First World War Books

Book SynopsisA first-hand account of the Lusitania’s doomed final voyage.On May 7, 1915, the German U-boat U-20 fired a torpedo into the side of the passenger liner R.M.S. Lusitania as it passed the Old Head of Kinsale in Ireland on its way to Liverpool, England. This act of war had a terrible toll—of the 1,962 passengers and crew, 1,191 lost their lives, many of them women and children.One of the passengers on the ship was Charles E. Lauriat, Jr., a rare book dealer who traveled regularly to London for business. When the German embassy placed a warning notice in several New York papers stating that any ships of Great Britain and her allies would be considered fair targets, Lauriat, along with most of the other passengers, dismissed the notion that a civilian liner would actually be attacked.Lauriat’s memoir of the journey recreates the torpedo attack—describing the listing ship as it filled with water and people scrambled for lifeboats, too often finding them inaccessible or unusable—and details the rescue that came too late for most of his fellow passengers. Lauriat then points out the many faults of the official inquiry, telling the true story of that tragic day.With a new foreword and photos of the ship, The Lusitania’s Last Voyage is a gripping account of one of history’s greatest naval disasters.Skyhorse Publishing, along with our Arcade, Good Books, Sports Publishing, and Yucca imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. Our list includes biographies on well-known historical figures like Benjamin Franklin, Nelson Mandela, and Alexander Graham Bell, as well as villains from history, such as Heinrich Himmler, John Wayne Gacy, and O. J. Simpson. We have also published survivor stories of World War II, memoirs about overcoming adversity, first-hand tales of adventure, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.Trade Review“Two distinct kinds of interest attach to this clear-headed account of the Lusitania horror as seen by an influential Bostonian—that of his own remarkable experiences, and that of his criticisms of Cunard officials. His testimony as to the discipline of the officers and crew is in conflict with the subsequent findings of Lord Mersey’s court.”—New York Times (reviewed December 12, 1915)“Charles Lauriat's detailed narrative as an eyewitness to the sinking of the Lusitania resonates even today. His heroic actions resulted in many being saved. Over 100 years later, history lovers are still captivated by his tale.”—Mike Poirier, co-author of Into the Danger Zone: Sea Crossings of the First World War, historical consultant to Erik Larsen’s bestseller Dead Wake“Two distinct kinds of interest attach to this clear-headed account of the Lusitania horror as seen by an influential Bostonian—that of his own remarkable experiences, and that of his criticisms of Cunard officials. His testimony as to the discipline of the officers and crew is in conflict with the subsequent findings of Lord Mersey’s court.”—New York Times (reviewed December 12, 1915)“Charles Lauriat's detailed narrative as an eyewitness to the sinking of the Lusitania resonates even today. His heroic actions resulted in many being saved. Over 100 years later, history lovers are still captivated by his tale.”—Mike Poirier, co-author of Into the Danger Zone: Sea Crossings of the First World War, historical consultant to Erik Larsen’s bestseller Dead Wake

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Book SynopsisAlan Smith's _Allenby's Gunners_ tells the story of artillery in the highly successful World War I Sinai and Palestine campaigns. Following Gallipoli and the reconstitution of the AIF, a shortage of Australian gunners saw British Territorial artillery allotted to the Australian Light Horse and New Zealand Mounted Rifle brigades. It was a relationship that would prove highly successful and _Allenby's Gunners_ provides a detailed and colourful description of the artillery war, cavalry and infantry operations from the first battles of Romani and Rafa, through the tough actions of Gaza, the Palestine desert, Jordan Valley and Amman to the capture of Jerusalem. The story concludes with the superb victory of Megiddo and the taking of Damascus until the theatre armistice of 1918. Smith Covers the trials and triumphs of the gunners as they honed their art in one of the most difficult battlefield environments of the war. The desert proved hostile and unrelenting, testing the gunners, their weapons and their animals in the harsh conditions. The gunners' adversary, the wily and skilful Ottoman artillerymen, endured the same horrendous conditions and proved a tough and courageous foe. The light horsemen and gunners also owed much to the intrepid airmen of the AFC and RFC whose tactical and offensive bombing and counter-battery work from mid-1917 would prove instrumental in securing victory. This is an aspect of the campaign that is seamlessly woven throughout as the action unfolds. The Sinai and Palestine campaigns generally followed a pattern of heavy losses and setbacks for an initial period before allied forces eventually prevailed. This is a highly descriptive volume that tells and oft-neglected story and fills the gap in the record of a campaign in which Australians played a significant role. It is a welcome addition to the story of the Australians in the Middle Eastern campaigns of World War I.

