The Angel of Mons: Phantom Soldiers and Ghostly Guardians

[Private Butler]

I really enjoyed this book and it made me reconsider many aspects of the legend. As a newcomer to the story of the Angel of Mons I found many of the contemporary writings very interesting and yet, in the end, it is hard to believe that what happened in the desired collective conscience actually happened at all. The lack of first-hand accounts is made very clear and so too the motivations of those who wished the story prolongued with a resonance of truth; the chapter on 'black propaganda' in its infancy was very interesting.

Despite a generally sceptical nature I don't doubt that things of a supernormal nature occured during the GW but I think it's more likely the small-scale individual occurences that ring true, given the absence of accounts for these massive visions/visitations apparently seen at Mons, during the retreat and on the Eastern-front too with respect to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

I'd certainly say this book is worth a go and having a copy of the original story of The Bowmen is also helpful, if not very well written by Machen himself. I like Clarke's scepticism however, exposing some of the more recent hoaxes in regard to this 'contemporary legend' that just won't go away. From the initial need of the British people to believe in divine intervention and hence the righteousness of their cause (the author highlights the importance of this function well) through to the subtle dismissal of the modern conspiracy theorists, I find it a most consistent work.