Room 40 : British Naval Intelligence 1914-18

Customer Reviews:

Astonishing.......2007-08-23

"I am reluctantly driven to the conclusion that there was a conspiracy deliberately to put the Lusitania at risk in the hope that even an abortive attack on her would bring the United States into the war. Such a conspiracy could not have been put into effect without Winston Churchill's express permission and approval." -- Patrick Beesly

SNIPING IN FRANCE 1914-18: With Notes on the Scientific Training of Scouts, Observers, and Snipers (Helion Library of the Great War)

Average customer rating:

Mostly enjoyable, mostly interesting
An excellent read

SNIPING IN FRANCE 1914-18: With Notes on the Scientific Training of Scouts, Observers, and Snipers (Helion Library of the Great War)
Major Prickard (DSO MC)
Manufacturer: Helion and Company Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1874622477

Book Description

The first volume in the new Helion Library of the Great War, a series designed to bring into print rare books long out-of-print, as well as producing translations of important and overlooked material that will contribute to our knowledge of this conflict.

Sniping in France provides a detailed and richly-informative account of how the snipers of the Great War British army trained and fought, and measures taken against their German counterparts. The author was responsible for organising a cohesive structure to the training of the snipers via the First Army School of Scouting, Observation and Sniping, established in 1916.

Written in a very readable style, filled with anecdotes and fascinating detail, the author's study covers the genesis of sniping in the army, his early days instructing XI Corps, and then First Army, including much on the curriculum and work at that unit's School of Scouting, Observation and Sniping. It also includes anecdotal chapters describing sniping memories, before concluding with recollections of training the Portugese Expeditionary Force's snipers, and looking ahead to the future of sniping. Detailed appendices reproduce relevant excerpts from the army's wartime training manuals.

Originally published in 1920, copies are highly sought-after. Helion's reprint is a high quality edition, newly-typeset, with a new index, and featuring a number of charming pencil sketches by Ernest Blaikley.

Customer Reviews:

Mostly enjoyable, mostly interesting.......2005-03-30

This short book is obviously unique and covers more-or-less what you would expect. The read is, for the most part, pretty dry. There is a lot of information about the inter-service machinations that resulted in the establishment of the observation and sniping schools: who did what, and how the schools came about. I found this somewhat uninteresting. There is also material, of course, on what the schools taught, etc., and although this is interesting material, it is presented in a very dry manner--much of it as an appendix which is a schedule of the courses taught, broken down by day and hour, without details on the actual course of instruction.

The actual observation and sniping anecdotes are very enjoyable, but also fairly infrequent, and a few of them are told twice to illustrate various viewpoints. I would stress that although the book is entitled "Sniping..." it would be more accuratly entitled "Observation and Sniping..."

If you're looking for a more-or-less historical perspective without much of the "action", and you don't mind the rather steep price, then this is the book for you. If you're more interested in the "war stories", then I'd suggest Herbert McBride's book instead.

An excellent read.......2004-07-02

It would appear that this title has not been published since its first appearance in 1920; a great pity given its unique subject and the authors' expertise and experience in the field. Prior to the war, Hesketh-Prichard had been a big-game hunter, expert shot, cricketer, and travel author. He entered the army in 1914 and set about trying to improve the poor standard of British army sniping evident in France, eventually creating the "The First Army School of Sniping, Observing and Scouting (SOS)" which set the standard for sniping in France.

In this very readable book, the author discusses his enthusiasm for sniping and the problems he encountered setting up such a school in a British army that had no `Establishment' (his words) for such a thing. Early on he describes seeing a sniper in action who was adamant he was putting every one of his bullets through the enemy's loop-hole at 600 yards with his telescopic rifle. Hesketh-Prichard observed through his own Ross telescope that they were consistently striking six feet to the left. This illustrates a common theme in the book, where `snipers' used telescopic rifles that weren't sighted in, were poorly maintained, and were used by untrained soldiers with little or no experience of stalking, using cover, or camouflage. The result was that the Germans had the upper hand and were causing appalling casualties. Hesketh-Prichard could see the benefit to unit morale of having truly expert snipers using specialist weapons, and successfully fought to teach this unique skill.

