BOOK REVIEWS
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The Somme - The Day-by-Day Account |
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These are two excellently-produced books which I use a lot. Each book follows a similar pattern; for each campaign, from the first day to the last, there is a daily record of what was happening, which Divisions and Battalions were involved and what they were doing. There are even details of each day's weather.
In addition, there are maps which explain each day's actions and there are photographs on almost every page, related to the text and tracing the development of the battles by this visual means also.
The Somme and Passchendaele campaigns were complicated, draw-out affairs, and it could take a very long time to make sense of the hundreds of seemingly isolated little actions and fit them together to tell a coherent story. Chris McCarthy has done this, and no-one should underestimate the amount of research which must have gone into the preparation of these books.
The books are A4 format, 176 pages (Somme) and 158 pages Passchendaele. I have the paperback versions but there are hardback editions, too.
It would perhaps be stretching the imagination to describe these books as suitable for general reading for those wishing to learn about the Somme and Passchendaele battles, but for those who have already gained a general picture from other sources, they give valuable, detailed information on days, people and places. Useful to "dip into" for deeper research on specific topics.
THE SOMME - THE DAY-BY-DAY ACCOUNT is published by Arms and Armour Press.
ISBN 1-85409-330-4
Paperback, 176 pages, maps photographs.
PASSCHENDAELE - THE DAY-BY-DAY-ACCOUNT is published by Arms and Armour
Press.
ISBN 1-85409-405-X
Paperback, 158 pages, maps, photographs.
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