeBibliography

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Book SynopsisAlexander Aitken was an ordinary soldier with an extraordinary mind. The student who enlisted in 1915 was a mathematical genius who could multiply nine-digit numbers in his head. He took a violin with him to Gallipoli (where field telephone wire substituted for an E-string) and practiced Bach on the Western Front. Aitken also loved poetry and knew the Aeneid and Paradise Lost by heart. His powers of memory were dazzling. When a vital roll-book was lost with the dead, he was able to dictate the full name, regimental number, next of kin and address of next of kin for every member of his former platoon-a total of fifty-six men. Everything he saw, he could remember. Aitken began to write about his experiences in 1917 as a wounded out-patient in Dunedin Hospital. Every few years, when the war trauma caught up with him, he revisited the manuscript, which was eventually published as Gallipoli to the Somme in 1963. Aitken writes with a unique combination of restraint, subtlety, and an almost photographic vividness. He was elected fellow of the Royal Society of Literature on the strength of this single work-a book recognised by its first reviewers as a literary memoir of the Great War to put alongside those by Graves, Blunden and Sassoon. Long out of print, this is by some distance the most perceptive memoir of the First World War by a New Zealand soldier. For this edition, Alex Calder has written a new introduction, annotated the text, compiled a selection of images, and added a commemorative index identifying the soldiers with whom Aitken served.Trade Review`Deeply moving . . . an epic of devotion and sacrifice.'- Sir Bernard Fergusson

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Book SynopsisA major new account of Britain’s military strategy between 1914–1945, including the two world wars and everything betweenTrade Review“Robin Prior’s assessment of the workings, strengths, and weaknesses of civil-military relationships and their impact on military outcomes in both wars is trenchant and challenging.”—William Philpott, Times Literary Supplement “How Britain’s Armed Forces coped in two world wars is the subject of Conquer We Must: A Military History of Britain, 1914–1945, by Robin Prior, which exposes the constant tension, whether in conflict or in peace, between politicians and service chiefs.”—Simon Heffer, Daily Telegraph, “Best History Books 2022” Shortlisted for the 2023 Military History Matters Book of the Year “[A] tremendous, sweeping study of power in wartime.”—Allan Allport, Literary Review “[A] magisterial analysis of the Britain between 1914 and 1945.”—Robert Lyman, Aspects of History “In sum, this is an enlightening, uplifting and altogether magnificent book.”—Allan Mallinson, Country Life “Intensively researched using both military and political archives, it is revealing and thought-provoking.”—Choice “A superb and highly readable account. . . . That Britain ultimately made an effective and successful partnership between politicians and soldiers, seen most explicitly in the personalities of Churchill and Brooke, lies at the heart of this engaging book. . . . I couldn’t put it down, and neither will you.”—Robert Lyman, Aspects of History “[Conquer We Must] is both interesting and important . . . an informed contribution based on sound scholarship and interpretation of the facts at hand.”—Christopher Harrison, Journal of Military History “Any book by Robin Prior is an event, and this is no exception. Conquer We Must is a well-researched and trenchantly argued tour de force. Historians of Britain’s military effort in the two world wars will be busy debating his ideas for years to come.”—Gary Sheffield, author of Forgotten Victory “This is a gripping account of how relations between the military and the politicians shaped the outcome of Britain’s two world wars, revealing just how much the experience of 1914–18 informed decision-making in 1939–45. Robin Prior provides incisive arguments for what went wrong for the British and what, crucially, went right and why.”—Heather Jones, author of For King and Country “This book is the result of decades of research and writing on Britain at war in the twentieth century. Authoritative and insightful, a classic piece of military history by one of the finest exponents of the genre.”—David G. Morgan-Owen, author of The Fear of Invasion “A very impressive and vivid piece of work which pulls together a lifetime of scholarship by one of our finest military historians.”—Jonathan Boff, author of Haig’s Enemy

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA prince in one of Russia''s most exalted noble families, Grigorii N. Trubetskoi was a unique and contradictory figure during World War I. A lifelong civil servant and publicist, he began his diplomatic career in Constantinople, where he served as first secretary of the embassy there for several years. He became one of the leaders of an important political orientation among the liberals that began to express opposition to the tsar, not only on questions of political freedom and domestic political reform, but also by criticizing the tsar''s foreign policy on nationalistic grounds. Trubetskoi possessed significant influence over Russian foreign policy and was instrumental in pushing the regime toward an aggressive annexationist stand in the Balkans. When the Russian ambassador to Serbia died suddenly in June of 1914, Trubetskoi was appointed as his replacementsituating him at the center of Russian diplomacy during the decisive period of Russia''s entry into the war. His account of thiTrade ReviewA very important memoir. Very few others had the intimate view of Russian foreign policy and its leadership that Trubetskoi had. -- Ronald P. Bobroff, Oglethorpe University

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Book SynopsisFighting Anzacs have metamorphosed from flesh and blood into mythic icons. The war they fought in is distant and the resistance to it within Australia has been forgotten. In the Shadow of Gallipoli corrects this historical amnesia by looking at what was happening on the Australian home front during WWI. It shows that the war was a disaster, and many Australians knew it. Discontent and dissent grew into major revolt. Bollard considers the wartime strike wave, including the Great Strike of 1917, alongside the impact of international political events including the Easter Rising in Ireland and the Russian Revolution. The first year of peace was tumultuous as strikes and riots involving returned Anzacs shook Australia throughout 1919. This book uncovers the history that has been obscured by the shadow of Anzac. This is history from below at its best.