The book discusses the early days, memories of both sniping and observing, the curriculum of the School, the training of the Portuguese, and includes two chapters illustrating the value of observation and information-gathering, `Wilibald The Hun' and "The Cat'. Following the book proper is three appendices that discuss the training of observers, the general teaching cource at the First Army School of SOS, and care of arms, range practice, patrolling and scouting, the stalking telescope, front line observation and reports, use of scouts, observers and snipers in attack, defence and open warfare, and the Enfield 1914 pattern `snipers rifle'.

The text is leavened with a number of expert sketches and photographs illustrating points in the book, such as cover and camouflage, observation, etc. I did note several instances of lax proof-reading, limited to full stops in inappropriate places. These do not detract from what is a fine book written by a recognized expert in his field, and which is a joy to read. Very highly recommended.

Book Description

The outbreak of World War I found the British Army's Royal Flying Corps with just over 200 fragile, unarmed reconnaissance aircraft, and a uniformed strength of just over 2,000 all ranks; the Royal Naval Air Service had some 50 seaplanes. By the Armistice of 1918 the unified Royal Air Force was the largest in the world, with about 22,650 aeroplanes - including a strategic bomber force - and 27,330 men operating from some 700 bases. This second in a two-part study covers RAF, WRAF and RAFNS uniforms from the unification of the service in April 1918; and the whole span of flying clothing during the Great War.

Battle Tactics of the Western Front: The British Army`s Art of Attack, 1916-18

Average customer rating:

Innovative and thought provoking
Neither Polemical nor a Strawman
A Straw man Hypothesis
Poorly titled polemic
Good study of the evolution of infantry tactics

Battle Tactics of the Western Front: The British Army`s Art of Attack, 1916-18
Paddy Griffith
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0300066635

Book Description

In this book a renowned military historian studies the evolution of British infantry tactics during World War I and challenges traditional interpretations that portray British participation as a series of tragic tactical debacles. While Griffith concedes that the British army`s plans and technologies failed persistently during the improvised first half of the war, he reveals that the army gradually improved its techniques and technology and eventually demonstrated a battlefield skill and mobility that would rarely be surpassed even during World War II.

Customer Reviews:

Innovative and thought provoking.......2007-03-22

This book signalled something of a watershed in the way we think about World War I, and does indeed challenge the 'stupid' theory of British tactics. Some hate such a notion - others love it, so explaining some of the very divergent opinions seen in reviews. The book's points of excellence include copious use of contemporary manuals and documents, readability, and a strong notion of the changes over time.

This would have been a five star rating - bar some modest quibbles regarding the arbitary notional start date in 1916, and a personal wish to see more comparative material on other nations (this would give more of a yardstick against which to judge the British efforts). Nevertheless I would strongly urge anyone with an interest in the subject to read this book: it will give you lots to think about, will challenge received opinions, and provide more than satisfaction in terms of production values, notes and references.

Neither Polemical nor a Strawman.......2007-01-05

I would highly recommend this book for both students of military history and serving military officers. This book provides a good overview of the evolution of tactics, strategies and weapons to meet emerging challenges. It also provides a good account of how the British military evolves and changes to meet those challenges. Both will help military officers who are working with transformation and RMA issues.

Indeed, it is not an exaggeration to say that the British military has achieved one of the most impressive transformation, evolving from a small professional army to a large army consisting mostly of 'hostilities only' volunteers and conscripts. It is also not an exaggeration to say that the British military achieved a Revolution in Military Affairs within a few short years, not only in the use of new weapons such as the tank and aircraft, but also new tactics and strategies.

It is even more impressive that these transformations were accomplished while the British military was actively engaged in an on-going war with a powerful and capable enemy - the German military. Few military officers nowadays would have to meet such a daunting challenge. Those critical of this book, perhaps being civilians, might not have a good grasp of just how impressive this achievement was.

