Tommies by John Sadler
British soldiers have been known as Tommies for centuries, but the nickname is particularly associated with the British infantryman in the trenches of World War I. In August 1914, a small professional force of British soldiers crossed the Channel to aid the French and Belgians as the German army advanced. As it became apparent that the war would not, in fact, be over by Christmas, a vast drive for volunteer soldiers began. As enthusiasm for enlistment tailed off, eventually conscription was introduced in order to replenish the forces weakened by years of bloodshed. By 1918 the British Army was transformed, fielding 5.5 million men on the Western Front alone. These Tommies fought an entirely new type of war, living in vast trench systems, threatened by death from the air and gas attack as well as by bullet, bomb, or bayonet. This introduction explores the experience of Tommies on the Western Front, explaining how their war evolved and changed from the mobile battles of August 1914 to the final days of the war, and discussing daily life as an infantryman on the front line using first-hand accounts, contemporary poems, and songs.
Very well done and a good choice to give as a present to students* Gun Mart *
These books would be excellent for someone with an early interest in military history or for someone talking history at school. Very readable and easy to understand with some good illustrations. * Army Rumour Service *
Tommies is concise, intelligently written, but contains everything you need to know to get you started on the subject of the men of the British Army who found themselves in the trenches in WW1. Superb. * Books Monthly *
These books would be excellent for someone with an early interest in military history or for someone talking history at school. Very readable and easy to understand with some good illustrations. * Army Rumour Service *
Tommies is concise, intelligently written, but contains everything you need to know to get you started on the subject of the men of the British Army who found themselves in the trenches in WW1. Superb. * Books Monthly *
John Sadler has been writing and teaching military history for over thirty years with some 34 non-fiction and one historical fiction titles in print. For over two decades he has lectured on war studies at Newcastle and Sunderland Universities Centre for Lifelong Learning, (now the ‘Explore’ Programme). He is also a highly experienced battlefield tour guide for both world wars, classical, medieval and Napoleonic conflicts. His writing draws heavily on eyewitness accounts and he has been interviewing and recording serving personnel and veterans since the 1980s. Rosie Serdiville is a social historian and re-enactor with a particular interest in the wider impact of war on civilian populations. She delights in spending time in archives: some of the most interesting characters in this volume have emerged from archival materials.
| SKU | GOR009003488 |
| ISBN 13 | 9781612004846 |
| ISBN 10 | 1612004849 |
| Title | Tommies |
| Author | John Sadler |
| Series | Casemate Short History |
| Condition | Very good |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Casemate Publishers |
| Year published | 2017-11-21 |
| Number of pages | 160 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us |