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Book SynopsisThe German offensive in Flanders in April 1918 came close to catastrophe for the British Armies, but ultimately ended in strategic defeat for the Kaiser's men. Following closely on the heels of the devastating 'Operation Michael' attack in March on the Somme and around Arras, named as 'Operation Georgette', the offensive was aimed at strangling the vital railways and roads that supplied the British at Ypres. Having assembled an overwhelming numerical advantage, the Germans attacked in thick fog on 9 April 1918. They faced tired British formations that had just been relieved from the earlier battle and which were receiving replacements, mainly in the form of 18 year-old conscripts. By the day's end, the Germans had succeeded in gaining a crossing of the River Lys and were well on their way to the vital railway junctions at Hazebrouck. Several British divisions were deployed to stop the advance, only to be effectively destroyed in the attempt over the next few days. Gradually, fresher British, Australian and French reserves arrived and held their ground. With disappointing results, mounting casualties and a diminishing return for their efforts, the Germans abandoned the offensive and turned their attention further south. What the British call The Battle of the Lys 1918 is a fascinating yet curiously neglected period of military history. Chris Baker examines this major battle from the strategic down to the platoon level, highlighting the key events, characters and acts of enormous bravery on both sides, both in a historical narrative and in a series of tours of the area. This volume, one of two on the battle, concentrates on the southern half of the battlefield.

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Book SynopsisThe second of two Battelground Europe titles covering this highly significant battle of spring 1918. The German offensive in Flanders in April 1918 came close to catastrophe for the British Armies, but ultimately ended in strategic defeat for the Kaiser's men. Following close on the heels of the devastating 'Operation Michael' attack in March, which had been aimed against the British front on the Somme and Arras, this offensive, 'Operation Georgette', was aimed at strangling the vital railways and roads that supplied the British at Ypres and threatening the vital logistics links with the Channel Ports. Having assembled an overwhelming numerical advantage, the Germans attacked in thick fog on 9 April 1918. By day's end, the Germans had succeeded in gaining a crossing of the River Lys and were well on their way to the railway junctions at Hazebrouck. Next day, they extended the attacked front northwards and advanced to the very gates of Ypres, forcing a British retirement from the bloodily won advances during the Third Battle of Ypres. Messines Ridge, captured so spectacularly by the British in June 1917, was soon in German hands and fighting inched towards Mont Kemmel, which dominated the Ypres front. Once this fell, the way was open for the capture of the main supply roads into Ypres. To find sufficient reserves to counter the German attack, the British took the heart-breaking decision to abandon the ground won so dearly in the Passchendaele offensive in the summer and autumn of 1917. Gradually, fresher British and French reserves arrived and held their ground. With disappointing results, mounting casualties and a diminishing return for their efforts, the Germans paused to regroup. Late in the month they unleashed a rapid, unstoppable attack that captured Kemmel from the French forces that had been rushed north to reinforce the threatened line and which had been holding the summit: one of the finest military feats of the Great War. Behind the scenes, however, the Germans were already calling off a continuation of the offensive and so, by a seeming miracle, the bastion that was Ypres remained in British hands. What the British call 'The 'Battle of the Lys 1918' is a fascinating yet curiously neglected period of military history. Chris Baker examines this major battle from the strategic down to the platoon level, highlighting the key events, characters and acts of enormous bravery on both sides, both in historical narrative and in a series of tours of the area. This volume concentrates on the northern half of the battlefield; nearly all of the actions described in this volume took place in Belgium.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first biography of General Sir Edward Bulfin, who rose to high rank despite his Catholic Irish republican background, at a time when sensitivities were pronounced. Not only that but by the outbreak of the Great War, Bulfin was a brigade commander despite having not attended Sandhurst or Staff College and never commanding his battalion. In his early career he was a prot g of Buller's and he made his name in the Boer War. In 1914 Haig credited him with saving the day at First Ypres despite being wounded and gave him 28th Division. Unable to get on with Gough, he was sent home. He raised the 60th London Division and took it to France, Salonika and Egypt where Allenby chose him to command a corps. His success against the Turks at Gaza, Jerusalem and Megiddo justified Allenby's confidence. Despite ruthlessly crushing disturbances in post-war Egypt, Bulfin's beliefs and background led him to refuse Churchill's order to command the police and army in Ireland. A private man, Bulfin left few letters and no papers and the author is to be congratulated on piecing together this fascinating biography of an enigmatic military figure.