This knowlegeable account has helped overturn some of the enduring - and now we know - inaccurate myths of the British military in the First World War. It is neither polemical nor a strawman hypothesis, unless one is wedded to certain mythical views of WW1. Indeed, if there is any fault - and this is why I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars - it is presented in a rather dull and academic tone which might put off some casual readers.

But it remains highly recommended for professional readers.

A Straw man Hypothesis.......2003-03-31

Paddy Griffith, a former lecturer at Sandhurst, challenges the commonly held view that the British army's performance in the First World was a string of tactical disasters. It is Griffith's contention that, "the British army gradually improved its techniques and technology," and it was this improvement that enabled them to win the war. Griffith sees the war as divided into two distinct phases: a prepatory phase in 1914-1916, where the BEF was gradually re-shaped into a large-scale army and the final phase from July 2, 1916 to the armistice. Griffith asserts that the first day of the Battle of the Somme was the dividing line between these two phases. While parts of this book are interesting, there is nothing really new here and the work is far more interested in historiography than tactical detail.

Battle Tactics of the Western Front consists of ten chapters beginning with an introduction and the tactical dilemma of trench warfare. The main sections of the book consist of sections on infantry tactics and heavier weapons (automatic weapons, artillery and tanks). Griffith finishes with a chapter on the BEF's tactical achievement and three appendices. The extensive notes and bibliography provided indicate breadth of research, if not depth of insight.

The fundamental flaw in this book is that Griffith's main hypothesis is a straw man theory. Don't most armies improve after 3-4 years of warfare? Even the losers, the Germans, Russians and Austrians, achieved tactical improvements over time. Since it is hard to see how the BEF could not have improved tactically over the course of the war, it is really difficult to see the unique value of the author's thesis or conclusions. Indeed, how could Griffith be wrong? Actually, the question should not be whether the British army improved over time, but did it improve as quickly as other armies? Griffith lambasts the Germans, slights the Americans and ignores the French, so this study makes little effort at comparison. While there are some useful sections on how the British improved their artillery tactics, there is very little effort to actually quantify the British improvement.

Another fundamental problem with Battle Tactics of the Western Front is that the author uses a very poor methodology to make his case. Ideally, the author would have detailed the 100-150 corps-size battles that the British fought in 1916-1918 and then attempted to use statistics to analyze the question of improved tactical efficiency. While there are selected efforts in regard to artillery tactics, these examples are too narrow to validate a theory. Indeed, since there is no real effort at analysis or comparison, the work becomes rather polemical and makes no real effort to objectively validate the thesis. Instead of focusing on operational-level details, the author continually veers toward condemning alternate historiographical approaches that differs from his (petty axe-grinding).

In addition to a rather tautological hypothesis and poor methodology, the author constantly confuses the scope of this work by inter-mixing discussions of operational-level and strategic-level issues (there is really very little discussion of the tactical level). There are also a number of other troubling issues concerning the author's objectivity, or lack of same. According to Griffith, some 10-14 of the 66 British Divisions in France were "elite," despite the lack of special selection, training or equipment. How could 15-20% of any mass-based army be considered elite? The reader may also become incredulous when Griffith describes disasters like 3rd Ypres in 1917 as a "partial success." How British (just like Dunkirk was a "victory"). Griffith is also extremely bigoted against the Tank Corps and one of his objectives appears to be to refute the idea that tanks contributed in any significant way to the final victory. Griffith denigrates tanks by claiming that they were essentially "disposable" weapons, good for only eight hours of combat, but this is sheer nonsense. At Cambrai, Griffith ignores the fact that British tanks fought for ten days straight. Griffith also lays into other pundits, such as Liddell Hart. Indeed, Griffith wastes a great deal of space on silly subjects, such as the distribution of typewriters in the BEF. What Griffith does not provide - but should have - is an analysis of the basic tactical "battlefield operating systems" (maneuver, intelligence, fire support, mobility/counter mobility, C2, logistics, medical, and air defense). While Griffith could claim that he addresses maneuver and fire support, with some mention of engineers, the other factors are all ignored. The exclusion of tactical intelligence and logistics are particularly egregious.

