Royal Newfoundland Regiment Books

[sassoon]

Can some kind soul guide me in the direction of a good, thorough book on the Newfoundland Regiment during the War? I've recently discovered I have a relative (a great, great uncle) who was a private in the 1st Battalion and I'd like to do some more research. and have

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Tom Morgan]

I would suggest Pilgrimage: a Guide to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in World War One by W. David Parsons. It was published in 1996 I think. I imagine you would be limited to second-hand copies now, though as you're in Canada you might find that copies are easily available. Excellent book written by a man who has personal knowledge of the Regiment and its veterans going back many years.

Tom

[sassoon]

I would suggest Pilgrimage: a Guide to the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in World War One by W. David Parsons. It was published in 1996 I think. I imagine you would be limited to second-hand copies now, though as you're in Canada you might find that copies are easily available. I got my copy from the author some years ago. Excellent book written by a man who has personal knowledge of the Regiment and its veterans going back many years.

Tom

I've had a look on a few sites and so far no luck finding a copy. I will continue to look, though....thanks for the recommendation.

[AlanCurragh]

Have a look at this thread - I asked the same question last year

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/i...showtopic=99819

Alan

[matthew lucas]

the fighting newfoundlander by GWL Nicholson, reprinted now so not so expensive, HB and SB

matt

[Chris Martin]

The Fighting Newfoundlander remains "the" comprehensive work on the regiment 1914-1918. Most works that have followed draw heavily on Nicholson's work. Its showing signs of age, but as it stands right now you won't find a better overall discription of the regiment's actions during the war. I'd suggest using it as a starting point for research on the regiment and then branch out from there.

Chris.

[paul guthrie]

I would get Memoirs of a Blue Putee, quite good and inexpensive when I got it. Great picture of an Inuit soldier wearing a kilt, name may have been Jason Shiwak. I was able to contact a relative who still lives in a native community in Labrador.

Speaking of native soldiers there is a fine monument to them below Parliament Hill.

And speaking of Parliament Hill there is a cat sanctuary on the grounds! I loved it!

[Kath]

At present I am engrossed in "The Danger Tree:Memory, War and the Search for a Family's Past " by David Macfarlane.

Quote: Emulating the circuitous tales told by his mother's relatives, the Goodyears of Newfoundland, David Macfalane weaves the major events of the island's twentieth century--the ravages of tuberculosis; the great seal-hunt disaster; the bitter Confederation debate, and above all, the First World War--into his own tale of the ill-starred fortunes of his family. He brings to life a multi-generational cast of characters who are as colourful as only Newfoundlanders can be. With humour, insight, and genuine love for those heroes and charlatans, pirates and dreamers, he explores the meaning of family and the consequences of forgotten history.

Kath.

[peterhogg]

The Danger Tree

I was beaten to the punch by Kath! i just bought a copy on the weekend. Highly recommend.

cheers,

peter

[Ken S.]

My opinion is that if possible and time permits never to limit oneself to just one source; so for anyone interested, these are the books relating to the regiment in the LAC database:

Christie, N. M. The Newfoundlanders in the Great War : the Western Front, 1916-1918 : a social history and battlefield tour / by N.M. Christie. -- Ottawa : CEF Books, 2003.

Nicholson, G. W. L. (Gerald William Lingen), 1902-1980. The fighting Newfoundlander : a history of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment / G.W.L. Nicholson. -- Montreal : McGill-Queen's University Press, c2006.

Browne, Gary, 1948-. Soldier priest in the killing fields of Europe : Padre Thomas Nangle : chaplain to the Newfoundland Regiment WWI / by Gary Browne and Darrin McGrath. -- St. John's, N.L. : DRC Pub., [2006?]

Parsons, W. David, 1924-. Pilgrimage / David Parsons and Ean Parsons. 2nd ed. -- St. John's, NL : DRC Pub., c2009.

Cave, Joy B. What became of Corporal Pittman? / J. B. Cave. -- Portugal Cove, Nfld. : Breakwater Books, c1976.

Cramm, Richard. The first Five Hundred : being a historical sketch of the military operations of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in Gallipoli and on the Western Front during the Great War (1914-1918) together with the individual military records and photographs where obtainable of the men of the first contingent, known as "The First Five Hundred", or "The Blue Puttees" / by Richard Cramm. -- Albany, N.Y. : C.F. Williams, [1921]

Gallishaw, John, b. 1890. Trenching at Gallipoli [microform] : the personal narrative of a Newfoundlander with the ill-fated Dardanelles expedition / by John Gallishaw. -- Toronto : S.B. Gundy, c1916.

Cave, Joy B. Two Newfoundland V.C.s / by Joy B. Cave. St. John's, Nfld. : Creative Printers & Publishers, 1984.

Horwood, Joan. Massacre at Beaumont Hamel, July 1, 1916-World War One / written and illustrated by Joan Horwood. -- [st. John's, Nfld. : Avalon Publications, c1975]

Cave, Nigel, 1954-. Somme, Beaumont Hamel, Newfoundland Park / Nigel Cave. -- London : L. Cooper, 2000.

Harding, Robert James Allen, 1980-. Glorious tragedy [microform] : Newfoundland's cultural memory of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel, 1916-1949. -- Ottawa : National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, [2005] (MA Thesis)