Harvey Broadbent and his problem with warships

[RodB]

I started Harvey Broadbent's "Defending Gallipoli. The Turkish Story" looking forward to the story from the other side. Starts apparently lucidly but then on page 4 we read "On 10 August the Germans delivered the old battleships Goeben and Breslau, as replacements for the confiscated dreadnaughts...". Huh ? A modern battlecruiser and a modern light cruiser more like it, a fairly capable small battle group in itself. Can I trust other stuff in the book when it doesn't bother getting facts like this correct ?

He's not the first historian to not bother getting this particular fact correct... they seem to pay great attention to leadership, political and strategic discussion but many are cavalier with hardcore military equipment and ordnance facts. As if they don't see it as important.

[michaeldr]

I started Harvey Broadbent's "Defending Gallipoli. The Turkish Story" looking forward to the story from the other side. Starts apparently lucidly but then on page 4 we read "On 10 August the Germans delivered the old battleships Goeben and Breslau, as replacements for the confiscated dreadnaughts...".

Rod,

'Jane's' lists both the Erin (ex Reshadieh) and the Agincourt (ex Sultan Osman I, ex Rio de Janeiro) as Dreadnoughts

Regarding the 'confiscation'; see my post here http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=224859&hl

regards

Michael

[RodB]

Point I was making was that Broadbent refers to "the old battleships Goeben and Breslau" which were in fact a modern battlecruiser and cruiser respectively, nothing like "old battleships". Possibly we're getting WWI books churned out by sausage machines.

[michaeldr]

Sorry Rod; I must have misread you

[it's time for a break to recharge the grey matter ]

regards

Michael

[green_acorn]

RodB,

Mr Broadbent is a Senior Research Fellow at Macquarie University. I dare say, some of those that are academically qualified as historian's may say he is not a historian and that his book has many novice errors when he makes historical interpretation. But his work in the Turkish General Staff's historical archives is tremendously important in bringing those Ottoman script documents to us in English. I note the errors and treat my copy more as a resource which gives me the view and facts from the other side of the trench. His work is something we have not had before and I am greatful for his effort.

Cheers,

Hendo