In sum, this is an immaculately researched but poorly crafted effort that does little to enhance our knowledge of tactical doctrine or operations in the First World War. The author set a low bar for himself but then failed to achieve even that, preferring to grind axes instead. While there is no doubt that the British enjoyed some significant tactical successes in the First World War (Arras 1917, Cambrai 1917), the evidence of 1914-1918 indicates that the British were generally solid on the defense but unspectacular on the offense. While the BEF certainly learned some lessons after four years, they were learned at high cost and it is doubtful that the BEF's learning curve was ahead of anybody else's. Griffith's work is unlikely to alter anybody's impression that that the BEF tasted of failure and frustration far more than it did of success.

Poorly titled polemic.......2001-02-14

Griffith has a clear goal with this book, and that is to demonstrate that the British Infantry was at least as skilled at attacking as the German infantry in WWI. He does a good job of this, but a much less satisfactory job of exploring actual small unit tactics in any depth.

Most of the discussion of infantry tactics is in very general terms that would be familiar to anyone who's read a decent general history of the war. I was hoping for more details and case studies, going down into the nitty gritty of what went on during an attack. How did units advance? How did they coordinate with flank units and supporting arms? How were trench assaults carried out and successes reinforced?

Instead, Griffith looks at the broad scale development of British tactics and shows that the British weren't stuck with hidebound ideas, but were actually rather innovative in important ways. While this does answer some of the criticisms levelled against British generalship, it only sharpens others. If British tactics were so good, then why were the results so miserable? Either some of the tactics weren't as good as Griffith makes out, or the larger strategy was unbelievably incompetant.

Good study of the evolution of infantry tactics.......2000-12-18

In 1916 the British Army launched a huge attack which was latter to be called the battle of the Somme. After a three day artillery barrage over 50,000 soldiers emerged from their trenches and in parade ground formation walked slowly towards the German lines. Unfortunately the artillery barrage had used low calibre shells and as a result the German defenders were unharmed. As the British approached the Germans leaped from their dugouts and started to fire using all the modern weapons of war they had available on the slowly advancing British. The slow movement and concentration meant that within a short time 50,000 men were either killed or wounded.

Since that battle most historians writing about the first world war have been little less than contemptuous of the British Military leadership in the first World War. Following the war, memoirs of individual soldiers have described accurately the horror of life in the trenches. Books such as In Flanders Fields and the Donkey's have ridiculed the military ability of Sir Douglas Haig the British Commander in Chief.

This book is an attempt to balance the impression which has been created of the British Officer Class as a number of ill informed Dodo's who had a callous disregard for the lives of their men. It examines in detail the battle tactics of the British at Squad and Battalion level. It shows that instead of the army developing a head in the sand attitude to the disasters which were befalling it that most officers were keen to innovate.

During the war a number of innovations were developed by the British prior to the use of the tank the innovation most people are familiar with. These included the Lewis Gun (a movable light machine gun) trench mortars and Mills bombs (hand grenades). One of the strengths of this book is that it shows that these developments were noted by British Officers and quickly used.

Mortars and Grenades became vital in attacks. The Lewis Gun became important not only in suppressing enemy fire but in holding newly won ground against counter attacks.

In fact if one looks at the first World War it is clear that both sides were innovating all the time. After the initial Somme Battles the Germans rejected the use of defensive trench systems in favour of machine gun posts and pill boxes. They then save there infantry for counter attacks. The British and French in turn had to alter there tactics to using artillery as a means of allowing there troops to approach enemy positions instead of expecting it destroy them. In addition the British succesfully used mines burried under the German positions to considerable effect.

All in all the book is interesting and adds to our understanding of the First World War a conflict which in the past has been over schematised.

