Pen & Sword Military Classics
2 total works
Published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the battle, this book gives a detailed analysis of the events that took place in the small Belgian village between July and November 1917, including the historical background, tactics and strategies, politics and the personalities involved. The author investigates the issues which had a crucial effect on the course of the battle, including the mutinous state of the French army, the inexplicable bombardment which destroyed the drainage system in the early days, General Sir Doublas Haig's determination to continue operations despite the appalling weather and ground conditions and the stormy relationship between Haig and Lloyd George. Philip Warner is a noted historian of 20th century warfare and the author of "Horrocks: The General Who Led From the Front" and "The Secret Forces of World War II".
In the Middle Ages the castle was an important military and administrative centre, essentially utilitarian in its design and in the purposes it served. Because it played so central a role in medieval history, and because the wealth of material is so great, the author has concentrated on English seiges undertaken in the period from the Norman Conquest to the War of the Roses. This includes many dramatic actions fought on the continental dominions of the English Crown such as Chateau Gaillard and Rouen. Drawing from contemporary records and his own inpsection of sites, Philip Warner's narrative explores the skills of the architect, the engineer and the miner, as well as the courage of troops and their commanders.