Books based on the Somme (Beaumont Hamel)

[Guest]

Hello all,

I have been buying a load of books in recent months including Walking The Somme (Reed), Passchandale (Macdonald), Tommys War (Van Emden), 24 Hour Trench series (Robertshaw) and Last Man Standing (Van Emden).

I like the style in which these books were written focusing on an individual soldiers time or from a very personal point of view (especially by Van Emden) I was wondering if anyone could recommend me some books based on the Somme or some extra reading on Beaumont Hamel all in preparation for my trp. Equally it would be interesting to read books based on the Somme based later in the war (around November 1916). I visited a few book shops in recent days and they seemed very limited in books that were written in this way (and using Amazon you never know what book you are going to get).

Any recommended reading would be great.

[BFBSM]

Lynn Macdonald The Somme

Peter Hart The Somme

Prior & Wilson The Somme

[Dust Jacket Collector]

Middlebrook's 'First day on the Somme'. No need to read anything else.

[David Filsell]

How true. Middlebrook was the man who put the battle back on the map and triggered huge new levels of interest in the Great War. It's a must read

[bmac]

'No need to read anything else'? The Battleground Europe book about Beaumont Hamel might be of use as would Jack Sheldon's book about the Germans at Beaumont Hamel as they are both about the specific area mentioned.

[simond9x]

Just a suggestion but, for our visit to The Somme area, my step-daughter and I watched the restored film of 'The Battle Of The Somme' and read 'Ghosts On The Somme' (Robertshaw et al). We then visited each location where Malins had filmed in 1916 (including Beaumont Hamel) and, looking at stills and clips from the film on an iPad, were able to stand in exactly the same positions as Malins had stood to film.

This doesn't in any way replace reading first-hand accounts but it provided us with an interesting addition and my step-daughter produced some wonderful 'then and now' photographs and film sequences.

Enjoy your trip.

[Guest]

There is the book by Malins How I filmed the war

Middlebrook's book, great as it is, only covers a small part of the actual battle though?

Mike

[Black Maria]

There is a book called 'The Last Great Battle of the Somme : Beaumont Hamel 1916 ' by G.Y Cheyne , published in 1988 and widely available but being a ' memoir man '

I don't know how good it is, maybe someone may have read it and can let you know ?

[simond9x]

Sorry, yes, thanks Skipman, I forgot that we did also read Malin's book 'How I Filmed The War' so it was quite poignant standing at Jacob's Ladder reading his description of first arriving there ready to film.

[Tony N]

There are plenty of good books about the Commonwealth side of the battle however, for a perspective of what was happening on the other side (although not focusing on an individual) read Jack Sheldon's book as bmac suggests.

Storm of Steel by Ernst Juenger is good in my opinion.

Tony

[Guest]

Cheers for the suggestions guys. I seem to skip from various areas of interest (From certain battlegrounds to certain memoirs froms officers and soldiers to a more overall picture). With research I can always find the basic strategic format of a certain battle but I can never seem to dig any deeper than that.

I am on the verge of going on my first trip to the Somme area and so it would be great to buy books to take which I can reference (like going to Beaumont Hamel and being able to read an extract from one soldier experience for example).

Can anyone give me any clues as to what the Beaumont Hamel book from the battlefield europe series is like ?

[Guest]

I have decided to buy Ghosts on the Somme (I wondered if you could provide any more info Simond on the contents of this book is it mainly writing ?) I decided to cancel my order for the book on Battleground Europe Beaumont Hamel as it seemed to contain only a hundred odd pages.

Its always a pain ordering off Amazon as you never know what type of book you are going to get. Many thanks for your help will be looking at the rest of the titles you suggest now.

[peterhogg]

I have decided to buy Ghosts on the Somme (I wondered if you could provide any more info Simond on the contents of this book is it mainly writing ?) I decided to cancel my order for the book on Battleground Europe Beaumont Hamel as it seemed to contain only a hundred odd pages.

Its always a pain ordering off Amazon as you never know what type of book you are going to get. Many thanks for your help will be looking at the rest of the titles you suggest now.

I was going to recommend Ghosts on the Somme and see Simon beat me to it. I think it's a great book to have as a companion to any visit to the area. It provides tremendous context to the many well-known stills and photographs taken by Malins and Brooks around Beaumont Hamel, Mansel Copse/Mametz, for example. It's packed with photographs (including then and now, maps of where photos were taken and a great chart tabulating all the photos and stills. It breaks down the sequence of shots taken with such detail that you can pretty much put yourself in the shoes of the the photographers and the places depicted. For example, the famous sequence of the wounded man carried from Marlborough Trench, across the road in the direction of White City is well-documented. Personally I really enjoyed the book. As written above, it provides a wonderful context to these photographic depictions and gives real insight and a greater meaning to what it is you ares seeing. Look on youtube for the video of one of Robertshaw's broadcasts.

Personally, I found the Battleground Europe book on Beaumont Hamel likewise indispensable. It's a great companion to Walking the Somme.

[simond9x]

I agree with Connor's review of Ghosts On The Somme and also his recommendation to get the Battleground Europe book. If you're going to go down the Malins route, do make sure that you watch the film too before you go and also 'The Battle Of The Somme - The True Story' which is a companion to the book. Part 1 can be found here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgPcko8XLKE

[Guest]

I found the Battle of the Somme film very interesting (especially suprised how easy it was to find on youtube) but even more interesting on youtube there is a now and then of the sights where Malin filmed so I took a great interest in this book. I was also looking at buying the Platoon which seemed a good book.

I was wrong earlier about Beaumont Hamel It seems I was looking at a different edition (or completly different book) Thank you for all your help any other thoughts or suggestions are welcome (always looking at buying new books)

[Michelle Young]

There is a book called 'The Last Great Battle of the Somme : Beaumont Hamel 1916 ' by G.Y Cheyne , published in 1988 and widely available but being a ' memoir man '

I don't know how good it is, maybe someone may have read it and can let you know ?

I read it once and found it hugely disappointing.

Michelle

[Paul Reed]

My advice as well as modern books on the Great War do no forget classic memoirs. I find now so few people have read these. A few of my favourites listed here:

http://www.battlefields1418.com/classic_memoirs.htm

[David Ridgus]

I think you should go for Sidney Rogerson's Twelve Days on the Somme. It brilliantly evokes so much of the Western Front experience. Amazon currently has lots on offer for a few pounds.

David