Average customer rating:

Food for Thought

Limited evidence leads to sweeping conclusions

14-18: Understanding the Great War
Annette Becker , Stephane Audoin-Rouzeau , and Catherine Temerson
Manufacturer: Hill and Wang
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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Sites of Memory, Sites of Mourning: The Great War in European Cultural History (Canto)

The Great War and Modern Memory

An Intimate History of Killing: Face-to-Face Killing in Twentieth-Century Warfare

The Arming of Europe and the Making of the First World War (Princeton Studies in International History and Politics)

The Somme

ASIN: 0809046423

Book Description

A bold new assessment of how the violence, racist nationalism, and grief aroused in 1914-18 changed the course of history

To many, the years of the Great War seemed to signal Europe's collective suicide. A century later, the conflict continues to dominate the imagination of the West--not least because it became the matrix from which all subsequent disasters emerged.

The authors of 14-18: Understanding the Great War have set aside the overly familiar scholarly tasks--assigning responsibility for the war, accounting for its battles, assessing its causes--and instead examine three neglected but highly significant aspects of the conflict, each of which changed national and international affairs forever.

First, the war was unprecedented in its physical violence: Why was this so, and what were the effects of tolerating it? Second, each side seemed motivated and exalted by a vehement nationalistic, racist animus against the enemy: How did this "crusade" mentality evolve, and what did it mean for Europe and the world? Third, with its millions of deaths the war created a tidal wave of grief: How could the mourners ever come to terms with the agonizing pain? These are the elements that are vital to understanding the Great War.

With its strikingly original interpretative strength and its wealth of compelling documentary evidence drawn from all sides in the conflict, this innovative work has quickly established itself as a classic in the history of modern warfare.

Customer Reviews:

Food for Thought.......2004-07-14

This book is a series of essays on various topics related to World War I. It does not claim to be a thorough analysis of the war, but it does point in directions for further thought and research. I found the book to be quite fascinating. For example, there is a chapter about forced labor behind the front lines that was new material to me. Also, there is quite a bit about how the war was remembered and memorialized that is very intriguing. A major thesis of the book is that Paul Fussell's idea about a big cultural disconnect resulting from the Great War is wrong. The authors endeavor to show that, other than some avant-garde artists, most people continued to understand the world in traditional terms. Overall, a very stimulating book.

Limited evidence leads to sweeping conclusions.......2003-07-11

It took me a while to understand why I was so disappointed and uncomfortable with this book. The subject matter and chapter topics seemed intriguing; the writing style wasn't bad. Then I began to understand that the problem is with the authors' scholarship. In an attempt to reinterpret the war and make it meaningful for a contemporary audience, they used the inexperienced-author-survey style of writing, which takes an anecdote or two and turns this limited information into the basis for broad, sweeping conclusions that are inaccurate, or worse. As an amateur historian who understands the rules of scholarship, I was finding it impossible to suspend disbelief as I read through this series of interrelated but lightweight essays. Some of the information presented is indeed interesting, but the conclusions are not, and overall it does not hold together well as a book.

If you're looking for a recent WWI publication that is informative, well-researched and engaging, get Winston Groom's book, A Storm in Flanders.

Average customer rating:

Surprising Analysis of British Leadership in WWI

COMMAND AND CONTROL ON THE WESTERN FRONT: The British Army's Experience 1914-18
edited by Gary Sheffield and Dan Todman
Manufacturer: Spellmount Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Through German Eyes: The British & The Somme 1916 (Phoenix Press)

Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War

Haig's Generals

FIRE POWER: The British Army: weapons and theories of war, 1904-1945, (Pen & Sword Military Classics)

All the Kaiser's Men: The Life & Death of the German Army on the Western Front 1914-1918

ASIN: 186227083X

Book Description

A radical new interpretation of British command and generalship in the First World War which debunks the 'donkey' myth - leading historians examine the practicalities of command on the Western Front and British command emerges as much more effective than many believe which helps to explain why the British Army reached a peak of military excellence in 1918. It contains new looks at familiar subjects, for example Haig and GHQ and Gough as Army Commander and has chapters on topics almost entirely neglected in the past including the role of Corps and Artillery Commanders. It is the first book to examine the 'nuts and bolts' of British command on the Western Front.

