The Glorious Dead , Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Me

[jonathanb2701]

I have just came across this book while looking through bookshop websites after Christmas. It appears to have been published in

November 2009, but the first printing has been all sold, a new print run will appear in mid January.

There are over 200 black and white photos of War Memorial sculptures from the Great War.

It costs £30.00 from Amazon

Has anyone else seen this book or bought it ? I would be interested in hearing any feedback.

[jonathanb2701]

The full title of this book , which didn't all appear in the heading is

"The Glorious Dead

Figurative Sculpture of British First World War Memorials"

[Wesley]

I've not heard of it until now...rather interested though...

[ceebee]

I had been waiting for this one to come out, but missed the first run.

Here is the link to the publishing company [Frontier Publishing].

Chris

[John Gilinsky]

Looks quite interesting. If anyone has bought or read this book can you please let us know what you honestly think of its quality and coverage?

John

Toronto

[mandy hall]

It had a good review in I think it was the Saturday Times late November or early December quick search of google shows Dec 12

Mandy

[Jills1954]

I bought the book in December but have only had time to skim through it rather than read it. For what it's worth, my opinion is that if you are interested in figurative sculpture of memorials, it is well worth getting a copy. There are 274 photographs (black and white) from across the country. I think it also provides an interesting discussion about mourning and the role of the memorial in Britain in the immediate post war period. I didn't pay £30 for it...I think it was about £22 from a well known online bookseller.

If you want to provide me with details of any memorial you are interested in, let me know and I'll let you know whether it is mentioned in the book.

Jill

[John Gilinsky]

Thanks Mandy and Jill: Actually I am quite busy here in Canada documenting Canadian WWI church memorials which have of course figurative materials sculptures etc... in them.

Does the book have ANY Canadian connections (say CEF members, or CEF references or any references to Canadian overseas relatives etc...)?

Thanks,

John

Toronto

[Jills1954]

Hello John,

I've had a look at the index and there are five references under Canada. Most of these are relatively short paragraphs that relate to particular memorial works.

Canada's Golgotha - 'One artistic response to such atrocities was Francis Derwent Wood's 1918 sculpture of an alleged incident from 1915. Entitled Canada's Golgotha, the three feet high bronze releif showed the 'crucifixion' by German soldiers of a Canadian sergeant, whose limbs and body were pinned to a wall of a barn by bayonets. Included in an exhibition of war art in London in 1919, the sculpture caused tremendous controversy and was eventually withdrawn following protests by the german government who demanded proof, which could not be provided, of the veracity of the event'.

Robert Tait Mackenzie - mentions links to Canadian Medical Service

Canadian National War Memorial, Ottawa - role of Vernon March and his family in completing the memorial - brief description of sculpture.

Canadian War Memorial Fund - paragraph on Sir Alfred Munnings, official war artist to Canadian Cavalry, his paintings and work on sculpture for Horner Memorial, Mells with Sir Edwin Lutyens.

There is no detail of those commemorated on Memorials within the book - it is more an analysis of sculpture and figurative memorials in the UK - so the memorials discussed are UK memorials.

From what you said in your post, you might be interested in research I am currently engaged in - I am researching War Memorials in Morayshire, Scotland. There are a fair number of CEF men commemorated on these - if you want any more details let me know. Maybe you could help me with a couple of as yet unsolved enigmas for Canadian soldiers that I have come across in Moray???

Anyway...hope this helps!!! (My grandfather emigrated to Winnipeg and fought with the Canadians in WW1 - he survived the war but never returned to Canada).

Jill

[Mercian Volunteer]

I have managed to obtained a copy of The Glorious Dead through the local library and I must must say the first impressions are excellent.

The author Geoffrey Archer ( not the Lord one! ) has taken over ten years to research this book and is well worth the cost. The North of England memorials seems to be well represented with lots of background information. The only critisism I can give it that they is no mention of the LEEK Memorial in Staffordshire. In my estimation one of the most impresive ones around the North of England for the size of the town.

Steve

[izzy]

Steve did you know that a local author has researched and published books on the Leek Memorial ?

[John Gilinsky]

Thanks for your posts. Any way to give full bibliogrpahical details for the locally authored (and published?) works on the Leek memorialin Staffordshire? Also my work entails btw ALL types and kinds of WWI memorials in Canadian churches (for now). If anyone has local, regional, privately printed/published or obscure references that are good though for my own research into Canadian church memorials of WWI please PM me directly (my GWF box is full right now) and/or post here.

Thanks again,

John

Toronto