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Book SynopsisGregory Blaxland has written a superb account of 1918, the final year of the war when the balance of advantage between the combatants changed so dramatically in a matter of weeks that summer. As the realities of the changing nature of warfare by late 1917 made the retention of static lines, no matter how sophisticated, no longer a long term viable option for the defence; and with Russia knocked out of the war, the Germans under Hindenburg and Ludendorff determined on a bold series of major offensives, the first of which was aimed at the British Fifth Army with the objective of seizing Amiens, a crucial rail head and the city that marked the boundary between the BEF and the French. Capture this and the Germans had a good chance of separating the key allied powers. Despite almost destroying Fifth Army and advancing within ten miles of Amiens, the Germans failed in their objective; they turned to a number of other hard thrusts along the line but were foiled on each occasions. Reinforced by substantial numbers of American troops, the allies launched their first, French led, counter attack on 18 July, which many considered the turning point of the 1918 campaign and, indeed the whole war. Shortly afterwards, on 8 August, the BEF (with some French support) attacked with Fourth Army before Amiens and was stunningly successful-what Ludendorff described as the 'Black Day of the German Army'. There followed a sequence of blows by all the allies along the Western Front, pushing the Germans back to the borders; with her allies collapsing and with the Imperial Navy in a state of mutiny, The book largely concentrates on the British and Dominion troops of the BEF. The first half is taken up with the attack on Amiens (and, to a lesser extent, on Arras). In the second half of the book the author provides a cohesive account of the British response in retaking the initiative from the Germans, though not failing to give allied nations their due. Besides giving a full narrative account, he also provides a useful critical commentary of the performance of armies and generals. This is a welcome reprint of an accessible account of the crucial year of the war, when on the Western Front the conflict broke free of its entrenched deadlock. Despite the extraordinary achievements of the BEF in 1918, they still remain remarkably little known and even less appreciated.

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Book SynopsisAny visitor to the site of the bloodiest battle in the history of the United States will be drawn to Montfaucon, for it is here that General Pershing, the Commander in Chief, determined that the major memorial to the American Expeditionary Forces would be sited. The impressive classical column, erected on the summit of Montfaucon Hill, can be seen from many parts of the battlefield of the Meuse-Argonne 1918. The village of Montfaucon, perched on and around one of the most notable heights in the Argonne area, was a first day objective for the First American Army in its massive offensive that was launched on 26 September 1918 and which rumbled on until the Armistice. Montfaucon had been the scene of bitter fighting between the French and the Germans in the early stages of the war, finally staying securely in German hands. The attack started well, with the great numbers of Doughboys easily moving through the first line of the German defence system; and, indeed, good progress was made all along the front, even if final objectives were not attained that would have brought the Americans up to the Hindenburg Line defences. The most notable setback was the failure to capture Montfaucon, an objective given to the 79th Division. Why the task of capturing this key part of the German line to a 'green' division, composed of draftees and which had only had six weeks or so of training time in France, instead of the prescribed three months, has never been adequately explained. What has proved to be controversial ever since is why the 4th Division, a regular formation that had already been engaged in battle on the Western Front and which gained its objectives on the first day, did not seek to assist the 79th when it was clear that it was facing significant difficulties in overcoming the Montfaucon defences. The outcome was that the village and hill did not fall on the first day. How significant this setback was to the success and the duration of the offensive has also been the subject of considerable discussion. Montfaucon was an important observation point for much of the war, providing distant views over considerable amounts of ground and thus invaluable for the German artillery. How much its loss mattered to the Germans when fighting a defensive battle, with the defence lines south of it already lost, is more open to debate, given the vantage points that the Germans continued to enjoy from high ground to the north-west and east. Maarten Otte sets the importance of Montfaucon and the ultimately successful effort to capture it within a succinct narrative. In the tours section he takes the visitor on a number of routes so that they can see for themselves the problems on the ground that faced the 79th Division and puts Montfaucon in the context of the wider battle. He also provides a detailed tour of the village and hill itself, including the magnificent memorial and the preserved defences and ruins which surround it.