Customer Reviews:

Surprising Analysis of British Leadership in WWI.......2005-03-23

The British Army and especially its officer corp during World War I has been characterized in book and film as being obstinate and even stupid, unwilling to learn and incapable of understanding the new dynamics of the battlefield.

To cope with the static trench warfare, the British had developed tanks, while the Germans had developed their 'stormtrooper' tactics.

While it is certainly true that the dynamics of the battlefield had changed, in truth so had the British generals. By early 1917 the BEF had developed a new tactical system based on fire and movement much like that of the stormtroopers, and which was to continue to be the basis for infantry assaults until today.

This book brings together a series of articles by a range of writers to analyze what the British did during the war. It shines a whole new light on British leadership.

Battles on the Eastern Front 1914-18: Suicide of the Empires (Great Battles)

Average customer rating:

Good but short
A good introduction to a poorly understood part of WWI
Insubstantial

Battles on the Eastern Front 1914-18: Suicide of the Empires (Great Battles)
Alan Clark
Manufacturer: Windrush Press, Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Eastern Front 1914-1917

ASIN: 1900624230

Customer Reviews:

Good but short.......2004-03-06

This book is just over 100 pages. It gives a pretty good account of Tannenberg, yet has few maps. The Brusilov offensive is very breif, 13 or 14 pages as is true in most books unfortunately. Most of the information in the book is accurate, barring just about all of page 97, which is uninformed at best. This page discusses the western front so it can be excused. The correct version of page 97 should read , the American expeditionary force destroyed the Germans at St. Mehiel and so Ludendorf asked for an armistice, the Balkans were a side show. Read "The Myth of the Great War," John Mosier, for a better explanation. The book is a good primer for the eastern front, and sadly in the english language there's not much after that. Any good book on WWI Suggests Norman Stones book The eastern front 1914-1917 as it's main source, however unfortunately, it's the only source. One final comment, Mr. Clark writes that Evert's offensive was originally scheduled for June 9, 1916, I believe it was scheduled for June 14 originally.

A good introduction to a poorly understood part of WWI.......2000-08-14

Alan Clark's overview of the Eastern Front in World War I is a good starting place for readers to know more about the "war to end all wars." A considerable number of U.S. books have been devoted to the Western Front, which is understandable since it was where American soldiers fought and died. But far fewer works have dealt with the catastrophe of inept Russian and Austro-Hungarian armies at war. What is obvious from Clark's work is the tragic cost of the war for those two empires. What also emerges is the obvious superiority of the German command in comparison to its Russian and Austrian counterparts and, by implication, the over-confidence that this performance bred for the next world war. The author -- who often came under attack (sometimes rightly so) from the academic community -- also includes suggested additional readings on the Eastern Front.

Insubstantial.......1999-09-30

Originally published in 1971, the book offers no new information regarding the eastern front during WWI. While the period and place hold considerable interest, this book does not come close to satisfying it, except, perhaps, as a precis. One would be better served to consult SLA Marshall in the American Heritage volume on World War I.

Average customer rating:

Tommy Atkins Redux
Tommy Atkins Redux

British Tommy 1914-18 (Warrior)
Martin Pegler
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1855325411
Release Date: 1996-07-15

Book Description

The World War 1 was a watershed in British military and social history, and even now the repercussions can still be felt. No town or village in the British Isles escaped casualty, and the creative genius of a generation was wiped out, at an incalculable loss to society. This book looks in detail at how the British soldier lived, fought and died during the traumatic war years. Enlistment, training and all aspects of life on active service are carefully examined, including discipline, relaxation and even the type and quality of food that soldiers ate. The analysis of the British infantryman's experience is greatly aided by the memories of old soldiers, which provide an interesting and often vivid account of life on the Western Front.

Customer Reviews:

Tommy Atkins Redux.......2001-12-30

This volume covers much of the same materiel that was included in the British Infantry Equipments, 1908-1980 and British Army 1914-1918 titles in the Men At Arms series.
It also covers much of the same as in Chappells own publications in British Army in the Twentieth Century. Unfortunately most of those are no longer available. I hope he did not lose money on them.
This volume therefore combines the results of twenty more years of research and brings together information once available only seperately. Worth having for that reason alone.

