salientpoints Posted 29 February , 2004 Share Posted 29 February , 2004 New publication in May to coincide perhaps with 'Tommy' from Prof. Holmes. Looks like this may be a reissue of a 1981 title but having not seen this before I can't verify. Either way that's another two books for May's shopping list! Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyHollinger Posted 1 March , 2004 Share Posted 1 March , 2004 As an old Confederate, I am always on the side of the underdog and the guy who is out of fashion. Invariably I beg to differ with current experts ... okay, that's me ... Does this book look at French in a way so that we can see his qualities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 1 March , 2004 Share Posted 1 March , 2004 It's a reprint, as you say, although I guess it may be updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 29 March , 2005 Share Posted 29 March , 2005 Has anyone read this book or can offer some insight? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGWR Posted 29 March , 2005 Share Posted 29 March , 2005 This book was re-published last year (HB edition maybe?). I borrowed a friend's copy. I don't think that it had been updated much beyond a new introduction. I enjoyed the book, although it didn't make me think much differently of French, as a man or soldier. I also recall thinking that RH's writing style had 'matured' since then. It was well written. but his prose didn't appear as refined as his later stuff. Nonetheless, I will still be buying my own copy in May Regards, AGWR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 29 March , 2005 Share Posted 29 March , 2005 I felt that in some instances his 'defence' of French bordered on the desperate. Found the bits on the Curragh good, especailly as it seems that French did what he felt was his duty and sod the conseqeunces. regards Arm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ste Posted 30 March , 2005 Share Posted 30 March , 2005 And just for neatness (and because I'm interested in this book), here's a link to a previous debate on this subject: The Little Field Marshal Cheers, S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 1 April , 2005 Share Posted 1 April , 2005 I'll keep an eye out for this book on a colourful senior soldier. For all his faults(perceived or real) Sir John French always strikes me as being a bit of a character. I'm never sure you can accuse Douglas Haig of having one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 Dragging this one back up... thinking about adding this to my Christmas list. It appears that people have good things to say about the book, although it doesn't offer more than a new intro since the 1981 edition. It appears that the book's value is that it is a comprehensive study of French who is often over shadowed by Haig. Thoughts? Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Pigott Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 I must admit that I haven't read the whole book but just browsed the pages where S.-D. is mentioned. My impression is that the author is trying very hard to put French in as good a light as possible, but gets rather uncomfortable in so doing. It's full of 'French was probably wrong but I can see why he did it' stuff. When I first started studying S.-D., I wanted to find more good in French, thinking that he couldn't be as bad as he seemed in 14-15; I've been disappointed. I must read the whole thing. Regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 Absolutely Anthony, He does seem as though he is defending someone he can not think of a good excuse for!! That said I like the book for the info you get from it. Well worth the money, especially as it is now out in paperback. regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 21 November , 2005 Share Posted 21 November , 2005 New publication in May to coincide perhaps with 'Tommy' from Prof. Holmes. Looks like this may be a reissue of a 1981 title but having not seen this before I can't verify. Either way that's another two books for May's shopping list! Ryan <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Like Andy, I tend to root for the underdog and since everything I read about Sir John in WW1 was negative, I went to the Boer War for earlier exploits. Oh Dear. Not much better. To tell the truth, his bad showing in S. Africa would lead one to expect the sort of fiasco which occurred at Loos and incidentally, the battles leading up to it, Aubers Ridge, Festubert and Neuve Chapelle. I do not subscribe to the ' donkeys ' view but I have to say that I would cough loudly and move on sharply if asked about Sir John French. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Pigott Posted 24 November , 2005 Share Posted 24 November , 2005 On further browsing, I came across this item in the footnotes; I must have missed it before and I've not come across it anywhere else. What one would give to have been present at one of these 'discussions'! Regards Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Dunlop Posted 24 November , 2005 Share Posted 24 November , 2005 There is at least one positive that stands out from anecdotal accounts. During the retreat from Mons, French took time to be seen by the men. This caused problems back at GHQ, according to Gardner in 'Trial by Fire'. His efforts were appreciated, however, by those he came in contact with. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 24 November , 2005 Share Posted 24 November , 2005 but his prose didn't appear as refined as his later stuff. Nonetheless, I will still be buying my own copy in May Regards, AGWR <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I was told the other week that this was his first book, which may explain this. Learning curve? regards Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Pigott Posted 24 November , 2005 Share Posted 24 November , 2005 On further browsing, I came across this item in the footnotes; I must have missed it before and I've not come across it anywhere else. [] What one would give to have been present at one of these 'discussions'! Regards Anthony <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I didn't actually say so, but the exchange was, of course, between French and S.-D. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andigger Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Actually I got this book for Christmas (Thanks to the work of the man in the red suit, my brother, and Tom Morgan) and I have to admit I like it. As many pointed out above, Holmes does seem to look for the positive in French when the evidence is really scant or questionable, but beyond that I think the book has a lot to offer. As someone with limited knowledge of the Boer War and the development of tactics (Mounted Infantry vs Cavalry) prior to 1914, Holmes offered a very good explanation of the arguments and why each general took the approach they did. I think he has also laid out a firm explanation of French's career development and the effects his private life (childhood, marriage, affairs, money issues, etc) had on his career. I also think the Introduction and especially the Foreword are two of the best I've seen in modern republications. Holmes clearly lays out, in retrospect, his learning curve not only based on his now vast breadth of research and writing experience, but also details how subsequent work by other authors such as Prior and Wilson would have influenced him if he were writing the book today. It is true that French (like Haig) is a debatable figure of the war (that is a purposeful understatement) but I also think reading the book for Holmes' style and research makes it invaluable. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Tom Posted 4 April , 2013 Share Posted 4 April , 2013 I first read this some years ago and am now reading it again in the light of having read quite a lot about WW1 since then. I think it deserves to be brought to the top again, if nothing else because of Holmes treatment of the years leading to 1914 and his views on the senior officers involved. I also bring to mind some, in effect, valedictory remarks in the volume of the official history (borrowed from a library) which deals with his replacement by Haig having a similar flavour as this book i.e. of a brave relic of a previous period, doing his best in an impossible situation. Old Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now