First World War Books
Sourcebooks, Inc The War Nurse
Book SynopsisTRACEY ENERSON WOOD is a published playwright whose family is steeped in military tradition. This is her second novel, following The Engineer's Wife.
£22.94
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Directing the Tunnellers' War: The Tunnelling
Book SynopsisThe original version of this memoir was entitled The Lighter Side of a Tunneller s Life; he has hoped to get it published in the late thirties, but this was a period when many publishers considered that there was memoir fatigue as regards the Great War and a new war was looming. With a background in mining and tunneling (the internal evidence suggests that some of this was done in South Africa), he served with a Tunnelling Company and was then transferred to GHQ in Montreuil to handle mining plans and records. The British organized their mining at Army and GHQ level, with a close control on operational activity being reserved to GHQ. In due course he was appointed as one of the Assistant Inspectors of Mines, a small group of Royal engineers officers who operated as the eyes and ears of the Inspector of Mines, who exercised overall control on mining operations. His activity in this role is particularly important for the period after the June 1917 Messines Offensive, when the use of mining for blows against the enemy substantially diminished indeed, all but disappeared and the tunneling companies were reallocated to a new range of tasks. His manuscript, produced in 1933, was intended for publication, but remained no more than a draft, rescued some time ago by one of the editors from the Royal Engineers archives at Chatham. Dixon remarks that the carnage and horrors of war have been deliberately omitted, for enough and to spare has been written about these aspects by countless others. His manuscript, alternatively, provides a valuable insight into the overall conduct of mining operations and the tactical and strategic considerations that rarely feature in other accounts. He was at the centre of staff activity that set about countering the effects of the German Kaiserslacht offensives in March, April and May 1918, and the preparations for a possible German breakthrough to the channel ports. Subsequently, with the allied advances of the Last Hundred Days , he became considerably occupied by the hazards of dealing with delayed action mines and booby traps. Aside from these tactical and strategic considerations, he recounts, by means of numerous humorous anecdotes, the personalities and work of the staff at GHQ, ranging from humble clerks and the misdemeanors of his batman to senior officers. He brings to life the exceptional endeavours of the often maligned senior staff and the individual characteristics of many senior staff officers who are otherwise but shadows in accounts of the Great War. The editors have added extensive notes explaining and, on occasions correcting, Dixon s accounts; these are illustrated with explanatory plans and diagrams along with photographs of many of the personalities he describes. The combination provides a very personal perspective of the conduct of the war at GHQ.
£26.95
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Supporting Tunnelling Operations in the Great War
Book SynopsisFew soldiers on the Western Front had heard of the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company, even after it had been renamed the 'Alphabet Company' by an AIF wag. Yet many knew the work of this tiny unit which numbered fewer than 300 at full strength. Despite its small size, the Alphabet Company's influence was enormous and spanned the entire British sector of the Western Front, from the North Sea to the Somme. This is the story of the 'Alphabeticals' who, led by Major Victor Morse, DSO, operated and maintained pumps, generators, ventilation fans, drilling equipment and other ingenious devices in extreme circumstances. Given the horrendous conditions in which the troops lived and fought, this equipment was desperately needed, as were the men who operated it in the same, often nightmarish setting. This is the first account of the dynamic little unit that was the Alphabet Company, a unit that has been neglected by history for a century. It is the story of the men, their machinery and the extraordinary grit they displayed in performing some of the most difficult tasks in a war noted for the horrific conditions in which it was waged. They do not deserve to be forgotten.
£21.48
Pen & Sword Books Ltd On the Road to Victory: The Rise of Motor
Book SynopsisThe Great War produced many innovations, in particular the spectacular development by the British and French armies of motor transport. The age-old problem of moving soldiers and their supplies was no different in 1914 than it had been some 2,400 years ago, when the great Chinese military thinker Sun Tzu informed his readers that the further an army marched into enemy territory, the more the cost of transport increased, even to the point that more supplies were consumed by the transportation of men and their horses than was delivered to the troops. Using many previously unpublished illustrations, including artists' impressions, this book tells the story of the men and women who made motor transport [MT] work for the victorious British Army on the Western Front, so that in 1918, the humble lorry did indeed help propel the British Army forward On the Road to Victory'.
£26.48
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Somme 1916: Martinpuich and the Butte de
Book SynopsisMuch of the popular attention on the Battle of the Somme 1916 is focussed on the first day of the infantry assault, 1st July, when such high hopes were dashed and British casualties ran into the tens of thousands. However, the Somme was a battle that lasted over twenty weeks, running well into the autumn. This book is concerned with fighting south of the famous Albert-Bapaume road from mid September to the official end of the battle. The coverage includes Martinpuich, the hamlet of Eaucourt l'Abbaye, Le Sars and that strange topographical feature the Butte de Warlencourt. The action starts with the major British attack of 15 September 1916, which enjoyed some success and which included the first use of tanks. The book takes up the story from the fall of Martinpuich and follows the British as they inched their way north eastwards to Le Sars and Eaucourt l'Abbaye. This was gruelling warfare, fought in fast deteriorating weather conditions and in the face of ever increasing volumes of artillery fire: the mud was almost as much the enemy of both sides as the weight of lead and iron fired at them. The Butte de Warlencourt has come to have an almost iconic status. This rather insignificant hillock, almost certainly a burial mound of the Romano-Gallic period, marks the point at which the battle officially ceased along the Albert-Bapaume road. For days before the battle ended both sides tussled to secure its possession, numerous limited attacks taking place over devastated, utterly water logged and featureless ground. Indeed it was the 'emptiness' of the area that made the Butte of such significance, a fearsome, solitary landmark standing out against a backdrop of desolation. It was the focus of the fighting in the area for almost six weeks. As well as the customary walks, essential to an understanding of the confused fighting in the area, there is a long car tour, covering many less visited parts of the battlefield to the east and north of the Butte and which places it firmly in the context of the battle. Charles Carrington, who wrote one of the classic memoirs of the war, was not alone amongst those who fought here when he commented that, 'the Butte de Warlencourt terrified us'.