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Book SynopsisThis book describes the campaigns fought by the Gloucestershire Regiment's sixteen infantry battalions and the 1/1st RGH which saw action on all the Allied fronts. During The Great War the Gloucesters who already had more battle honours than any other regiment won another eighty-two. Over 46,000 men served in the Gloucesters and the RGH during the First World War without any member of either regiment being charged with either desertion or cowardice. Twenty-five Military Medals were won by 1st Gloucesters at Festubert on one day in April 1918, a record for a single battalion. A Gallant County captures the contrast between the fighting in the mud of the Western Front, the heat and dust of the Middle East and the horrors of Gallipoli. The author skilfully paints the picture of infantry and cavalry actions in the different theatres. 1/1st RGH were one of only two yeomanry regiments to fight from Egypt to Aleppo. The use of personal accounts and descriptions of acts of individual and collective gallantry make this a superb record of a County's outstanding contribution to victory.

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Book SynopsisThe enemy must not get the Messines Ridge at any price � So read the orders to German troops defending the vital high ground south of Ypres. On 7 June 1917, the British Second Army launched its attack with an opening like no other. In the largest secret operation of the First World War, British and Commonwealth mining companies placed over a million pounds of explosive beneath the German front-line positions in 19 giant mines which erupted like a volcano. This was just the beginning. By the end of that brilliant summer's day, one of the strongest positions on the Western Front had fallen in the greatest British victory in three long years of war. For the Anzacs, who comprised one third of the triumphant Second Army, it was their most significant achievement to that point; for the men of the New Zealand Division, it would be their finest hour. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Messines for the Australians, whose first two years of war had represented an almost unending catalogue of disaster. This was both the first real victory for the AIF and the first test in senior command for Major General John Monash, who commanded the newly formed 3rd Division. Messines was a baptism of fire for the 3rd Division which came into the line alongside the battle-scarred 4th Australian Division, badly mauled at Bullecourt just six weeks earlier. The fighting at Messines would descend into unimaginable savagery, a lethal and sometimes hand-to-hand affair of bayonets, clubs, bombs and incessant machine-gun fire, described by one Australian as '72 hours of Hell'. After their string of bloody defeats over 1915 and 1916, Messines would prove the ultimate test for the Australians

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Book SynopsisFollowing in their best-selling series of Battlefield Guides this is a companion volume to the Holts Western Front South Guide. Between the two they cover the main WW1 Western Front battlefields. This book covers 15 of the most significant battles of the northern area from Nieuwport to just north of The Somme. Whether travelling on the ground or in the mind, the reader is carefully guided through the battlefields with a mixture of succinct military history, cameo memories and stories of VCs and other personalities, interspersed with references to the literature and poetry of the war. This guidebook is based on Tonie and Valmai Holt's 30 years experience of researching, guiding tours and writing about the area, with their unique blend of male and female points of view. It is written to the high standards that have come to be expected of these highly respected authors who are credited with pioneering the modern battlefield tour and whose guide books are referred to as 'The Bibles' .Trade Review"An excellent Guidebook to the Ypres, Yser, Vimy Ridge, Arras and other Flanders battlefields with concise descriptions of the battles from 1914 to 1918 and directions for tours and routes."--WWI Historical Foundation

