A Kitchener Man's Bit: An Account of the Great War 1914-18

A Kitchener Man's Bit: An Account of the Great War 1914-18

Author: Gerald Dennis

Publisher:

Published: 2016-12-22

Total Pages: 244

ISBN-13: 1912174472

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Long out of print, this new edition memoir by an intelligent and articulate “other rank", provides fascinating insights into the Great War infantryman's experience. In autumn 1915, twenty-year-old Gerald Dennis enlisted in Kitchener’s Army. Assigned to the 21st (Service) Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, affectionately known as the “Yeoman Rifles”, he experienced fierce fighting on the Somme 1916, during Messines Ridge and Third Ypres in 1917 before deployment to Italy in the immediate aftermath of the Caporetto disaster. Re-assigned to a battalion of the Cameron Highlanders in summer 1918, Dennis took part in the advance to victory before demobilisation in 1919. A vivid and engaging record of wartime service and comradeship, his recollections are not those of the archetype disenchanted ex-soldier: “Whatever impressions the readers of this book draw, I would like to emphasise that I bear no resentment or bitterness. As far as I could, I have drawn a true and honest picture of my army life … I realise that I did only the merest little bit for my King and Country, not that we gave either special thought. We had volunteered for them.” M.S.L. 3.11.2015


Book Synopsis A Kitchener Man's Bit: An Account of the Great War 1914-18 by : Gerald Dennis

Download or read book A Kitchener Man's Bit: An Account of the Great War 1914-18 written by Gerald Dennis and published by . This book was released on 2016-12-22 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long out of print, this new edition memoir by an intelligent and articulate “other rank", provides fascinating insights into the Great War infantryman's experience. In autumn 1915, twenty-year-old Gerald Dennis enlisted in Kitchener’s Army. Assigned to the 21st (Service) Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, affectionately known as the “Yeoman Rifles”, he experienced fierce fighting on the Somme 1916, during Messines Ridge and Third Ypres in 1917 before deployment to Italy in the immediate aftermath of the Caporetto disaster. Re-assigned to a battalion of the Cameron Highlanders in summer 1918, Dennis took part in the advance to victory before demobilisation in 1919. A vivid and engaging record of wartime service and comradeship, his recollections are not those of the archetype disenchanted ex-soldier: “Whatever impressions the readers of this book draw, I would like to emphasise that I bear no resentment or bitterness. As far as I could, I have drawn a true and honest picture of my army life … I realise that I did only the merest little bit for my King and Country, not that we gave either special thought. We had volunteered for them.” M.S.L. 3.11.2015

Tommy's War

Tommy's War

Author: Peter Doyle

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2020-10-26

Total Pages: 557

ISBN-13: 1785007645

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The First World War has left an almost indelible mark on history, with battles such as the Somme and Passchendaele becoming watchwords for suffering unsurpassed. The dreadful fighting on the Western Front, and elsewhere in the world, remains vivid in the public imagination. Over the years dozens of books have been published dealing with the soldier's experience, the military history and the weapons and vehicles of the war, but there has been little devoted to the objects associated with those hard years in the trenches. This book (new in paperback) redresses that balance. With hundreds of carefully captioned photographs of items that would have been part of the everyday life for the British Tommy; from recruiting posters, uniforms and entrenching equipment to games, postcards and pieces of 'trench art', this book brings to life the experience of the Great War soldier through the objects with which he would have been surrounded.


Book Synopsis Tommy's War by : Peter Doyle

Download or read book Tommy's War written by Peter Doyle and published by The Crowood Press. This book was released on 2020-10-26 with total page 557 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First World War has left an almost indelible mark on history, with battles such as the Somme and Passchendaele becoming watchwords for suffering unsurpassed. The dreadful fighting on the Western Front, and elsewhere in the world, remains vivid in the public imagination. Over the years dozens of books have been published dealing with the soldier's experience, the military history and the weapons and vehicles of the war, but there has been little devoted to the objects associated with those hard years in the trenches. This book (new in paperback) redresses that balance. With hundreds of carefully captioned photographs of items that would have been part of the everyday life for the British Tommy; from recruiting posters, uniforms and entrenching equipment to games, postcards and pieces of 'trench art', this book brings to life the experience of the Great War soldier through the objects with which he would have been surrounded.

