Product Description

This is a comprehensive account of how the British Army coped with and adapted to the enormous challenges and pressures of the First World War -- the first major continental war that the army had had to fight for almost a hundred years. Following the course of the War, both on the Western Front and in other theatres, Charles Messenger tells how the British Army managed the challenges of command, training, technology and new weapons of war. He examines officer selection, medicine, discipline, the manpower crisis of 1918, the integration of women into the forces and many other topics. Based on years of original research, this will become the standard work of reference on the organization and administration of the biggest army Britain has ever put into the field.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #699865 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 574 pages

SCOTTISH LEGION NEWS
'... illuminating... Charles Messenger has provided us with a lesson in excellence.'

Review
'... illuminating... Charles Messenger has provided us with a lesson in excellence.' (SCOTTISH LEGION NEWS )

'detailed and comprehensive... also fascinating to read... Thoroughly reccommended.' (MILITARY ILLUSTRATED )

'comprehensive... based on years of research, this will become the standard work of reference' (MILITARIA MART )

MILITARIA MART
'comprehensive... based on years of research, this will become the standard work of reference'

Customer Reviews

Magnum Opus
Wow. Before I say anything else about this book, go away and buy it. Charles Messenger, already well known as a respected and highly readable military historian, has written a magnum opus here and I cannot recommend it highly enough to anyone interested in the facts of the development of the British Army during the Great War.

Do not expect tales of campaigns here nor much on battle tactics. This is a serious examination of the changes in structure and methods that took the army from being a relatively small, professional body whose technology was largely that of the late 19th century to a vast citizen army that had learned to fight an all-arms war using a new array of fighting technologies in just four years. The depth of research and sweep of coverage is simply amazing, and I was not at all surprised to discover that it took Charles five years to compile it. In truth, it is really a lifetime's work.

Barely a nook or cranny of the army escapes Charles's attention, from the formation of obscure labour units to the rules of recruitment, the adoption of new weaponry, morale, discipline and training. Inevitably, being full of facts and detail, "Call to arms" is not perhaps a fast paced, can't put down, bedtime reading book. What it is, is an indispensible reference which deserves a place on the shelf of any military historian.

I am especially proud to see that Charles lists my own website in his bibliography. Respectable internet sources are becoming just as important as the traditionally published work and Charles is among the first to acknowledge their value. He has also made reference to the Great War Forum and our network of "pals" who are so free with their own expertise.

Interested in the British Army of 1914-1918? What are you waiting for?

What was it like?
I like books of two types. Firstly, those that take a subject apart and push it back together again, adding to what you know, and secondly those that you can dip into, and learn a little that may be you didn't know before. This book is of the latter type. Covering many different aspects of the war, the book is well written and ideal for that longish train journey, or sit in the garden. For the casual reader, there is much of interest and yet for the 'in depth' reader there'll be much new or unmet stuff too.

A must have-its brilliant!
At the outbreak of the Great War, Britain's army was little more than an imperial police force and although it was professional in nature, it was not prepared for conflict of this magnitude. Numbering less than 250,000 men it was severely stretched, due to the requirement to serve both at home as well as in the far flung corners of the empire. Our army was also considerably smaller in size than those of our European neighbours and more often than not even at home, was considered to be the poor relation of the Royal Navy, who at that time were projected to be the true defenders of the realm.

There was now an immediate need to recruit, train and equip a new and more efficient army and as the war continued and the years passed, the number of men in uniform grew to an amazing 8.5million. This in itself brought its own problems in respect of feeding, clothing, accommodation, equipment, discipline, transportation and administration, not to mention health and fitness, together with morale issues.

The highly respected author of this most informative book has over 30 splendid titles to his credit and in this important volume, has provided the reader with a wealth of accurate and highly detailed information covering all of the above matters together with a wide variety of other fascinating subjects from the role of women in uniform through to officer selection, new weapons and arms of service, conscription, territorials and even the distribution of honours and awards.

The reader will also find many superb black and white photographs together with a full breakdown of infantry units and commands around the globe. There is a superb bibliography included and a very useful list of military acronyms too, making this splendid book not only interesting, but invaluable to military historians, laymen and family history researchers alike.

My honest opinion, is that this book is a must have. I feel sure it will soon become a standard reference work covering one of the bloodiest wars this world has known.