Martin Middlebrook's The First Day on the Somme is a compelling and intensely moving account of the blackest day in the history of the British army.
On 1 July, 1916, a continuous line of British soldiers climbed out from the trenches of the Somme into No Man's Land and began to walk slowly towards dug-in German troops armed with machine-guns and defended by thick barbed wire. By the end of that day, as old tactics were met by the reality of modern warfare, there had been more than 60,000 British casualties - a third of them fatalities.
As well as drawing on official sources, local newspapers, autobiographies, novels and poems from the time, most importantly The First Day on the Somme also takes in the accounts of hundreds of survivors: normal men, many of them volunteers, who found themselves thrown into a scene of unparalleled tragedy and horror.
The First Day on the Somme describes the true events behind one of the largest battles of the First World War, and the sacrifice of a generation of young men - killed as much by the folly of their commanders as by the bullets of their enemies.
'The soldiers receive the best service a historian can provide: their story is told in their own words'
Guardian
'A particularly vivid and personal narrative'
The Times Literary Supplement
Martin Middlebrook is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the author of many important books on military history including The Kaiser's Battle - March 1918, The Falklands War - 1982.
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Book Description Couverture souple. Condition: bon. RO60070328: 1975. In-8. Broché. Etat d'usage, Couv. convenable, Dos plié, Intérieur acceptable. 365 pages. Illustré de nombreuses photos et cartes en noir et blanc hors texte. Annotations en page de garde. . . . Classification Dewey : 420-Langue anglaise. Anglo-saxon. Seller Inventory # RO60070328
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The First Day on the Somme 1 July 1916 This book is in very good condition and will be shipped within 24 hours of ordering. The cover may have some limited signs of wear but the pages are clean, intact and the spine remains undamaged. This book has clearly been well maintained and looked after thus far. Money back guarantee if you are not satisfied. See all our books here, order more than 1 book and get discounted shipping. . Seller Inventory # 7719-9780006336266
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Shipped within 24 hours from our UK warehouse. Clean, undamaged book with no damage to pages and minimal wear to the cover. Spine still tight, in very good condition. Remember if you are not happy, you are covered by our 100% money back guarantee. Seller Inventory # 6545-9780006336266