'Mud, Blood, and Poppycock', by Gordon Corrigan (retired major in the Gurkhas) is a re-examination of the First World War, with particular attention paid to the 'myths' of that war: hell in the trenches; cowards shot at dawn; the needless slaughter on the Somme and the 3rd Ypres; etc.
I recommend a reading of it. There I was, thinking that I knew about the First World War, and suddenly I discover that I knew nothing. Hell in the trenches? The troops only spent between 5-6 days EACH MONTH in the trenches. The rest was far behind the lines - training, drilling, marching, playing football.
And he makes a strong case concerning the Somme and 3rd Ypres: they were VERY necessary, to rescue the French army from collapse. The Somme had to happen to take pressure off the French at Verdun, and the 3rd Ypress (Passchendael) had to happen so to prevent the Germans breaking through the mutinying French lines.
There is also a lot of practical information in this book about army divisions (their make-up) and the chain of command.
And also a piece on that Australian chap Jacka: why he didn't get a second VC.
Definitely worth a read.
I recommend a reading of it. There I was, thinking that I knew about the First World War, and suddenly I discover that I knew nothing. Hell in the trenches? The troops only spent between 5-6 days EACH MONTH in the trenches. The rest was far behind the lines - training, drilling, marching, playing football.
And he makes a strong case concerning the Somme and 3rd Ypres: they were VERY necessary, to rescue the French army from collapse. The Somme had to happen to take pressure off the French at Verdun, and the 3rd Ypress (Passchendael) had to happen so to prevent the Germans breaking through the mutinying French lines.
There is also a lot of practical information in this book about army divisions (their make-up) and the chain of command.
And also a piece on that Australian chap Jacka: why he didn't get a second VC.
Definitely worth a read.