£19.28
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Battles on the Tigris: The Mesopotamian Campaign
Book SynopsisIn 1914 the British expedition to Mesopotamia set out with the modest ambition of protecting the oil concession in Southern Persia but, after numerous misfortunes, ended up capturing Baghdad and Northern Towns in Iraq. Initially the mission was successful in seizing Basra but the British under Generals Nixon and Townshend, found themselves drawn North, becoming besieged by the Turks at Kut. After various failed relief attempts the British surrendered and the prisoners suffered appalling indignities and hardship, culminating in a death march to Turkey. In 1917 General Maude was appointed CinC but, as usual in Iraq, policy kept changing. Hopes that the Russians would come into the war were dashed by the Revolution. Operations were further frustrated by the hottest of summers. Fighting against the Turks continued right up to the Armistice. The conduct of the Campaign was subject to a Commission of Inquiry which was highly critical of numerous individuals and the administrative arrangements.
£20.97
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Britain's Railways in the First World War
Book SynopsisIt is easy to believe that the only part that Britain's railways played in the First World War was to carry the soldiers to the ships that would take them to France. This couldn't be further from the truth. Without the help from the railways it is unlikely that the war would have been over as quickly as it was. In _Britain's Railways in the First World War_ Michael Foley examines how the railway system and its workers proved to be a vital part of the war effort, one contemporary writer even commenting that he thought they were as significant as the navy. The book describes how the enlistment of railway troops for the Royal Engineers to meet the increasing transport demands of the military was to bleed the civilian system dry as skilled railwaymen were sent to work at the front. In addition, the military commandeered thousands of Britain's railway vehicles, sending them to each of the theatres of war, and turned the already stressed railway workshops away from maintaining what remained of the country's railways and rolling stock so they could produce armaments for the forces instead. The book also reveals how the British were so far behind their enemies and allies in the use of railway support to the front lines that they had to plead for help from Canada.
£999.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Betrayed Ally: China in the Great War
Book SynopsisThe Great War helped China emerge from humiliation and obscurity and take its first tentative steps as a full member of the global community. In 1912 the Qing Dynasty had ended. President Yuan Shikai, who seized power in 1914, offered the British 50,000 troops to recover the German colony in Shandong but this was refused. In 1916 China sent a vast army of labourers to Europe. In 1917 she declared war on Germany despite this effectively making the real enemy Japan an ally. The betrayal came when Japan was awarded the former German colony. This inspired the rise of Chinese nationalism and communism, enflamed by Russia. The scene was set for Japans incursions into China and thirty years of bloodshed. One hundred years on, the time is right for this accessible and authoritative account of Chinas role in The Great War and assessment of its national and international significance
£19.73
Pan Macmillan The Sun Also Rises
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£13.49
Basic Books A Nasty Little War: The Western Intervention Into
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£26.40
Basic Books No Man's Land: The Trailblazing Women Who Ran
Book Synopsis The 'absorbing and powerful' (Wall Street Journal) story of two pioneering suffragette doctors who shattered social expectations and transformed modern medicine during World War I. A month after war broke out in 1914, doctors Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson set out for Paris, where they opened a hospital in a luxury hotel and treated hundreds of casualties plucked from France’s battlefields. Although prior to the First World War, female doctors were restricted to treating women and children, Murray and Anderson’s work was so successful that the British Army asked them to run a hospital in the heart of London. Nicknamed the Suffragettes’ Hospital and staffed from top to bottom by women, Endell Street soon became known for its lifesaving treatments and lively atmosphere. In No Man’s Land, Wendy Moore illuminates this turbulent moment of global war when women were, for the first time, allowed to operate on men. Their fortitude and brilliance serve as powerful reminders of what women can achieve against all odds.
£16.14
Amazon Publishing In a Field of Blue: A Novel
Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling author of The Road Beyond Ruin comes a novel about a family torn apart by grief and secrets, then pulled back together by hope in the wake of World War I. England 1922. It’s been four years since Rudy’s brother Edgar went missing in war-torn France. Still deep in mourning and grappling with unanswered questions, Rudy and his mother struggle to move on. When the enigmatic Mariette arrives unexpectedly at the family’s manor claiming to be Edgar’s widow, and the mother of his child, Rudy urges her to stay, hoping she’ll shed light on the missing pieces. Captivated by Mariette, Rudy finds that their mutual loss and grief bind them…as does the possibility of new love. But Mariette’s revelations bring more questions than answers about Edgar’s death. Suspicions threaten to divide Rudy’s already fractured family, setting him on a quest for the truth that takes him from England to France and beyond. In his search, Rudy is forced to confront the tragedies of war and the realities of the brother he’s lost and the woman he’s found. Will the truth set him free to find peace, or will it forever shadow his future?Trade Review“…A touching love story within a rich storyline that is well worth the read.” —Historical Novel Society
£12.46
Little a Sprinting Through No Man's Land: Endurance,
Book SynopsisThe inspiring, heart-pumping true story of soldiers turned cyclists and the historic 1919 Tour de France that helped to restore a war-torn country and its people.On June 29, 1919, one day after the Treaty of Versailles brought about the end of World War I, nearly seventy cyclists embarked on the thirteenth Tour de France. From Paris, the war-weary men rode down the western coast on a race that would trace the country''s border, through seaside towns and mountains to the ghostly western front. Traversing a cratered postwar landscape, the cyclists faced near-impossible odds and the psychological scars of war. Most of the athletes had arrived straight from the front, where so many fellow countrymen had suffered or died. The cyclists'' perseverance and tolerance for pain would be tested in a grueling, monthlong competition.An inspiring true story of human endurance, Sprinting Through No Man''s Land explores how the cyclists united a country that had been torn apart by unprecedented desolation and tragedy. It shows how devastated countrymen and women can come together to celebrate the adventure of a lifetime and discover renewed fortitude, purpose, and national identity in the streets of their towns.