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Book SynopsisThe Royal Naval Division, a fighting formation of naval ratings and Royal Marines, was formed at the instigation of Winston Churchill at the beginning of the First World War. At first under the control of the Admiralty, it fought at the defence of Antwerp in October 1914 and through the whole of the Gallipoli campaign. In 1916 the Admiralty handed the Division over to Army control. Re-named the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division, it fought with great distinction and success with the BEF in France and Belgium. The division was always an odd ball formation, fighting under the White Ensign, and its eight naval battalions were named after great admirals. The greatest of them all, Vice Admiral Horatio, Viscount Nelson, gave his name to Nelson Battalion. Like the other naval battalions, the Nelson had a complement of officers and ratings of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Royal Fleet Reserve seamen and stokers. Nearly 800 would lose their lives in the three and half years of its fighting existence. The book traces the history of Nelson Battalion from August 1914 to February 1918 when it was disbanded. Against the background of the battalions movements and battles the fate of its sailor-soldiers is revealed, more than 300 individuals being mentioned in the text. A full roll of honour is also included.

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Book SynopsisWhy did a long time reluctant US President Wilson finally enter World War I on the side of the Allies in April 1917? In retaliation of the British naval blockade of Germany since August 1914, the German Admirals determined at the beginning of 1915 to create a counter-blockade of the British Isles with their submarines. The U-boat commanders got – without knowledge of the government - a secret order to sink Allied passenger liners. The British Admiralty discovered the hunt for passenger liners by deciphering W/T messages to the U-boats. The sinking of the Lusitania on May, 6th, 1915, was no coincidence – the Royal Navy knew about the intentions of the U-boats and, after doing everything to protect the passenger liners in the beginning, they simply left the Lusitania alone in in the first week of May, to create frictions between America and the German Empire. A diplomatic quarrel between US President Wilson and Germany about U-boat warfare commenced. In spring of 1916 the German Navy acted again against the instructions of the Kaiser and ordered secretly the sinking of allied and neutral vessels in the British Channel, thereby opening an unrestricted U-boat war. When the channel ferry Sussex was attacked, Wilson threatened to break off of diplomatic relations with Germany. Under massive diplomatic pressure the German government had to give in. Further on, their U-boats only conducted a “soft”, restricted warfare, following the internationally agreed maritime rules and tolerated by Wilson. In Germany a heated debate set in after the Sussex case. The Navy promised the quick defeat of England by unrestricted U-boat war, and the Army joined this campaign end of 1916. The intention of the “war party” was to rule out any possibility of a negotiated peace and to set the German Empire on a – risky - course for definitive victory. But the government doubted the Navy’s capability for all-out U-boat warfare and argued that the only definitive result would be an America siding the Allies, leading to ultimate defeat. In the last months of 1916 it sent out peace feelers to Wilson, warning him, that in the case of a failure of his peace mediation they would get under unbearable pressure of the “military opposition” to begin unrestricted U-boat war again. At this time Britain was – like Germany – economically with its back against the wall: it suffered terribly by the sinking of its merchant ships, the moral of its Admiralty in Anti-Submarine-Warfare had completely broken down. Collapse was threatening. But the British government got wind of the conflicts inside Germany by the deciphering of the diplomatic cables between Wilson and the Germans. The new Prime Minster, David Lloyd George, chose a risky strategy – by rebuffing all American peace efforts he wanted to encourage the radical party in Germany to enforce total U-boat war. Finally this British strategy payed out: German Navy and Army pressed the Kaiser to declare unrestricted U-boat war from 1st of February 1917 on, and Wilson broke off diplomatic relations. But he still bristled to enter the war on Allied side – as long as American ships would be treated correctly by the Germans, he wouldn’t come in, not even after the publication of the Zimmermann-telegram. The tipping point came in the middle of March, when U-boats torpedoed American vessels without warning. This forced the American Declaration of War against the German Empire on April 6, 1917.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first of a series of five titles which will cover each year of the war graphically. Countless thousands of pictures were taken by photographers on all sides during the First World War. These pictures appeared in the magazines, journals and newspapers of the time. Some illustrations went on to become part of post war archives and have appeared, and continue to appear, in present-day publications and TV documentary programmes. The Great War Illustrated series, beginning with the year 1914, will include in its pages many rarely seen images with individual numbers allocated and subsequently they will be lodged with the Taylor Library Archive for use by editors and authors. The Great War Illustrated 1914 covers the outbreak of hostilities, the early battles, the war at sea, forming of the great trench line stretching from the coast to the Swiss border and ends with the Xmas truce. Some images will be familiar but many will be seen for the first time by a new generation interested in the months that changed the world for ever.

