Weapons of the Trench War 1914-1918 /Оружие окопной войны 1914-1918

The author's text looks at innovation in the trenches, principally from the British viewpoint, but he also describes equipment used by other cambatants. He includes weapons and associated equipment designed to overcome the problems of trench warfare at trench level, and examines some of the unsuccessful ideas that never made it to the Front. Some of the weapons, like the Livens Projector, have remained largely unknown. The author's narrative describes each type of equipment, its development and effectiveness, and what the troops at the Front thought of it, as well as official reaction to the weapons." "The source material, much of which is previously unpublished, has been drawn from files in the Public Record Office and from UK patents - a rich but little-used source of detailed information about First World War weapons inventions. The comprehensive range of illustrations that support the text include contemporary photographs and detailed drawings." "This is the first book to cover First World War trench weaponry in detail and as such will appeal to everyone with an interest in this landmark conflict of the twentieth century. It sheds new light on the war and shows that the development of these weapons had an impact on the conduct of the fighting. Looks principally at British weapons innovation for trench warfare, but also inventions in other countries, some of which were never used at the Front. The development of each type of weapon is described and examined for effectiveness, taking into consideration what soldiers and officials said about the weapons. The author's sources come from the Public Record Office and UK patents and numerous diagrams and photos of weapons are provided. Saunders worked in the Principal Directorate of Patents, MOD, for six years and is now a freelance writer and editor. The book is distributed in the US by International Publishers Marketing. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com) Trench warfare was a particularly horrific feature of the First World War, notably on the Western Front. The author looks at innovation in the trenches, the weapons and associated equipment designed to overcome the problems of trench warfare at trench level, including ideas that were never put to practical use. Much of the research material is drawn from UK patents for these weapons (a unique and unexploited source), combined with other official documentary sources and personal memoirs that refer to them in use. Numerous illustrations support the text.