£18.99
Amazon Publishing Mercy Road
Book SynopsisInspired by the true story of the World War I American Women’s Hospital, Mercy Road is a novel about love, courage, and a female ambulance driver who risks everything. In 1917, after Arlene Favier’s home burns to the ground, taking her father with it, she must find a way to support her mother and younger brother. If she doesn’t succeed, they will all be impoverished. Job opportunities are scarce, but then a daring possibility arises: the American Women’s Hospital needs ambulance drivers to join a trailblazing, all-female team of doctors and nurses bound for war-torn France. On the front lines, Arlene and her fellow ambulance drivers work day and night to aid injured soldiers and civilians. In between dangerous ambulance runs, Arlene reunites with a childhood friend, Jimmy Tucker, now a soldier, who opens her heart like no one before. But she has also caught the attention of Felix Brohammer, a charismatic army captain who harbors a dark, treacherous secret. To expose Brohammer means risking her family’s future and the promise of love. Arlene must make a choice: stay in the safety of silence or take the greatest chance of her life.Trade Review“…The World War I time frame and the vivid details about the American Women’s Hospital’s service in France make this a worthy read.” —Booklist “Creel writes with fluidity and precision…I read this in one sitting, and would recommend it to readers who are interested in the lesser known talents women brought to WWI.” —Historical Novel Society “I love the way Ann Howard Creel writes—she is as at home bringing the beauty of France to life as she is dealing with the heartbreak of war. Impeccably researched, Mercy Road has all the hallmarks of fine historical fiction. Strong, memorable characters tell the unsung story of a group of remarkable women who provided invaluable help during the First World War.” —Ella Carey, bestselling author of The House by the Lake “Mercy Road has everything a good historical novel needs from start to finish: compelling characters, wonderfully woven history, and a beautifully crafted storyline. The magic of Ann’s words transports the reader through this historical drama about the American women doctors, nurses and ambulance drivers in WWI France. Arlene is inspiring as are all the women with their courage and determination to support the war effort against many odds. Highly recommended.” —Gemma Liviero, bestselling author of The Road Beyond Ruin
£12.12
Exile Editions We Wasn't Pals: Canadian Poetry and Prose of the
Book SynopsisIgnored by critics and readers of the time, these poems were written by Canadians who witnessed the horror of World War I first-hand, forming an anthology in which the forgotten experiences of a decade are finally remembered.Trade ReviewBarry Callaghan and Bruce Meyer have done yeoman service to Canadian literature with this volume." —Rex Murphy, host, Cross-Country Check-Up, CBC Radio One
£15.26
The New York Review of Books, Inc The Burning Of The World
Book SynopsisPublishing during the 100th Anniversary of the First World War An NYRB Classics Original The budding young Hungarian artist Béla Zombory-Moldován was on holiday when the First World War broke out in July 1914. Called up by the army, he soon found himself hundreds of miles away, advancing on Russian lines and facing relentless rifle and artillery fire. Badly wounded, he returned to normal life, which now struck him as unspeakably strange. He had witnessed, he realized, the end of a way of life, of a whole world. Published here for the first time in any language, this extraordinary reminiscence is a powerful addition to the literature of the war that defined the shape of the twentieth century.