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Book SynopsisForeword by His Royal Highness Charles, Prince of Wales Hospital ships filled the harbour of Le Havre as the 75th Mississauga Battalion arrived on 13 August 1916. Those soldiers who survived would spend almost three years in a tiny corner of northeastern France and northwestern Belgium (Flanders), where many of their comrades still lie. And they would serve in many of the most horrific battles of that long, bloody conflict - Saint Eloi, the Somme, Arras, Vimy, Hill 70, Lens, Passchendaele, Amiens, Drocourt-Quéant, Canal du Nord, Cambrai, and Valenciennes. This book tells the story of the 75th Battalion (later the Toronto Scottish Regiment) and the five thousand men who formed it - most from Toronto - from all walks of life. They included professionals, university graduates, white- and blue-collar workers, labourers, and the unemployed, some illiterate. They left a comfortable existence in the prosperous, strongly pro-British provincial capital for life in the trenches of France and Flanders. Tommy Church, mayor of Toronto from 1915 to 1921, sought to include his city's name in the unit's name because of the many city officials and local residents who served in it. Three years later Church accepted the 75th's now heavily emblazoned colours for safekeeping at City Hall from Lieutenant-Colonel Colin Harbottle, who returned with his bloodied but successful survivors. The author pulls no punches in recounting their labours, triumphs, and travails. Timothy J. Stewart undertook exhaustive research for this first-ever history of the 75th, drawing from archival sources (focusing on critical decisions by Brigadier Victor Oldum, General Officer Commanding 11th Brigade), diaries, letters, newspaper accounts, and interviews.Trade Review"This book explores the role of the 75th Battalion during the Great War. It is particularly useful in correcting some misunderstandings about the 75th in battle, especially at Vimy and Passchendaele. It also analyses Toronto's militia before the war, providing new insight into the intersection of citizen-soldiers in society. Stewart takes the story forward beyond demobilization in 1919 and reconstructs the enduring bonds of comradeship and how veterans reflected upon their war experience over time." -- Tim Cook, C.M., Canadian War Museum"To understand how and why a battle or campaign developed the way it did, it is essential to study the ground, and Tim Stewart has certainly done that. I accompanied him on two tours of the Western Front (and as the grandson of a soldier of the 243rd Overseas Battalion of the CEF I felt privileged to do so) where in meticulous detail he walked the ground of the 75th Battalion's actions from its blooding on the Somme in 1916 to the victorious advance of the Battle of Amiens in 1918. With a population of less than eight million in 1914 Canada mobilised 620,000 men, and 60,000 of them were killed in that titanic struggle. Tim has produced a fitting tribute to those men of the 75th, volunteers all, who answered the call in the darkest days of the Empire." - Gordon Corrigan MBE, author Mud, Blood and Poppycock: Britain and the First World War"Tim Stewart's account of the 75th (Mississauga) Battalion CEF during and after the Great War sheds new light on the most formative and perhaps even the most important years in the history of The Toronto Scottish Regiment, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own. Indeed it was in those early years in France and Flanders that the spirit, ethos and reputation of our proud regiment were forged and it is the example set by Lieutenant Colonel Beckett and the officers and men of the 75th Battalion that we continue to follow to this day. Stewart's account is gripping, candid, and ultimately befitting of the story of this proud regiment. I have no doubt that this book will become mandatory reading for all soldiers of the Toronto Scottish and those seeking to fully understand the contributions made by those men of Toronto and its surrounding areas who served in the 'war to end all wars.' " - Graham Walsh, Director, Lieutenant Colonel , Commanding Officer, The Toronto Scottish Regiment, (Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own)"The Fighting 75th is a rich tribute, beautifully illustrated, with vignettes culled from thousands of hours of research. ... Stewart documents their stories with genuine warmth and a police reporter's eye for detail." -- Holly Doan -- Blacklock's ReporterEven before one picks up this history it's clear that this is a beautiful book and a labour of love. A true bibliophile will hold this book with reverential hands and promise to care for it accordingly. The quality of its manufacture, at least, demands no less.... Toronto's Fighting 75th is a fine examination of one battalion of the CEF and the people behind it. Members of the Toronto Scottish will find the book a treasure, and they won't be the only ones. The only flaw of the book is one that very few modern writers could rectify: that after 100 years, we still don't really understand what drove these very ordinary Canadians forward and made them such formidable fighting men. -- John Thompson -- The Fife and Drum, 20180401

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisIn the summer of 1915 the Royal Naval Air Service found itself engaged in an unexpected war at sea, the fight to prevent the German submarine fleet from disrupting the flow of vital supplies to the British Isles, necessary for the conduct of the war. It was a war that had to be won because by the spring of 1917 the U-boat campaign against Allied merchant shipping was close to bringing the British war effort to the point of collapse. Airships of the RNAS played a vital part in this new war at sea. This book tells the story of the young men who ventured out over the often hostile waters around the British Isles in airships, who were expected to hunt down the German submarines and to attack them with the hopelessly inadequate weapons at their disposal. The story is told by those who took part in this new form of warfare, through pieces written by them or via interviews with veterans. It covers the entire experience of being an airship pilot, from initial training, through their numerous adventures while flying these frail craft over the coastal waters of the British Isles, to the final victory in 1918.

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Book SynopsisThe battle for Vimy Ridge one hundred years ago has been characterized as a defining moment in Canadian history. The idea of thousands of Canadian young men dying together in the mud and tangled wire of northern France was, and still is, considered by many as nation-building.Tom Goodman generally accepted this view until he discovered a rich trove of letters between his grandmother and Archie Polson, the uncle he has never met. Reading through the exchanges, Goodman came to realize that war is sometimes about winning, but it is always about loss. He has now collected many of these letters, along with his own contextual narrative, so that we can see the true cost of war to a family and a country.

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