Army Records Society publications

[David Filsell]

The Army Records Society is a non profit charity created to edit and publish manuscripts relating to the history of the British Army, has published 31 extremely high quality volumes since 1985 covering all periods including a number on the Great War. Whilst the latest of the annual offerings- Crimean Cavalry Letters (edited by Glen Fisher)may be of little interest to forum users, next year’s book, The Military Letters of Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, 1914 -1917 (edited by Dr Andrew Syk), promises to be of considerable interest.

The Great War also looks loikely to dominate future publications. Under commissioned by the Society are Sir John French’s Command Diaries (edited by Professor William Philpott; Jack Churchill 1989-1919 (edited by John Leigh) , Military Intelligence from Germany 1906-1914 (edited by Dr Matthew Seligman, The papers of General Pierre des Vallieres: French Liaison Officer to British GHQ, 1916-1917, (edited by Dr Elizabeth Greenhalgh), The Military Papers of Major JFC Fuller 1916-1933 (edited by Dr Alaric Searle) The Papers and Correspondence of Henry Spencer Wilkinson, 1881-1933 (edited by Paul Ramsey). A further book on General Monk Papers is also in course of preparation.

Membership of the Society costs £25.00, which qualifies for each annual volume. Members can also buy copies of earlier volumes at reduced price - ranging from £5.00 to £20. A full list of the books available is on the Society’s website. Membership application forms are available from:

Army Records Society, Heritage House, Po Box 2, Baldock, Herts, SG7 5SH

Highly recommended

[PMHart]

Glad to see that Professor William Philpott is still active. I thought his Somme book was excellent and I am so relieved that he has not allowed its regrettable commercial failure to put him off. I greatly look forward to his edited version of Sir John French command diaries. People may sneer at academics but those 'ivory towers' allow a great deal of valuable work to take place without the sordid pressures of commerical considerations! I also congratulate him on his well-merited professorship which will delight his many admirers.

Pete

[David Filsell]

Thanks Pete. I was not aware that the superb Somme book was a commercial failure, it certainly didn't deserve to do anything other than huge success. It is however now available in paperback.

[PMHart]

Hi David,

I was only judging by the thousands of the paperback version of 'Bloody Victory' that I have seen swamping the book remainder shops for the past year at a price of about £2. It really isn't fair when an excellent book is not rewarded with the sales to match that status. Still I think he will be happier in the dusty archives than fighting it out with the likes of Lyn Macdonald and Max Arthur in the front lines at Waterstones and Amazon.

Pete

[Brian Curragh]

David

I am sure it is a simple typo - but the Jack Churchill volume is being put together by John LEE - author of "A Soldier’s Life: General Sir Ian Hamilton 1853-1947" and many other articles.

Regards

Brian

[David Filsell]

Brian,

Yes a typo. I try never to complete a piece to a thread without at least one to keep you all on your tows! Thanks for the correction

best regards

David

[George Armstrong Custer]

I was pleased to see Pete's ringing endorsement of Bill Philpott's Bloody Victory. The late Dawyck Haig was equally enthusiastic when he mentioned it to me in passing in a letter of 1 June 2009: "With regard to Dr Philpott's book which is due to come out, he wrote to me with a copy of the main extracts asking for my permission for publication...... I found it gave me nothing to complain about."

George

[Philip Wilson]

The Army Records Society is a non profit charity created to edit and publish manuscripts relating to the history of the British Army, has published 31 extremely high quality volumes since 1985 covering all periods including a number on the Great War..... their 2012 book, The Military Letters of Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, 1914 -1917 (edited by Dr Andrew Syk), promises to be of considerable interest.

Yes its an exceptionally well researched book and very readable.

As the flyleaf says: " His papers provide a window into the tactical,strategic, logistical and political issues that confronted him first as a staff officer during the Marne and Aisne offensives of 1914; as an infantry brigade commander during the emergence of trench warfare ; commanding the 13th (Western) Division during the evacuation from Gallipoli and the failed relief of Kut-al-Amara in early 1916; and finally as General Officer Commanding the British and Indian Forces in Mesopotamia from August 1916 until his death. "

Well worth reading. Excellent bibliography and good index - 4 supporting maps for Mesopotamia only.

[bmac]

The Army Records Society is a non profit charity created to edit and publish manuscripts relating to the history of the British Army, has published 31 extremely high quality volumes since 1985 covering all periods including a number on the Great War. Whilst the latest of the annual offerings- Crimean Cavalry Letters (edited by Glen Fisher)may be of little interest to forum users, next year’s book, The Military Letters of Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, 1914 -1917 (edited by Dr Andrew Syk), promises to be of considerable interest.

The Great War also looks loikely to dominate future publications. Under commissioned by the Society are Sir John French’s Command Diaries (edited by Professor William Philpott; Jack Churchill 1989-1919 (edited by John Leigh) , Military Intelligence from Germany 1906-1914 (edited by Dr Matthew Seligman, The papers of General Pierre des Vallieres: French Liaison Officer to British GHQ, 1916-1917, (edited by Dr Elizabeth Greenhalgh), The Military Papers of Major JFC Fuller 1916-1933 (edited by Dr Alaric Searle) The Papers and Correspondence of Henry Spencer Wilkinson, 1881-1933 (edited by Paul Ramsey). A further book on General Monk Papers is also in course of preparation.

David,

Whatever happened to the books listed above? They are still listed as future publications. I am especially interested in The papers of General Pierre des Vallieres: French Liaison Officer to British GHQ, 1916-1917, (edited by Dr Elizabeth Greenhalgh).

Cheers

Bill

[David Filsell]

Bill,

Not sure. I only hear from them when I get a new volume or notification of the AGM.

I'll try to do some checking.

Regards

David

[bmac]

I have emailed Elizabeth Greenhalgh in the hope of finding out more.

[David Filsell]

Bill,

It's third in the list of forthcoming publications on the ARS site - that should make it Nov 1917.

Regards

David

[bmac]

David,

Thanks for that. Should that read 2017? If so, too late for my current purposes.

Cheers

Bill

[Staffsyeoman]

The ARS publishes one volume a year, so it might be a wait.

[David Filsell]

From memory volumes are published in November

[bmac]

Elizabeth Greenhalgh's books is out next year according to the writer. Just had a reply.