23 replies to this topic

[kaiserknight]

http://www.amazon.co...35077496&sr=1-9

[uncle fester]

Got it on order

[Jack Sheldon]

Well spotted the two of you! For some reason the book description has not yet been posted so, to give you a flavour of what is in store for you, these are the chapter headings:

The Winter Battle in Champagne
Neuve Chapelle
Gas Attack at Ypres (i.e. Second Ypres)
The Spring Battles in Artois: Arras, Aubers Ridge and Festubert
The Argonne Forest
The Autumn Battles in Artois: Arras and Loos
The Autumn Battle in Champagne

Something for everyone there, I hope.

Jack

[squirrel]

Added my details for an "alert" when it becomes available - some of the less well covered battles from the British side there Jack.

[SWorrall]

Amazon currently have my pre-order delivery as July 23rd.

Simon.

[Jim Smithson]

One man's crusade to document the German's effort in the G.W. continues!   Well done Jack - you are shaming all native historians with your work.  The sources you have used will probably settle back now to accumulating another 90 years or so of dust.  Pre-ordered to keep my collection complete.

Jim

[truthergw]

That will certainly fill a gap, Jack. I am particularly looking forward to an account of the Champagne battles.

[mmckay395]

Can't wait to get it Jack.

The chapters on Champagne and the Argonne sound brilliant. Not enough in English about them. Anything on fighting in the Vosges?

Mark

[Jack Sheldon]

Thank you all for your encouragement. I hope that the Champagne and Argonne chapters do indeed fill in some gaps for you Tom and Mark. I must admit that I learned a lot whilst I was researching them. I am afraid that there was not space to discuss the Vosges. As it is I was butting up against the word limit - there was a lot to pack in.

Jack

[SWorrall]

Jack Sheldon, on 27 April 2012 - 06:22 AM, said:

I am afraid that there was not space to discuss the Vosges. As it is I was butting up against the word limit - there was a lot to pack in.

Jack

Excellent, there's the starter for the next volume then!

Simon.

[James A Pratt III]

I have read your books on the Somme, passendale,and Vimy and found them fine reading. I will get to the rest someday. It would be nice if someday if you one or more on the fighting on the Eastern front one day.

[Crunchy]

Well done Jack. Congratulations.  What is the next volume?

Regards
Chris

[Jack Sheldon]

Simon, James and Chris

Many thanks for your kind words. I hope that you enjoy the book when you see it and will be interested in your reaction. Thank you, too, for your additional suggestions. I am already at work on Volume 7: Allied Spring Offensives 1917 (Nivelle and Arras) and I think that I shall have to tackle four or five more after that to produce a reasonably comprehensive series. Once that is done, I shall be able to turn my attention to other projects, so I can only request your continuing support and patience.

Jack

[SWorrall]

Jack,
if there is kindness in our comments, then there is also great respect for the body of work that you have authored over the years.
Aside from the Wilfred Laurier University work on translating parts of the German Official History, I'm not aware of any other sustained body of modern work, looking at the German sources, which is available in English.
It is an excellent addition to the historiography and deserves every plaudit that you receive.

Best regards,
Simon.

[Crunchy]

SWorrall, on 08 May 2012 - 09:23 AM, said:

there is also great respect for the body of work that you have authored over the years.
Aside from the Wilfred Laurier University work on translating parts of the German Official History, I'm not aware of any other sustained body of modern work, looking at the German sources, which is available in English.
It is an excellent addition to the historiography and deserves every plaudit that you receive.

Here, Here! Well said Simon. It is a tremendously valauble contribution.

Regards
Chris

[PJA]

Jack's work has been of inestimable importance : for me, it represents a true historiographical breakthrough. I, for one, feel that my understanding and appreciation of the Great War has been enormously enhanced by what Jack has achieved.

Any chance of the German Army at Mt. Kemel, 1918, Jack ?

Phil (PJA)

[IanA]

My copy arrived today.   I've done no more than flick through it as yet but thought folks might like to know that it is available.

[PJA]

This really works.  It's all the more successful in that it is a narrative of synthesis, instead of the focus on German soldiers in specific sectors.

We get a significant foray into " might have been" territiory when Jack suggests that Falkenhayn was right to advocate an early 1915 all out attack in the West, with the precariously unprepared BEF being vulnerable.

The "Westerners" and " Easterners" were arguling in Germany, too.

Champagne February - March, Neuve Chapelle, Festubert, Aubers, Arras Second Ypres, Loos - Champagne and Artois in the autumn, and a much needed look at that horrible Argonne warfare too....all covered herein.

Good German accounts of how the British and French compared, and some none too flattering depictions of poor Entente hygiene.

Notes are superb, some being as informative and engaging as anything in the main text.....  there is much poignance, but not one iota of sensationalism.

First rate, disciplined narrative, backed up by anecdote.

You must get this, you really must.

Phil (PJA)

[squirrel]

Glad I ordered it then; on it's way according to Amazon.

[Robert Dunlop]

A superb book - one of the best in the series so far. I always enjoy Jack's writing style, especially his ability to translate German. The maps, courtesy of Jack's wife, make it so much easier to understand the geographic context. This is especially important for the less well known battlefields in the Argonne and Champagne regions.

Most interesting of all is the contrast between the French battles in the Champagne region. Jack has covered Winter of 14/15 along with Autumn 1915. French artillery had grown in number, calibre and scope. The intensity of the Autumn campaign was significantly greater, resulting in some important changes. No longer was it possible for a battle of this scale to be managed at lower levels of command. It became necessary to introduce the Army Group. In addition, Fritz von Lossberg made his first appearance. He was the defensive go-to man for the Germans. His energy and organisational skills made a significant contribution to this battle, as a prelude to his involvement in the Somme, Arras, and Third Ypres battles. While there is no doubting his contribution, it is interesting to reflect on how such a dependence would evolve and be maintained as the scale of the Allied attacks continued to increase. This group has already reflected on von Lossberg's exhaustion in having to deal with the British during Third Ypres.

Highly recommended.

Robert

[PJA]

A significant comment in the notes at the back of the chapter on Neuve Chapelle caught my eye.

Apparently, Falkenhayn was pre-occupied with the symbolic importance of the capture of the place by the BEF.

I'm tempted to suggest that this frame of mind excercised some influence - on a much bigger scale - the following year in his Verdun strategy.

Phil (PJA)

[Duiker]

A superb book, fine to read.

Anton

[mmckay395]

My copy should arrive in the next couple of days.
Regarding the chapter on fighting in the Argonne, is there any mention of mine warfare at Vauquois? I went there last year and I'm interested in finding out more about it.

Mark

[Robert Dunlop]

There is a brief mention and a nice anecdote about the tunnelling war (p 180 & 181).

Robert