£14.39
Westholme Publishing, U.S. The Little Lead Soldier: World War I Letters from
Book SynopsisArriving in France in April 1918, Col. Hugh D. Wise, commander of the U.S. 61st Infantry Division, held a precious object. It was a toy soldier given to him by his six-year-old son, Hugh, Jr. The boy had asked the little lead soldier to write him with news of his father. The colonel saw action in two of the most important campaigns the Americans fought, St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, and the little lead soldier dutifully assured a boy thousands of miles away that his father was safe: The men had been shelled, gassed, and raked by machine guns constantly: and undergone several intense bombardments; and made a difficult though successful attack; and had resisted a fierce counter-attack. They had dug trenches, moved, and dug again. All this time they had been without shelter, exposed to a cold driving rain and without warm food They were wet, chilled, and tired when called upon for even greater efforts but they respond- ed with the energy and spirit of fresh troops. A treasured family heirloom, these wartime letters are presented for the first time along with letters from Colonel Wise to his wife, and engrossing historical context provided by his grandson, Hugh D. Wise, III. The Little Lead Soldier: World War I Letters from a Father to His Son is a remarkable story of how a father performed his dangerous duty while keeping a promise to his boy. After the Civil War, Walt Whitman observed that the real war will never get in the books. This collection of letters provides keen insight into the real First World War. Col. Hugh D. Wise, who commanded a U.S. regiment that fought in the epic battles of St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, penned not only vivid accounts of the carnage, blunders, and confusion of combat but also lyrical description of peaceful scenes he observed. Anyone interested in under- standing the real War to End All Wars will read this ably edited compendium with pleasure and profit. Michael Burlingame, author of Abraham Lincoln: A LifeTrade Review"After the Civil War, Walt Whitman observed that 'the real war will never get in the books.' This collection of letters provides keen insight into 'the real' First World War. Col. Hugh D. Wise, who commanded a U.S. regiment that fought in the epic battles of St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, penned not only vivid accounts of the carnage, blunders, and confusion of combat but also lyrical description of peaceful scenes he observed. Anyone interested in understanding the real 'War to End All Wars' will read this ably edited compendium with pleasure and profit." -- Michael Burlingame author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life "Particularly moving to me are the two elements of this book. One is how his grandfather's letters bring alive the nitty-gritty of that terrible conflict. The other is the way the letters, vivid as they are, still omit some of the worst of what combat troops had to endure, details which Wise skillfully fills in." -- Adam Hochschild author of To End All Wars -After the Civil War, Walt Whitman observed that 'the real war will never get in the books.' This collection of letters provides keen insight into 'the real' First World War. Col. Hugh D. Wise, who commanded a U.S. regiment that fought in the epic battles of St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne, penned not only vivid accounts of the carnage, blunders, and confusion of combat but also lyrical description of peaceful scenes he observed. Anyone interested in understanding the real 'War to End All Wars' will read this ably edited compendium with pleasure and profit.- -- Michael Burlingame author of Abraham Lincoln: A Life -Particularly moving to me are the two elements of this book. One is how his grandfather's letters bring alive the nitty-gritty of that terrible conflict. The other is the way the letters, vivid as they are, still omit some of the worst of what combat troops had to endure, details which Wise skillfully fills in.- -- Adam Hochschild author of To End All Wars
£999.99
University of Alaska Press The Fires of Patriotism: Alaskans in the Days of
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£999.99
University of Utah Press,U.S. Nels Anderson’s World War I Diary
Book SynopsisNels Anderson’s World War I Diary provides a rare glimpse into the wartime experiences of one of the most well-respected sociologists of the twentieth century, the renowned author of The Hobo (1920) and Desert Saints: The Mormon Frontier in Utah (1942). Anderson, a keen observer of people, places, and events his entire life, joined the U.S. Army in 1918 at the age of 29 and was sent to Europe to fight as part of the Allied Expeditionary Force (AEF) under General Pershing. Keeping a journal was strongly discouraged during WWI, particularly among the rank-and-file soldiers, thus Anderson’s descriptions stand as a rare gem. Furthermore, his diary is the only known account of war service during WWI by a member of the LDS Church. Anderson joined the Mormon faith after accepting the hospitality of an extended Mormon ranching family during his travels throughout the American West as a working hobo. Anderson’s accounts of the St. Mihiel and Meuse-Argonne offensives are particularly remarkable given the challenges of keeping a detailed journal amidst the chaos and suffering of the war’s Western Front. His insights into the depravity and callousness of war are buttressed with intimate human portraits of those to whom he was closest. The war years provided many formative experiences that would prove to have a lasting influence on Anderson’s views regarding the working poor, authority, and human values; this would come to bear heavily on his later work as a pioneering sociologist at the University of Chicago, where he helped establish participant observation as a research method. The many introspective entries contained in this volume will be of great interest to military historians and history buffs as well as to those in the social sciences looking to find the intellectual origins of Anderson’s later work in the burgeoning field of sociology.Trade Review“Intrinsically valuable. The quality of Nels Anderson’s writing is remarkable. He was an enlisted man with an unusual level of education and that shows on almost every page of his narrative. As editor, Powell has earned high marks for research, organization, and extensive annotations.”—Larry Ping, author of Gustav Freytag and the Prussian Gospel “A timely and engaging firsthand account of America’s involvement in ‘the war to end all wars.’ ...The diary provides readers with a genuine sense of ‘being there’ as Anderson matter-of-factly shares what military life in and near the frontline trenches was like.”—BYU Studies Quarterly “If you’re interested in the thoughts, feelings, and observations of an educated soldier, one who takes his own writing seriously, I know you’ll enjoy reading both the diary and its supplements.”—The Journal of Mormon History Table of ContentsForeword by Charles S. PetersonPrefaceIntroduction1. Camp Mills, New York, June 19182. Crossing the Atlantic, June 19183. England, June 19184. Arrival in France, June 19185. Training in Humberville, July 19186. Up to the Front, August 19187. The St. Mihiel Offensive, September 19188. The Meuse-Argonne Offensive, October 19189. War’s End, November 191810. Through Belgium and Luxembourg, November–December 191811. Germany, December 1918–March 191912. Back to France, March 191913. School in Montpelier, March–April 191914. Notes, April–August 1919NotesIndex
