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Rating: 
Summary: May be the best book of it's kind.
Review: I first read this book in the mid 70's and it still is one of the best books of it's kind ever written.The story tells of just one day in the first world war from both the British and German point of view.Individual personal stories are described which give a human dimension to the conflict that is often missing in
histories of the period.This book is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in the Battle of the Somme or the wider conflict.Both the before and after events are described so one is able to see the whole picture.A terrible picture emerges from
these pages as would be expected but also an extraordinary story of endurance and fortitude asserts itself by the time you have finished the book.You cannot but be in awe of those who passed through this battle and survived to tell their story here.
There are no good guys or bad guys in this story just ordinary men from all walks of life who found themselves in truly dire circumstances.Almost one million casualties-on both sides-were incurred during the whole period of the Somme from July to November 1916-sixty thousand in just this one day.
Many of the soldiers have no known grave-seventy thousand of whom are remembered at the Thiepval memorial to the missing.
As long as books like this are written the fallen are remembered from this battle and all others-indeed as Kipling wrote ...Their name liveth for evermore... Please note that I am 51 not 13 who prefers to remain anomynous.
Rating:
Summary: May be the best book of it's kind.
Review: The Somme saw 60,000 casualties in its first days. An entire generation of English youth was whipped out as they charged into a hail of led. This definitive account of the first day of the battle gives a wonderful introduction into the horrors of trench warefare in World War One and will make you understand why the war created so many pacisifists since the battles were full of meaningless slaughter. A very scholaraly account which includes much military detail and many maps and figures that makes one feel like they are an arm chair general at the Somme. A wonderful account of the epic battle.
Rating:
Summary: A singular account
Review: The Somme saw 60,000 casualties in its first days. An entire generation of English youth was whipped out as they charged into a hail of led. This definitive account of the first day of the battle gives a wonderful introduction into the horrors of trench warefare in World War One and will make you understand why the war created so many pacisifists since the battles were full of meaningless slaughter. A very scholaraly account which includes much military detail and many maps and figures that makes one feel like they are an arm chair general at the Somme. A wonderful account of the epic battle.
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