Pillars of Fire

Pillars of Fire

Author: Ian Passingham

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2012-02-29

Total Pages: 306

ISBN-13: 075248365X

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Gentleman, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography.’ So said General Plumer the day before 600 tons of explosives were detonated under the German position on Messines Ridge. The explosion was heard by Lloyd George in Downing Street, and as far away as Dublin. Until 1918, Messines was the only clear cut Allied victory on the Western Front, coming at a time when Britain and her allies needed it most: boosting Allied morale and shattering that of the Germans. Precisely orchestrated, Messines was the first true all-arms modern battle which brought together artillery, engineers, infantry, tanks, aircraft and administrative units from a commonwealth of nations to defeat the common enemy. So why is its name not as familiar as the Somme, Passchendaele or Verdun? This book examines the battle for the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge from the British, ANZAC and German perspectives. Illustrated with archive photographs and maps, it is a major contribution to our understanding of one of the seminal battles of the First World War.


Book Synopsis Pillars of Fire by : Ian Passingham

Download or read book Pillars of Fire written by Ian Passingham and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2012-02-29 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Gentleman, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography.’ So said General Plumer the day before 600 tons of explosives were detonated under the German position on Messines Ridge. The explosion was heard by Lloyd George in Downing Street, and as far away as Dublin. Until 1918, Messines was the only clear cut Allied victory on the Western Front, coming at a time when Britain and her allies needed it most: boosting Allied morale and shattering that of the Germans. Precisely orchestrated, Messines was the first true all-arms modern battle which brought together artillery, engineers, infantry, tanks, aircraft and administrative units from a commonwealth of nations to defeat the common enemy. So why is its name not as familiar as the Somme, Passchendaele or Verdun? This book examines the battle for the Messines-Wytschaete Ridge from the British, ANZAC and German perspectives. Illustrated with archive photographs and maps, it is a major contribution to our understanding of one of the seminal battles of the First World War.

Postcards from the Western Front

Postcards from the Western Front

Author: Mark Connelly

Publisher: McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP

Published: 2022-09-15

Total Pages: 325

ISBN-13: 0228012651

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Visitors to the battlefields of France and Belgium expressed pain and anguish, pride and nostalgia, and wonder and surprise at what they saw. Postcards from the Western Front chronicles the many ways in which these sites were perceived and commemorated by British people, both during the First World War and in the twenty years following the Armistice. Mark Connelly’s definitive and engaging study of the former Western Front examines how different and distinctive sub-communities – regional, ethnic and religious, civilian and armed forces – influenced the depth and strength of the visiting public’s relationship with the battlefields, all the while comparing and contrasting this relationship with the viewpoint of the French and Belgian inhabitants of the devastated regions. Connelly draws from a vast archive a number of interlocking themes, including the lingering presence of the battlefields in the British domestic imagination, the often fraught experience of visiting the battlefields, memorials and cemeteries functioning as part of a historical testimony to wartime realities, and the interactions between visitors and the people living in these former fighting zones. Focusing on French and Belgian sites, Connelly nevertheless provides insight into other major battlefields fought over by troops from the British Empire. Extensively illustrated with black and white photographs, Postcards from the Western Front offers a groundbreaking perspective on landscapes that rarely left anyone – whether tourist, inhabitant, veteran, or pilgrim – unmoved.


Book Synopsis Postcards from the Western Front by : Mark Connelly

Download or read book Postcards from the Western Front written by Mark Connelly and published by McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 325 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visitors to the battlefields of France and Belgium expressed pain and anguish, pride and nostalgia, and wonder and surprise at what they saw. Postcards from the Western Front chronicles the many ways in which these sites were perceived and commemorated by British people, both during the First World War and in the twenty years following the Armistice. Mark Connelly’s definitive and engaging study of the former Western Front examines how different and distinctive sub-communities – regional, ethnic and religious, civilian and armed forces – influenced the depth and strength of the visiting public’s relationship with the battlefields, all the while comparing and contrasting this relationship with the viewpoint of the French and Belgian inhabitants of the devastated regions. Connelly draws from a vast archive a number of interlocking themes, including the lingering presence of the battlefields in the British domestic imagination, the often fraught experience of visiting the battlefields, memorials and cemeteries functioning as part of a historical testimony to wartime realities, and the interactions between visitors and the people living in these former fighting zones. Focusing on French and Belgian sites, Connelly nevertheless provides insight into other major battlefields fought over by troops from the British Empire. Extensively illustrated with black and white photographs, Postcards from the Western Front offers a groundbreaking perspective on landscapes that rarely left anyone – whether tourist, inhabitant, veteran, or pilgrim – unmoved.