£999.99
University of Utah Press,U.S. War and Collapse: World War I and the Ottoman
Book SynopsisWar and Collapse is the third volume in a series that covers the last years of the Ottoman Empire. It stems from a three-day international conference at which scholars examined the causes and consequences of World War I, with a focus on how these events pertained to the Ottoman state and society. Fifty-three scholars—both new and established—contributed to this collection, explaining what happened within the Ottoman Empire before and during WWI and how ethnic and national groups constructed these events to enhance their identities and promote their interests.The chapters provide insight into the mindsets of Ottoman peoples, showing how earlier events and circumstances set in motion Ottoman responses to the war and how continued conflict had devastating, irreversible effects on Ottoman society. What emerges is a comprehensive picture of the events, encompassing a wide variety of perspectives.Trade Review“In a field of growing interest, this volume will be useful for those wishing to learn more. It is by far the most compendious assemblage of relevant material.” —Norman Stone, author of The Eastern Front 1914–1917 “This collection of new and old approaches reveals that there is still much to be said about World War I that requires an Ottoman angle. The field is richer because of this valuable addition to the scholarship.” —Isa Blumi, author of Reinstating the Ottoman Empire
£999.99
University of Utah Press,U.S. Utah and the Great War: The Beehive State and the
Book SynopsisIn time for the centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I, this collection of essays explores the war experience in Utah from the multiple perspectives of soldiers, nurses, and ambulance drivers who experienced the horror of the conflict firsthand to those on the home front whom the war transformed. Citizens at home took active roles in supporting the war effort. Some of Utah’s Native Americans and at least one Episcopal bishop resisted the war. The terrible 1918–1919 flu pandemic hit Utah and killed more victims around the world than those who died on the battlefields. A Red Scare and a fight over United States participation in a League of Nations followed the war. These essays help us understand the nature and complexity of the conflict and its impact on Utahns.Trade Review“It is very significant to have these articles collected into one publication now that the centennial of World War I is here. It is especially important in helping us to remember that history repeats itself and that we have been through the same emotions in the past that we are going through today.” —Robert S. Voyles, director of the Fort Douglas Military Museum “A well-organized collection of articles that progress from the state’s military contributions to the Great War through political, protest, and health activities to the aftermath. Relevant to both scholars and general readers, this book is multidimensional.” —Walter Jones, author of The Sand Bar: A History of Casper, Wyoming’s Controversial Lowlands “The essays included in this book have added significantly to our understanding of American life on the home front during the Great War. I would recommend that those who teach Utah state history at any level pick this book up.”—Association of Mormon Letters “The short but powerful essays make the book an enjoyable and interesting read. This collection draws the reader into a mixture of the military, political, and social atmospheres of the time and offers unique insight into the lives of everyday Utahns.”—On Point “The greatest strength of the volume is the breadth of its essays. Diverse collections can also be a double-edged sword as editors struggle to stitch together disparate essays into a cohesive theme. Powell faced all of these expected challenges but did so with the skill of a seasoned editor who knows his state’s history. The focus, while local, is not insular, and provides several small studies that add to our understanding of larger trends in the war.”—h-net.org
£999.99
Arcadia Publishing Inc. Marblehead in World War I At Home and Overseas
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£18.69
PublicAffairs Crucible: The Long End of the Great War and the
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£29.75
Casemate Publishers Jagdstaffel 356: The Story of a German Fighter
Book SynopsisAlthough the author has given this Jagdstaffel a fictitious number and changed the names of the pilots composing it, the incidents related in this book have the genuine ring of truth and will be recognised as facts by anyone who has had experience of flying on the Western Front or who has studied it since. Many experts believe this work draws on the experience of the Bavarian Jasta 35, which flew against the British; however, whatever its real number may have been, Jagdstaffel 356 undoubtedly fought in the air over Flanders in 1918.This book is an exciting account, obviously written from firsthand experience, of the air war from the German side.
£22.50
Casemate Publishers Fighter Pilot
Book Synopsis“McScotch” himself describes his book and pays tribute to a colleague in this note, which appears at the front of the volume:“This book consists of the reminiscences of an ordinary fighter pilot of the R.F.C. who had the privilege of serving in one of the leading Fighter Squadrons and who had the honour of being the friend of the supreme fighter of all the Air Forces, that indomitable and loveable patriot, ‘MICK’ MANNOCK, V.C., D.S.O., M.C.”Available records and publications show “McScotch” himself as a fighter pilot with 40 Squadron, holding the rank of lieutenant and then captain. He is credited with 12 kills of German opponents.This is a detailed and exciting account of squadron life and shows the bravery and true comradeship of these fliers.
£21.84
Casemate Publishers Night Raiders of the Air
Book SynopsisA.R. Kingsford flew with 100 Squadron, the unit that dropped the first bomb at night on Germany and, on November 11, 1918, the last one.One of the many who came to Europe from all over the Commonwealth to fight in the First World War, Kingsford had sailed from New Zealand in 1914. He joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 and learned to fly at Northolt, before being posted to 33 Squadron at Lincoln, where he flew against Zeppelins which had been sent from across the North Sea on night bombing raids. Kingsford joined 100 Squadron in France early in 1918. He had an active career with this famous squadron up until the end of the war.Full of incident and adventure, Night Raiders of the Air is a first-person account by this young Commonwealth volunteer on his experiences during the war against Germany.
£22.50
Casemate Publishers An Air Fighter's Scrapbook
Book SynopsisIra “Taffy” Jones was a well-known air fighter during the First World War, having scored about 40 victories flying SE5 scouts in France with 74 Squadron. Well known in flying circles, Jones recorded stories drawn from his own experiences during the war and wrote of the many personalities he had met or known by association, both during the war and in the post-war flying years.An Air Fighter’s Scrap Book recreates the atmosphere of the days of the biplane, of wartime flying, of early peacetime adventures in the air, the development of civil aviation, and breathtaking record beating flights, all evoking the sheer delight in flying that characterised those early years.
£22.50
Casemate Publishers Wings of War: An Airman’s Diary of the Last Year
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.