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Book SynopsisA revelatory new history that explores the tantalizing and almost-realized possibility that the First World War could have ended in 1916, saving millions of lives and utterly changing the course of history.In August 1916, two years into World War I, leaders in all the warring powers faced a crisis. There were no good military options. Money, people, and food were running short. Yet roads to peace seemed daunting too, as exhausted nations, drummed forward bypatriotic duty and war passion, sought meaning from their appalling sacrifices.Germany made the first move. Its government secretly asked Woodrow Wilson, President of the United States and leader of the only great power still neutral, to mediate an end to the Great War. As a token of good faith, Germany promised to withdraw from occupied Belgium. Wilson too was anxious to make peace. If he failed, he felt sure America would drift into a dreadful, wider war. Meanwhile, the French president confided to Britain's King that the Allies should accept Wilson's expected peace move and end the war.In THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED, Philip Zelikow recounts the five months when, behind closed doors, the future of the war, and the world, hung in the balance. It is a story of civic courage, of awful responsibility, and of how some rose to the occasion or shrank from it. "Peace is on the floor waiting to be picked up!" pleaded the German ambassador to the United States. This book shows how right he was, and how close leaders came to doing so.

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Book SynopsisFOLLOWING THE DOUGHBOY FROM THE HOME FRONT TO THE WESTERN FRONT—AND MAPPING THE MANY MEMORIALS BUILT IN HIS HONOR It has now been a century since World War I began, but America’s role in this colossal struggle has been largely forgotten on both sides of the Atlantic. Historian and travel writer Mark D. Van Ells aims to change that. America and World War I follows in the footsteps of the Doughboy—as the U.S. soldier of the Great War was known—from the training camps of the United States to the frontlines of Europe. Tracing the totality of America’s experience from the factors that led the nation to enter the war in April 1917 to the armistice in November 1918, his riveting narrative describes a military buildup on a scale the world had never seen, as well as the war’s major battles and campaigns?and, throughout, it leads the traveler to the memorials erected in the Doughboys’ wake, as well as to the many places that remain unmarked and uncommemorated. Through their own words, we learn the feelings of those young men and women who served in the war. What were their private thoughts and fears? Their personal memories? Such eyewitness accounts, woven into the fabric of each chapter, give this absorbingly written book an immediacy and vividness that marks a new departure in guidebooks. Complete with photographs, the voices of the doughboys themselves, and up-to-date travel information, America and World War I is an indispensible guide for those who wish to explore this vital but neglected chapter in the American and European experience. • Major battles and battlefields • Memorials, museums, sites, cemeteries, and statues • How to get there • What to see • Eyewitness accounts • Maps • Then and now photographs

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Book SynopsisThis is a rare day-to-day account by a young German squadron leader in Jagdstaffel 35 during the grim last year of the war. Originally published in 1933, it provides minute descriptions of kills, losses, and the Germans’ step-by-step retreat in the face of increasingly overwhelming Allied forces in the air. Brutally honest and vividly written, Stark’s account of the end-game of the Imperial German Army Air Service provides an intimate, front-row glimpse of the death-throes of a once feared corps. This book also contains reproductions of some of the author’s paintings depicting life on the Western Front.