Tommy Atkins Redux.......2001-12-30

Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldiers' Letters, 1914-18

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The First World War from an Indian Soldier's Viewpoint
WW1--an unfamiliar view

Indian Voices of the Great War: Soldiers' Letters, 1914-18
David Omissi
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0312220618

Book Description

Indian soldiers served in France from 1914 to 1918. This book is a selection of their letters. By turns poignant, funny, and almost unbearably moving, these documents vividly evoke the world of the Western Front--as seen through "subaltern" Indian eyes. The letters also bear eloquent witness to the sepoys' often unsettling encounter with Europe, and with European culture. This book helps to map the imaginative landscape of South Asia's warrior-peasant communities.

Customer Reviews:

The First World War from an Indian Soldier's Viewpoint.......2007-01-08

Based as this book is on the letters sent home by Indian soldiers on the 'western front' during World War I, it gives a true picture of the actual war conditions which must have come as a great surprise to these combatants who had never been outside India and did not even know what they were fighting for. The majority of these soldiers came from northern areas of India which are now in Pakistan. Once in France, they were immediately taken aback by the goodwill and lack of prejudice in contrast to what they were
accustomed to at the hands of their British masters in India. This is expressed again and again in several letters. They were surprised also at the attitude of their British mentors who behaved so differently in their own country and almost treated them as equals. Today we find it surprising that these soldiers would be willing to lay their lives on behalf of their foreign masters for a few dollars a month, to be gassed and blinded, buried in swamps, without even knowing the actual causes of
the War or the consequences if the other side had come out as victors.
Such was their innocence! This book can very engrossing for those interested in the First World War, as the expressive letters very clearly
portray the feelings of wounded soldiers afraid to go back to the front a second time.

WW1--an unfamiliar view.......2001-11-21

This book is a collection of letters between Indian soldiers and their families in the First World War, translated into English from the various languages in which they were originally written. Many thousands of soldiers from what was then the British Empire fought for the Allies in WW1, and a large number of them came from India--Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. They had enlisted for traditional warfare in South Asia, and nothing could have prepared them for what they found when they arrived in the trenches of the Western Front. Their accounts of their experiences are fascinating, powerful and moving. David Omissi, the editor, provides an excellent introduction and gives useful background information. I strongly recommend this book.

BRITAIN'S LAST TOMMIES: Final Memories from Soldiers of the 1914-18 War - In Their Own Words

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The things these men suffered

BRITAIN'S LAST TOMMIES: Final Memories from Soldiers of the 1914-18 War - In Their Own Words
Richard Van Emden
Manufacturer: Pen and Sword
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1844153150

Book Description

The First World War as a living history is to all intents and purposes over. As of today February 2005, there are only twelve veterans from six million alive who served on the Western Front. Richard has spent the last 20 years interviewing and carefully recording the memories of over 270 veterans and this book is a culmination of his 20 years of work.

The book will be an extraordinary collection of stories told by the veterans themselves but also through the author's memories of them: the remarkable, the sad, the funny, the moving. It will also feature an outstanding collection of photographs taken of the veterans as they were, as soldiers during the war together with recent images of almost all of these men, taken at home, back on the Western Front, at the final veterans' reunion, and at various investitures.

Britain's Last Tommies will also offer a unique list of veterans, all of who individually hold the poignant title of being the last Gallipoli veteran, the last Royal Flying Corps veteran, the last Distinguished Conduct Medal holder, the last cavalryman, the last Prisoner of War.

Customer Reviews:

The things these men suffered.......2007-09-18

Wow. What an eye-opener this book is. The true stories of the killing fields of WWI, and the officers and the soldiers who fought, straight from the veterans' mouths. These men went through hell on earth and lived to tell the tale. This is an in-depth look at the horror of that war, all the more powerful because it's told with such restraint by the very men who fought, and by respectfully sympathetic author. Highly recommended.

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