£999.99
Casemate Publishers General Fox Conner: Pershing’S Chief of
Book SynopsisJohn J. Pershing considered Fox Conner to have been "a brilliant soldier" and “one of the finest characters our Army has ever produced.” During World War I, General Conner served as chief of operations for the American Expeditionary Force in Europe. Pershing told Conner: “I could have spared any other man in the A.E.F. better than you.”Dwight D. Eisenhower viewed Fox Conner as “the outstanding soldier of my time.” In the early 1920s, Conner transformed his protégé Eisenhower from a struggling young officer on the verge of a court martial into one of the American army’s rising stars. Eisenhower acknowledged Fox Conner as “the one more or less invisible figure to whom I owe an incalculable debt.” This book presents the first complete biography of this significant, but now forgotten, figure in American military history.In addition to providing a unique insider’s view into the operations of the American high command during World War I, Fox Conner also tells the story of an interesting life. Conner felt a calling to military service, although his father had been blinded during the Civil War. From humble beginnings in rural Mississippi, Conner became one of the army’s intellectuals. During the 1920s, when most of the nation slumbered in isolationism, Conner predicted a second world war. As the nation began to awaken to new international dangers in the 1930s, President Roosevelt offered Fox Conner the position of army chief of staff, which he declined. Poor health prevented his participation in World War II, while others whom he influenced, including Eisenhower, Patton, and Marshall, went on to fame.Fox Conner presents the portrait of the quintessential man behind the scenes in U.S. military history. Readers will find this book, and the man, fascinating.Trade ReviewGeneral Fox Conner is a figure from American military history that more people ought to know. I encourage anyone with an interest in well written (and thoroughly researched) works of history to read Steven Rabalais' new book on General Conner.
£23.75
Casemate Publishers The Flag: The Story of Revd David Railton Mc and
Book SynopsisReverend David Railton MC served as a chaplain on the Western Front during World War I. Attached to three divisions between 1916 and 1918, Railton supported the 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 carry on. He was with his men at many battles, including High Wood, the Aisne and Passchendaele; he 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 an unidentified fallen comrade from the battlefields to be buried in Westminster Abbey, and on Armistice Day 1920, his flag covered the coffin as the Unknown Warrior was laid to rest with full honours.Although suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, he returned to work as a parish priest in Margate, where he took particular interest in supporting ex-servicemen who had returned home to the aftermath of a terrible war and crippling unemployment.While the story of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior has been told before, this is the first book to explore David Railton’s life and war, and of ‘the padre’s flag’ he used as an altar cloth and shroud throughout the war. The flag was consecrated a year after the burial of the Unknown Warrior and hangs in Westminster Abbey to this day. This book explains how the idea came out of Railton's traumatic experiences on the Western front, and how he made his idea become reality, drawing on his letters and unpublished papers.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! *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 *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 *
£23.28
Casemate Publishers Zeebrugge: The Greatest Raid of All
Book SynopsisThe combined forces invasion of the Belgian port of Zeebrugge on 23 April 1918 remains one of Britain’s most glorious military undertakings; not quite as epic a failure as the charge of the Light Brigade, or as well publicised as the Dam Busters raid, but with many of the same basic ingredients.A force drawn from the Royal Navy and Royal Marines set out on ships and submarines to try to block the key strategic port, in a bold attempt to stem the catastrophic losses being inflicted on British shipping by German submarines. It meant attacking a heavily fortified German naval base. The tide, calm weather and the right wind direction for a smoke screen were crucial to the plan.Judged purely on results, it can only be considered a partial strategic success. Casualties were high and the base only partially blocked. Nonetheless, it came to represent the embodiment of the bulldog spirit, the peculiarly British fighting élan, the belief that anything was possible with enough dash and daring.The essential story of the Zeebrugge mission has been told before, but never through the direct, first-hand accounts of its survivors – including that of Lieutenant Richard Sandford, VC, the acknowledged hero of the day, and the author’s great uncle. The fire and bloodshed of the occasion is the book’s centrepiece, but there is also room for the family and private lives of the men who volunteered in their hundreds for what they knew effectively to be a suicide mission.Zeebrugge gives a very real sense of the existence of the ordinary British men and women of 100 years ago – made extraordinary by their role in what Winston Churchill called the ‘most intrepid and heroic single armed adventure of the Great War.’Trade ReviewThe use of first hand accounts is what brings the book vividly and grippingly to life as action is eventually joined and the cruelly depleted marines and seamen storm the Mole...Here we have a cracking read, very different from some more pedestrian analyses. * Army Rumour Service *Listed in Military History Monthly's round up of the best military history titles for June 2018. * Military History Matters (Reviewer) *This is an important story, well-told and Sandford has given us a deeply satisfying and highly recommended book. * Warships International 30/04/2019 *An extraordinary account of something quite extraordinary… * Books Monthly *Zeebrugge 1918: The Greatest Raid of All provides an easily accessible narrative of a high-risk and high-casualty operation. It is a worthy additon to any book shelf. * Naval Review *
£19.99
Casemate Publishers First to Fight: The U.S. Marines in World War I
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 *
£23.75
Casemate Publishers The Dawn of the Drone: From the Back Room Boys of
Book SynopsisIn the dark days of World War I, when flying machines, radio, and electronics were infant technologies, the first remotely controlled experimental aircraft took to the skies and unmanned radio controlled 40-foot high-speed Motor Torpedo Boats ploughed the seas in Britain. Developed by the British Army’s Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Navy these prototype weapons stemmed from an early form of television demonstrated before the war by Prof. A. M. Low. The remote control systems for these aircraft and boats were invented at RFC Secret Experimental Works commanded by Prof. Low, which was part of the organization of ‘back-room boys’ in the Munitions Inventions Department. These audacious projects of Low and his contemporaries led to the hundreds of remotely controlled Queen Bee aerial targets in the 1930s and hence to all the machines that we now call ‘drones'.Starting well before WWI and, for the lucky ones, extending well beyond it, the lives of Archibald Low and many of his contemporaries were extraordinary as were the times they lived through. They witnessed many dawns, the coming of the oil and plastics age and of domestic electricity. They experienced vast social improvements and the pasturing of the working horse in favor of motor transport. They were around for the first epic aircraft flights and with the aid of the very technologies that had enabled the development of drones, they saw air travel transformed from the precarious to the routine. It is astonishing that the origins of the first drones are not common knowledge in Britain and that the achievement of these maverick inventors is not commemorated.