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Book SynopsisThis book, originally written in 1931 by “Vigilant” (the pen name for Claude Sykes), tells the dramatic tales of air combat as fought by the best German pilots of the First World War. Manfred von Richthofen, Max Immelmann, Oswald Boelcke and other famous daredevil flyers are joined by the lesser-known but equally resourceful colleagues such as Rudolph von Eschwege and Hand Shuz, taking part in furious battles in the sky and close escapes on the ground when brought down on the wrong side of the lines.German War Birds contains some of the earliest information to appear after the war about air combat in the Middle East and Russia, as well as the Western Front, and about the significance of observation balloons as targets that were viciously attacked. The author focuses on the heart of the action and recreates the experiences of the airborne war with immediacy, excitement and a vivid turn of phrase, drawing the reader into events as they happen.

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Book SynopsisThe soldiers of World War I are often referred to as the “Lost Generation”; this book is an intimate look at some U.S. soldiers’ experiences after being thrust into the centre of the Great War and enduring some of its most gruelling battles. Len Fairfield (the author’s grandfather) was an Artillery Scout, or Forward Observer, for the U.S. Army, and was a firsthand witness to the war’s carnage as he endured its countless hardships, all of which are revealed here in vivid detail. His story takes the reader from a hard life in Chicago, through conscription, rigorous training in America and France, and finally to the battles which have become synonymous with the U.S. effort in France—St. Mihiel and the Argonne Forest, the latter claiming 26,000 American lives, more than any other U.S. battle.Fairfield, with his artillery in support of the 91st (“Wild West”) Division, was on the front lines for it all, amidst a sea of carnage caused by bullets, explosives and gas, with the occasional enemy plane swooping in to add strafing to the chaos. Entire units were decimated before gaining a yard, and then the Doughboys would find German trenches filled with dead to indicate the enemy was suffering equally. The AEF endured a rare close-quarters visit to hell until it was sensed that the Germans were finally giving way, though fighting tooth-and-nail up to the very minute of the Armistice. Trade ReviewThe majority of this book is a lively account of the 58th Field Artillery Brigade"s role in World War I…this role is often overlooked in war literature, so Bilder has found a new element to an incredibly crowded market...This is a fresh, well-researched perspective on a heavily covered subject. There is plenty to interest the military enthusiast, while the emotional angle of Bilder"s grandfather acting as the narrative"s central character works very well. * All About History 01/08/2015 *All in all, this book is a bit of a gem. It is a well paced easy read and you will find yourself rooting for our hero. I am glad he led a fulfilling and prolific life. Len Fairfield was a top bloke and even from this distance he deserves our thanks. The author has brought him and his era to life and I commend this book to the house. * War History Online 12/12/2014 *This is a very well written and readable account of an important but often overlooked aspect of World War. It's an exemplary example of its genre and very highly recommended. * Military Modelcraft International 26/03/2015 *

