From the front line : family letters and diaries - 1900 to the Falklands and Afghanistan

From the Frontline is an extraordinary record of a familys military service over the last 100 years. Thanks to careful editing, each individual tells his story through letters and diaries which capture the military scene and reflect family ties that bind them all closely. The eight family members served in South Africa, West Africa, Korea, Aden, the Falklands and Afghanistan as well as both World Wars. One lost his life and others were wounded. Two became generals, many were decorated. Their records may span a century when warfare changed greatly. Yet the tone of the letters remains surprisingly constant reflecting confidence in their fellows, a pride in service to Crown and Country, love of family and understatement of the dangers. Being thinking men, their views on the conduct of operations is sometimes critical as are their opinions of their leaders. This collection is highly unusual and totally enthralling. [Elib] The book starts with on the capture of Vimy Ridge and the nearly spur of Notre Dame de Lorette in October 1914. The major battles of spring and autumn 1915 is described as is the twelve month period from late autumn 1915 when British forces occupied the lines on the western Ridge. The period from late autumn 1916 onwards when the Canadian Corps was preparing for the April 1917 assault on the ridge, is given detailed treatment, with special emphasis (based on original German intelligence and interrogation files) on how the defenders built up a detailed picture of Allied plans and how they intended to counter them. The battle (9—14 April 1917) is described in detail and the conclusion summarizes the aftermath of the battle and its consequences for the way the German army prepared for the Third Battle of Ypres.The book employs a similar format to The German Army on the Somme 1914–1916 and The German Army at Passchendaele; the greater part of the text is based on the words of the German participants themselves.Commentary and evidence from senior commanders is introduced as necessary; the aim once more being to produce a work of popular history, which nevertheless provides an important contribution to the overall historiography of the Great War. 'From the Front line' is an extraordinary record of a family's military service over the last 100 years. Thanks to careful editing, each individual tells his story through letters and diaries which capture the military scene and reflect family ties that bind them all closely