£24.02
Casemate Publishers Lafayette Escadrille
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 ReviewDrawing on a wealth of knowledge, primary sources and first-hand accounts, Ruffin provides in-depth text covering a multitude of facets across the 14 chapters...Kudos must go to Ruffin for travelling across France to take modern snapshots of key locations… * FlyPast Magazine *
£18.04
Trine Day The Two Edwards: How King Edward VII and Foreign
Book SynopsisAt the turn of the 20th century, British leaders came to a decision to confront and neutralize the German empire. The fateful decision required treaties, agreements, accords, and contracts that could only be made with the prestige and gravitas of a King. Safely ensconced on his royal yacht, HMY Victoria and Albert, protected by a flotilla of British warships and thousands of miles away from troublesome ministers who might remind the King that he was overstepping his constitutional authority, King Edward VII concluded treaties with both members of the anti-German Franco-Russian Alliance. First with France in 1904, then with Russia in 1907, this was the grand achievement, strongly backed by his powerful Foreign Minister, Sir Edward Grey, of King Edward's near decade-long reign, It was this alliance between Britain, France, and Russia—known to history as the Triple Entente—which took the field against the Central Powers in 1914.
£16.16
Fonthill Media LLc ChicagoArea Italians in World War I
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£21.24
Casemate Publishers General Jan Smuts and His First World War in
Book SynopsisWorld War I ushered in a renewed scramble for Africa. At its helm, Jan Smuts grabbed the opportunity to realise his ambition of a Greater South Africa. He set his sights upon the vast German colonies of South-West Africa and East Africa - the demise of which would end the Kaiser's grandiose schemes for Mittelafrika. As part of his strategy to shift South Africa's borders inexorably northward, Smuts even cast an eye toward Portuguese and Belgian African possessions.Smuts, his abilities as a general much denigrated by both his contemporary and then later modern historians, was no armchair soldier. This cabinet minister and statesman donned a uniform and led his men into battle. He learned his soldiery craft under General Koos De la Rey's tutelage, and another soldier-statesman, General Louis Botha during the South African War 1899-1902. He emerged from that war, immersed in the Boer manoeuvre doctrine he devastatingly waged in the guerrilla phase of that conflict. His daring and epic invasion of the Cape at the head of his commando remains legendary. The first phase of the German South West African campaign and the Afrikaner Rebellion in 1914 placed his abilities as a sound strategic thinker and a bold operational planner on display. Champing at the bit, he finally had the opportunity to command the Southern Forces in the second phase of the German South West African campaign.Placed in command of the Allied forces in East Africa in 1916, he led a mixed bag of South Africans and Imperial troops against the legendary Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and his Shutztruppe. Using his penchant for Boer manoeuvre warfare together with mounted infantry led and manned by Boer Republican veterans, he proceeded to free the vast German territory from Lettow-Vorbeck's grip. Often leading from the front, his operational concepts were an enigma to the British under his command, remaining so to modern-day historians. Although unable to bring the elusive and wily Lettow-Vorbeck to a final decisive battle, Smuts conquered most of the territory by the end of his tenure in February 1917.General Jan Smuts and his Great War in Africa makes use of multiple archival sources and the official accounts of all the participants to provide a long-overdue reassessment of Smuts's generalship and his role in furthering the strategic aims of South Africa and the British Empire in Africa during World War I.Trade ReviewSmuts is usually portrayed as a great statesman but an indifferent military commander. He emerges from David Brock Katz’s account as a much more substantial general than many other historians believe. Katz’s argument about a distinctive South Africa style of warfare which clashed with the British approach is not wholly original … but it is an important idea which needs to be placed into the broader context of the history of the armies of the British Empire in the twentieth century. General Jan Smuts is a significant contribution to the military history of the Great War in Africa.”—Professor Gary Sheffield, Stand To * Stand To! *Table of ContentsIntroduction Acknowledgements 1: Smuts Emerges: From Scholar to Intellectual—From Adversity to Reconciliation (1870–1910) 2: South Africa’s entry into the First World War 1910–1914 3: The German South West African Campaign and The Afrikaner Rebellion 1914 4: The German South West African Campaign 1915 (Phase II) 5: Smuts and the Kilimanjaro Operation in East Africa March 1916 6: Smuts and the Kilimanjaro Operation in East Africa March 1916 Conclusion Endnotes Bibliography Index
£27.00
Casemate Publishers A Cast of Falcons
Book SynopsisPhillip Parotti's new novel offers fast-paced action in the skies over the Sinai desert in 1916. Lieutenant Devlin Collins, an Irish-American flier in the Royal Flying Corps, expecting to fly on the Western Front, instead finds himself flying antiquated two-seater bomber and photo reconnaissance missions over the Egyptian desert against the forces of the Central Powers which are trying to capture the Suez Canal. Pitted against German machines which are up-to-date and well equipped, the men of the RFC fight at a considerable disadvantage as they go forth to meet their enemy, but committed to their cause and with aggressive spirit, no matter how great the stress of battle, they proceed and prevail, continually forcing the Turks and Germans back as the army moves slowly toward Palestine.Constantly endangered by superior German machines, facing incessant ground fire during their bombing and strafing attacks, Dev and his fellow pilot Crisp drive home their attacks with unremitting determination. In the off hours from combat, Dev discovers that he has a particular talent for planning his flight's air raids. This talent manifests itself completely in the campaign's culminating attack on the German redoubts at the battle of Magdhaba, an attack so successful that when the pilots are finally pulled back for a rest after a year of fighting, Dev is promoted and invited onto the staff at GHQ is order to apply his expertise to air planning as the army moves on Gaza with the intention of driving into Palestine.