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Book SynopsisThe Lafayette Escadrille was an all-volunteer squadron of Americans who flew for France during World War I. One hundred years later, it is still arguably the best-known fighter squadron ever to take to the skies. In this work the entire history of these gallant volunteers – who named themselves after the Marquis Lafayette, who came to America’s aid during its Revolution – is laid out in both text and pictorial form. In time for the centennial celebration, this work not only tells the fascinating story of the Lafayette Escadrille, it shows it. Already a student of the squadron, the author spent a full year sifting through university and museum archives in the United States and France for photographs and documents relating to the famed unit. To complement these images, he traveled extensively, taking snapshots of existing markers and memorials honoring the men of the Lafayette Escadrille. In France, he specifically sought out locations where the squadron operated and its pilots frequented. In several cases, he was able to match his present-day color photos with contemporary images of the same scene, thus creating a unique then-and-now comparison. To add even more color, the author included artwork and aircraft profiles by recognized illustrators, along with numerous full-color photographs of artifacts relating to the squadron's men and airplanes, as they are displayed today in various museums in the United States and France. The result is undoubtedly the finest photographic collection of the Lafayette Escadrille to appear in print. Along with the expert text revealing air–combat experiences as well as life at the front during the Great War, it is a never-before-seen visual history that both World War I aviation aficionados and those with a passing interest in history will appreciate.Trade ReviewThis magnificent book probably provides everything needed by someone wishing to learn about this famous fighting unit, and really lives up to its sub-title…a reference book of the highest quality and one well worth having. * Cross & Cockade *The resulting collection of images, supplemented by captions and narrative, comprises one of the best visual histories ever created of the iconic Franco-American fighter squadron and is not to be missed. * Classic Wings *Given Ruffin's 44 years of pilot experience and membership in the League of WWI Aviation Historians, he tells this rousing story as well as any predecessor....with the added benefit of research that cuts through the myths without harming the narrative. Ruffin also made use of Alan Toelle's research into the escadrille's aircraft markings, which benefit both the photograph captions and the color artwork by Tomasz Gronczewski. The wealth of photos includes some new ones from the period as well as updates on the squadron up to its continuing service in the French Air force today...worthy update to earn a spot in the WWI aviation enthusiast's library * Aviation History *The jacket text claims that the result is the finest photographic collection of the squadron to appear in print. It certainly impressed me and I would rate this book as outstanding * Aviation News *...undoubtedly the finest photographic collection of the Lafayette Escadrille to appear in print. Along with the expert text revealing air-combat experiences as well as life at the front during the Great War, it is a never-before-seen visual history that both World War I aviation aficionados and those with a passing interest in history will appreciate. * Armorama *a fresh look at the 38 Americans in the Escadrille Américaine, as it was first called, to produce this voluminous account of the unit. In addition to mini-bios of each member, his narrative is complemented by a superb collection of black & white and color photos and other illustrations gathered during a dedicated search for materials...is a finely-researched, well-written and well-illustrated book. It is recommended highly. * Over the Front magazine *undoubtedly the finest photographic collection of the Lafayette Escadrille to appear in print. Along with the expert text revealing air-combat experiences as well as life at the front during the Great War, it is a never-before-seen visual history that both World War I aviation aficionados and those with a passing interest in history will appreciate. When its all said and done I can highly recommend this book to any and all enthusiasts of the WWI aviation genre. * WWI in Plastic.com *Ruffin’s book obviously is a labour of love that will be appreciated by Great War aerophiles for years to come. * Aerodrome *An extraordinary and compelling account of the sponymous Lafayette Escadrille, made up of volunteers who had served in WW1 and wanted to join the allied struggles in WW2. * Books Monthly *

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Book Synopsis“Retreat, hell! We just got here!” The words of Captain Lloyd Williams at Belleau Wood in June 1918 entered United States Marine Corps legend, and the Marine Brigade’s actions there—along with the censor’s failure to take out the name of the Brigade in the battle reports—made the Corps famous. The Marines went to war as part of the American Expeditionary Force, bitterly resented by the Army and General Pershing. The Army tried to use them solely as labor troops and replacements, but the German spring offensive of 1918 forced the issue. The French begged Pershing to commit his partially trained men, and two untested American divisions, supported by British and French units, were thrown into the path of five German divisions. Three horrific weeks later, the Marines held the entirety of Belleau Wood. The Marines then fought in the almost forgotten Blanc Mont Ridge Offensive in October, as well as in every well-known AEF action until the end of the war. This book will look at all the operations of the Marine Corps in World War I, cover the activities of both ground and air units, and consider the units that supported the Marine Brigade. It will examine how, during the war years, the Marine Corps changed from a small organization of naval security detachments to an elite land combat force.Trade ReviewAll and all, the book is a good, balanced and detailed account of the marine Corps in the Great War, Recommended. * Stand to! *If you have an interest in the activities of the USMC then this would be a welcome addition to your library, even if your interest is only passing there is more than enough to keep you dipping in and out. * Army Rumour Service *We simply don't know enough about the US Marine Corps's contribution to the First World War. Authors Gilbert and Cansiere set the records straight with an amazingly detailed account of the American Expeditionary Force at Belleau Wood in 1918. * Books Monthly *There is much here to tempt both the wargamer and the military historian. * Miniature Wargames - Chris Jarvis *

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