Slaughter On The Somme

[paulgranger]

By Martin Mace and John Grehan

Pub: Pen & Sword

ISBN 978 1 84884 770 5

Jacket price £25

514pp inc index

What's in a name? During my frequent forays on Amazon to check on forthcoming books on the Great War, I passed over this book. Its title suggested another cut and paste 'Lions led by donkeys' excursion in to No Mans Land, full of front line victims of rear area generals. There was little originally in the book description to suggest otherwise.

However, details were finally revealed, and what this book is, is an exhaustive transcription of the War Diaries for all the front line units that the authors can identify as having gone over on the morning of 1 July 1916.

A labour of love probably sums it up. I often have trouble reading my own writing, and the authors make the point that 'individualistic' hand writing, and documents that are often poor carbon copies of originals nearly 100 years old did not make for an easy job.

The book is divided into Corps sectors from North to South, with brief decriptions of the action in each sector, with a black and white map taken from the Official History, and then the diary transcripts These vary greatly from unit to unit, as you would expect, some are very detailed, others are a few lines, but every unit has contributed something, These are the authentic voices of those who were there and attempted to put into words the tremendous events they had experienced. My thanks to them, and to the authors for their efforts in compiling the book. My only criticism is that title, though I admit I can't think of an alternative.

[Paul bardell]

Thanks Paul

I will add this to my 'wants list'

[Guest]

How far either side if the 1st July 1916 do the transcriptions start/finish? Are the diaries only 1st July or do they start earlier?

MG

[paulgranger]

All the transcripts are of the diary entries for 1st July only. Some of them start late on the night of 30 June, but none go beyond the day itself. There are transcripts of narratives and statements from unit members attached to the war diaries, which may have been written later, but refer only to the events of July 1. It's a pretty narrow focus.

[Marilyne]

Definitely need that book on my list !!! Thanks for the tip .

[rumplestiltskin]

One more book on the Somme won't hurt

[squirrel]

Turned up yesterday - a wealth of information on what happened to the battalions involved on 1st July 1916. An excellent addition to the "to read" pile and the bookshelf.

[bmac]

Just got this (not really sure why as I have transcribed all of the WDs for even more units than are included in this book). Anyways, usual nice P&S production, Useful 'highlights' text for each Corps plus OH map reproductions. One slight gripe, though. Why are the battalion war diaries printed in alphabetical order. And I mean 'proper' alphabetical order as each battalion has its full title so, for example, in the VIII Corps' section the order of battalions starts:

1st Border Regt. (87th Brigade, 29th Division)

18th Durham LI (93rd Brigade, 31st Division)

16th Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regt.) (86th Brigade, 29th Division)

2nd Duke of Wellington's (west Riding) (12th Brigade, 4th Division)

Of course, alphabetically, the Durham LI should come after the Duke of Cambridge's Own (otherwise known to the majority of people as the Middlesex Regt.) and Duke of Wellington's (which it does in the alphabetical list but not in the actual war diary section). A very minor detail. What is to my mind odder is that:

1. There is no appendix showing which brigade or division each battalion was part of; and, as a result,

2. Unless you know which brigade and division each battalion belonged to it is impossible to relate the stories of each battalion to what happened in front, besides or behind them. Each battalion WD appears, therefore, in its own little bubble of information, isolated from those that shared the immediate experience of that bit of the front line.

Putting them under Division and Brigade headings would, to my mind, have been more logical. A shame as it is otherwise a remarkable labour of love on the part of the two writers responsible and is still a highly useful resource for those exploring the events of 1st July 1916.

[David Filsell]

My review for your information

MARTIN MACE & JOHN GREHEN

Slaughter on the Somme: The Complete war Diaries of the British Army’s Worst Day, Pen and Sword, Barnsley, £25.00, 514 pp, 27 ills, 4 maps, indices ISBN 1848844770

I could have lived more easily with a different title. One, perhaps, which simply stated The Complete war Diaries of the British Army’s Worst Day: June 1st 1916. Yet whilst good new books about the Great War not infrequent, genuinely important works of reference are far rarer. Perhaps therefore it is foolish to quibble about a publisher choosing a title which will attract attention. The fact is that, like Chris McCarthy’s invaluable 1993 book The Somme: the Day by Day Account, Mane and Green’s painstakingly produced work cannot fail to be a key source of reference for anyone with a serious interest in July 1st 1916.

The text offers the War Diary entries for the 1st of July 1916 battalion by battalion grouped under their parent corps – VII, VIII, X, XV and XIII. A sharply defined analysis of Corps objectives and the day’s realities leads each section, followed by a similar division by division analysis of events. (Although sadly the index of participating battalions at the end of each corps analysis indicates neither division, nor brigade alliance. This would in my opinion have been a useful and time saving addition. But this is a mere cavil.)

Whether the diary entries are long, analytical and detailed or raw, short, stunned responses to the day’s horrors, the accounts prepared by junior - surviving - officers each illuminate battalion actions. Where available, appendices and notes appended to the daily entry help detail the picture of the day which, whatever the initial conclusions of senior officers, underline the fact that only rarely “went the day well” for the British Army.

Amongst the bravery and the loss, the futile and the successful battalion actions, the effort was massive and the result tragically disappointing. Many, perhaps the majority, of diary entries list large numbers of killed wounded, missing officers, and other ranks. Far, far, too many reports are similar.

“The Roll of casualties not yet completed but estimated 300.” (1st Royal Dublin Fusiliers)

Or;

“None reached the Enemies (sic) trench & it was impossible to bring the bodies in, practically all those reported missing were probably killed.” (2nd South Wales Borderers).

There are most certainly inevitable errors of fact recorded by the original authors, junior officers who had faced the worst day of their lives. – but the entries show precisely how the day translated into after action reports by those at or very near the sharp end. For that reason they must be judged important statements.

So this is an important labour of love and detail by Martin Mace and John Grehans and far from overpriced at £25.00. Despite relatively few illustrations, it is indexed well, enabling formations and places to be swiftly located. It is also a book which illuminates and underlines the need for revisionists, and those hold to the donkeys school, that when judging the first day on the Somme as an event upon which we should say “Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair.”

This is a book which fully deserves your shelf space.

[trenchtrotter]

Bought this book last week and can only echo the praise given so far. Most definitely a reference book you will want on your book shelf if you have a deep interest in the Somme battle. Can't believe I have not bought sooner.

TT

[David Ridgus]

Bought this book last week and can only echo the praise given so far. Most definitely a reference book you will want on your book shelf if you have a deep interest in the Somme battle. Can't believe I have not bought sooner.

TT

Only recently caught up with this thread. What a near miss. I don't know about 'never judge a book by its cover', I think 'never judge a book by its title' is my new mantra. I completely bypassed this book because, although normally I share Uncle Fester's view of 'one more book on the Somme won't hurt', I really did think I could live without another 'worst day in British military history' book. However now, thanks to you folk, I am in possession of another real good 'un for the to read pile.

Thank you

David

[ypres]

Hi.

Just picked this up on Amazon Kindle.

• £4.32 Kindle Edition

Thanks for the reviews. JIM

[flers1916]

I agree with all the above comments, this is an excellent book with an awful title. I look forward to sitting near the Bois Francais overlooking Fricourt and Mametz, in June, reading the relevant chapters.