£17.09
Casemate Publishers A Pair of Aces and a Trey: 1st Lieutenants
Book SynopsisTrained as a pursuit pilot but assigned to an observation squadron, the indefatigable Bill Erwin flew twice as many hours over the front lines as any other pilot in the 1st Aero Squadron. His two primary observers, Byrne Baucom and Arthur Easterbrook, were both previously Army infantry officers and deadly marksmen. It was their dedication, bravery, and courage under fire that kept them alive throughout the Château-Thierry, St. Mihiel, and Meuse-Argonne campaigns. Easterbrook scored four of his five victories while flying with Erwin, including two in one day, while Baucom scored all three of his victories with Erwin. Even after returning in shredded Salmsons, being forced down, and shot down on multiple occasions, all three remained relatively unscathed throughout the war.Erwin’s dramatic life culminated in his disappearance during the 1927 Dole Air Race, while Easterbrook became a revered figure in Washington. Revered in his home state of Texas, Baucom became a pilot in the 1920s and rose to become an instructor at an advanced flying school. He died in an aircraft crash in 1928. While Erwin became Dallas’ ‘favorite son’ in life, 3,000 people paid tributes to Baucom at his funeral, showing his immense popularity. Easterbrook was the only one of the three to survive to reach his military career potential, retiring as a brigadier general after World War II. Alan Roesler retraces the lives and careers of the three men in this new joint biography.Trade ReviewFive full color aircraft profiles are also included as well as the extensive footnotes expected from an author of Roesler's talent and experience. All in all, A Pair of Aces and a Trey is readable, enjoyable, well researched, properly illustrated and a superb addition to any enthusiast's library. * Indy Squadron Dispatch *[A]n inherently fascinating read and highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library World War I History & Biography collections. * Midwest Book Review *What makes this work so interesting is that Roesler takes this prevailing theme of aviation’s relevance for air superiority and yet retains the photographic reconnaissance mentioned in the reports. This better illustrates the aviators’ sorties those last months of 1918 when the American Expeditionary Force played a significant role. * Roads to the Great War *With so much emphasis on single-seat fighter pilot aces in World War I, it is refreshing to read about a two-seater pilot and two of his observers who scored impressive air combat triumphs . . . their full life stories are well told in this detailed and well-documented book. * Over the Front *Table of ContentsChapter One: William P. Erwin, Byrne V. Baucom & Château-Thierry Offensive Operations, July 1918 Chapter Two: Black Thursday—1st Aero Squadron and 1st Pursuit Group's Worst Day Chapter Three: St. Mihiel Operations & Easterbrook's Arrival Chapter Four: Meuse-Argonne Offensive Operations Chapter Five: The Final Assault Chapter Six: Postwar—Erwin's Early Return to Participate in America's Victory Loan Chapter Seven: "Lone Star Bill”and the Dole Air Race Chapter Eight: Career Accomplishments & Conclusions
£26.96
Bloomsbury Publishing USA Library for the War-Wounded
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£21.59
Bloomsbury Publishing USA Last House Before the Mountain
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£15.29
Counterpoint Wasteland: The Great War and the Origins of
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£12.99
£16.99
BookBaby Vincent: The Long Silence. A Story of the Great
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£32.79
Sourcebooks, Inc The War Nurse: A Novel
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£16.14
Rainbow Division Veterans Foundation The Best World War I Story I Know: On the Point
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£999.99
New Holland Publishers Gallipoli Soup
Book SynopsisThis is the story of Gallipoli in World War I, as seen through the eyes of several participants. Characters include Australians, Turks, English and Germans, in roles of a press correspondent, an ambassador, infantry privates, army and navy officers, a politician and a spy. Gallipoli Soup is history written to read like a novel, not traditional historical fiction. It is written to tell it like it was and why it happened. The reader will experience the horrors of the battlefield as well as gaining insights into why the campaign was initiated and why it played out in the way that it did through to the final evacuation. The Gallipoli battlefield was not a simple fight of good versus evil, but a conflict of more complex origins in which everyone was on the side of righteousness.
£23.42
Nimbus Publishing Ltd Letters Home: Maritimers and the Great War, 1914-1918
Book SynopsisWith personal letters gathered from public archives and the relatives of those who fought in the First World War, historian Ross Hebb tells the story of Canadian soldiers, from recruitment to deployment to return, in their own words. Letters Home is a collection of the correspondences of 20 people shipped overseas from across the Maritimes, asking about their homes and farms, wondering at the girls in Britain, and leaving keepsakes and life advice for their children. Organized chronologically, the letters describe crossing the Atlantic, training in England, the confusion and anticipation leading up to combat, and for some, the journey home. Includes 20 photographs of the letter writers, their families, postcards, and memorials.
£16.04