Fritz and Tommy

Fritz and Tommy

Author: Peter Doyle

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2015-10-05

Total Pages: 274

ISBN-13: 0750966629

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Fritz and Tommy: Across the Barbed Wire takes a unique look at the experiences of the German soldier – in direct comparison with those of his British counterpart. While other books plot out the battles and examine the participation of the German divisions on the Westfront, there are no books that discuss the shared experience of both sides. Uniquely, Fritz and Tommy examines the commonality of frontline experience. Significantly the book is the result of a close collaboration between a British and a German military historian, both well-placed to draw comparisons and highlight differences. Drawing upon unique archives, Peter Doyle and Robin Schäfer examine the soldiers’ lives, and examine cultural and military nuances that have so far been left untouched. Mapping out the lives of the men in the trenches, ultimately it concludes that Fritz and Tommy were not that far apart, geographically, physically, or emotionally. The soldiers on both sides went to war with high ideals; they experienced horror and misery, but also comradeship/kameradschaft. And with increasing alienation from the people at home, they drew closer together, the Hun transformed into ‘good old Gerry’ by the war’s end.


Book Synopsis Fritz and Tommy by : Peter Doyle

Download or read book Fritz and Tommy written by Peter Doyle and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2015-10-05 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fritz and Tommy: Across the Barbed Wire takes a unique look at the experiences of the German soldier – in direct comparison with those of his British counterpart. While other books plot out the battles and examine the participation of the German divisions on the Westfront, there are no books that discuss the shared experience of both sides. Uniquely, Fritz and Tommy examines the commonality of frontline experience. Significantly the book is the result of a close collaboration between a British and a German military historian, both well-placed to draw comparisons and highlight differences. Drawing upon unique archives, Peter Doyle and Robin Schäfer examine the soldiers’ lives, and examine cultural and military nuances that have so far been left untouched. Mapping out the lives of the men in the trenches, ultimately it concludes that Fritz and Tommy were not that far apart, geographically, physically, or emotionally. The soldiers on both sides went to war with high ideals; they experienced horror and misery, but also comradeship/kameradschaft. And with increasing alienation from the people at home, they drew closer together, the Hun transformed into ‘good old Gerry’ by the war’s end.

Great War Britain Hull and the Humber: Remembering 1914-18

Great War Britain Hull and the Humber: Remembering 1914-18

Author: Susanna O'Neill

Publisher: The History Press

Published: 2015-09-07

Total Pages: 198

ISBN-13: 0750965746

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain Hull & the Humber offers an intimate portrayal of the city and its people living in the shadow of the 'war to end all wars'. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it describes local reaction to the outbreak of war; the experience of individuals who enlisted; the changing face of industry; the work of the many hospitals in the area; the effect of the conflict on local children; the women who defied convention to play a vital role on the home front; and concludes with a chapter dedicated to how the city and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime once more. The Great War story of Hull is told through the voices of those who were there and is vividly illustrated through evocative images from Hull City Archives.


Book Synopsis Great War Britain Hull and the Humber: Remembering 1914-18 by : Susanna O'Neill

Download or read book Great War Britain Hull and the Humber: Remembering 1914-18 written by Susanna O'Neill and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2015-09-07 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The First World War claimed over 995,000 British lives, and its legacy continues to be remembered today. Great War Britain Hull & the Humber offers an intimate portrayal of the city and its people living in the shadow of the 'war to end all wars'. A beautifully illustrated and highly accessible volume, it describes local reaction to the outbreak of war; the experience of individuals who enlisted; the changing face of industry; the work of the many hospitals in the area; the effect of the conflict on local children; the women who defied convention to play a vital role on the home front; and concludes with a chapter dedicated to how the city and its people coped with the transition to life in peacetime once more. The Great War story of Hull is told through the voices of those who were there and is vividly illustrated through evocative images from Hull City Archives.

