Pillars of Fire: The Battle Of Messines Ridge June 1917 - Softcover

Passingham, Ian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0752476645 ISBN 13: 9780752476643

Publisher: Spellmount, 2012

Synopsis

Gentlemen, I do not know whether we shall change history tomorrow; but we shall certainly alter the geography,' So said Major General 'Tim' Harington, General Sir Herbert Plumer's chief of staff, at a pre-battle press briefing on the day before 600 tons of explosives were detonated alongside a massive and sudden artillery barrage, the stunning prelude to British Second Army's successful assault on the previously imgregnable German defences of Messines Ridge. Until 1918 it was the only clear-cut Allied victory on the Western Front and came at a time when Britain and her Allies needed it most, boosting their morale whilst shattering that of the Germans. Precisely orchestrated, the attack on Messines Ridge was a truly modern all-arms battle, bringing together artillery, engineers, infantry, tanks, aircraft and administrative units from a commonwealth of nations to defeat a common enemy. Since this book was first published in 1998 there has been a greater understanding of how Britain and her Allies evolved and ultimately defeated a potent and resilient foe by examining battles such as Messines from an Allied and German perspective in ever more detail. In this context, Pillars of Fire remains a major contribution to our wider knowledge of one of the seminal battles of the First World War.

About this title

About the Author

IAN PASSINGHAM was educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and Keele University, serving in the British Army for 18 years before leaving as a major to pursue a career as a professional historian and defence analyst.

Edition details

• Publisher: Spellmount
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0752476645
• ISBN 13: 9780752476643
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256