Men of War

Men of War

Author: Jessica Meyer

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2016-04-30

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 0230305423

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Exploring how understandings of masculinity were constructed by British First World war servicemen through examination of their personal narratives, including letters home from the front and wartime diaries. This book presents a nuanced investigation of masculine identity in Britain during and after the First World War.


Book Synopsis Men of War by : Jessica Meyer

Download or read book Men of War written by Jessica Meyer and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-04-30 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Exploring how understandings of masculinity were constructed by British First World war servicemen through examination of their personal narratives, including letters home from the front and wartime diaries. This book presents a nuanced investigation of masculine identity in Britain during and after the First World War.

The Cross and the Trenches

The Cross and the Trenches

Author: Richard Schweitzer

Publisher: Praeger

Published: 2003-05-30

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Drawing on the testimony of over 500 British and American soldiers, the author provides an in-depth account of topics such as soldiers prayers and biblical readings, as well as religious doubts.


Book Synopsis The Cross and the Trenches by : Richard Schweitzer

Download or read book The Cross and the Trenches written by Richard Schweitzer and published by Praeger. This book was released on 2003-05-30 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on the testimony of over 500 British and American soldiers, the author provides an in-depth account of topics such as soldiers prayers and biblical readings, as well as religious doubts.

History of the East Lancashire Regiment in the Great War 1914-1918

History of the East Lancashire Regiment in the Great War 1914-1918

Author: Sir Cecil Lothian Nicholson

Publisher:

Published: 1936

Total Pages: 652

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK


Book Synopsis History of the East Lancashire Regiment in the Great War 1914-1918 by : Sir Cecil Lothian Nicholson

Download or read book History of the East Lancashire Regiment in the Great War 1914-1918 written by Sir Cecil Lothian Nicholson and published by . This book was released on 1936 with total page 652 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Kitchener's Army

Kitchener's Army

Author: Peter Simkins

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2007-08-30

Total Pages: 366

ISBN-13: 1473815797

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Numbering over five million men, Britain's army in the First World War was the biggest in the country's history. Remarkably, nearly half those men who served in it were volunteers. 2,466,719 men enlisted between August 1914 and December 1915, many in response to the appeals of the Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener. How did Britain succeed in creating a mass army, almost from scratch, in the middle of a major war ? What compelled so many men to volunteer ' and what happened to them once they had taken the King's shilling ? Peter Simkins describes how Kitchener's New Armies were raised and reviews the main political, economic and social effects of the recruiting campaign. He examines the experiences and impressions of the officers and men who made up the New Armies. As well as analysing their motives for enlisting, he explores how they were fed, housed, equipped and trained before they set off for active service abroad. Drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ranging from government papers to the diaries and letters of individual soldiers, he questions long-held assumptions about the 'rush to the colours' and the nature of patriotism in 1914. The book will be of interest not only to those studying social, political and economic history, but also to general readers who wish to know more about the story of Britain's citizen soldiers in the Great War.


Book Synopsis Kitchener's Army by : Peter Simkins

Download or read book Kitchener's Army written by Peter Simkins and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2007-08-30 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Numbering over five million men, Britain's army in the First World War was the biggest in the country's history. Remarkably, nearly half those men who served in it were volunteers. 2,466,719 men enlisted between August 1914 and December 1915, many in response to the appeals of the Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener. How did Britain succeed in creating a mass army, almost from scratch, in the middle of a major war ? What compelled so many men to volunteer ' and what happened to them once they had taken the King's shilling ? Peter Simkins describes how Kitchener's New Armies were raised and reviews the main political, economic and social effects of the recruiting campaign. He examines the experiences and impressions of the officers and men who made up the New Armies. As well as analysing their motives for enlisting, he explores how they were fed, housed, equipped and trained before they set off for active service abroad. Drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ranging from government papers to the diaries and letters of individual soldiers, he questions long-held assumptions about the 'rush to the colours' and the nature of patriotism in 1914. The book will be of interest not only to those studying social, political and economic history, but also to general readers who wish to know more about the story of Britain's citizen soldiers in the Great War.