New book on 'The Somme' - Richard van Emden

[paulgranger]

Following on from 'Tommy's War' and 'Gallipoli', Richard's new book is built around photos taken on personal cameras, the use of which had been banned by the time of the Somme, but enough were illicitly taken to form the basis of this volume. The hardback version is due out at the end of March, and I am waiting for that, but you can get a flavour of the book as the Kindle version is already available, and there is a 'look inside' facility on the Amazon website. It looks very good.

Sorry, can't spell 'book'!

[Coldstreamer]

you can edit you know

[paulgranger]

Ah, so you can, thank you

[paulgranger]

The Mail on Sunday is publishing extracts from the book today

[maxi]

The Mail on Sunday is publishing extracts from the book today

Here it is.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-3474905/Somme-100-years-epic-battle-ve-never-seen-before.html

Maxi

[IRC Kevin]

That's my birthday present sorted.

[Forton]

Hi IRC Kevin

The Somme book has been a real labour of love and one of the most enjoyable books that i have had the privilege to write. I have been incredibly fortunate with the pictures finding two extraordinary albums which covered such a huge part of the story, as well as images from archives and albums I have managed to buy. There are 170 images of which around 140 have never been published before.

All best

Richard

[IRC Kevin]

Hi IRC Kevin

The Somme book has been a real labour of love and one of the most enjoyable books that i have had the privilege to write. I have been incredibly fortunate with the pictures finding two extraordinary albums which covered such a huge part of the story, as well as images from archives and albums I have managed to buy. There are 170 images of which around 140 have never been published before.

All best

Richard

Very much looking forward to reading it, Richard.

Kevin

[Martin Bennitt]

Will you have it at the GWF conference this year, Richard?

Cheers Martin B

[Forton]

Hi Martin

Very sadly, no. Would have loved to have been there as it looks a very interesting line up.

[BDS]

Looks fascinating, my copy is ordered.

[David Ridgus]

Irritatingly out of stock on Amazon at the moment, but If it's half as good as its two predecessors that is not surprising! I am looking forward to reading it over the summer holidays. Keep 'em coming Richard

David

[paulgranger]

Now available from a variety of booksellers via Amazon, but, oddly, Amazon does not have it in stock itself.

[Forton]

Hi David, hi Paul

Delighted to say that I have checked this morning and 'The Somme: the Epic Battle in Soldiers' Own Words and Photographs' is now in stock on Amazon and, of course, at lots of other places too!

All best

R

[David Ridgus]

Thank you. On order

David

[IRC Kevin]

Hi David, hi Paul

Delighted to say that I have checked this morning and 'The Somme: the Epic Battle in Soldiers' Own Words and Photographs' is now in stock on Amazon and, of course, at lots of other places too!

All best

R

Excellent-mine's on back order, hoping it arrives soon.

[Ghazala]

Thank you. Ordering now.

[J Banning]

I have been lucky enough to have been sent a copy. I am really impressed - it looks wonderful. Well one Richard!

The photographs are worth the money alone. There must be well over 150 photos, most of which I have never seen before. The book certainly shows the value of collecting these VPK images.

Having spent half an hour flicking through it, I can thoroughly recommend it. An essential addition to the Somme library.

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Somme-Battle-Soldiers-Words-Photographs/dp/1473885175/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1460454943

Jeremy

[trenchtrotter]

But apart from the images does it add anything new? I am interested but have many many books on Somme now. Do I buy another?

TT

[Forton]

Hi Trenchtrotter

I hope you will think that this book is worth a look. The pictures of the Somme, privately taken by soldiers on their illegally-held cameras, are undoubtedly its USP. In terms of the text, I would be ‘mis-speaking’ if I said that this book would alter everything you ever thought of the Somme. Then again, I am always suspicious of anyone who makes such a claim.

The written material covers the Somme from the time of the BEF’s arrival in July 1915 through to the German withdrawal in March 1917. As the vast majority of books cover only the battle itself, I would like to think I am offering something a little different, with extracts from soldiers’ letters, diaries, memoires etc, that do not generally see the light of day. There is also new and striking material, such as this previously unpublished quote from a man sent on a draft to the 21^st Tynside Irish, a battalion that had been so badly mauled two weeks earlier on 1 July:

‘We were marched from the train to the billets situated in a not over clean farm building and on the way subjected to the scrutiny of the fellows whose comrades we were now to be. We were very uncomfortable under this staring scrutiny and for some reason a fierce antipathy came into being - they were obviously miners and we were obviously black coat [office] workers. Halting before the billets we stood, very ill at ease, and silently cursing our luck at finding our new pals so hostile - they stood round in small groups gazing at us with a stony stare unblinking and expressionless. We whispered hoarse comments on the whole business and fell to wondering moodily as to the row which seemed to be brewing.

After some minutes of this, waiting to be herded into pens like sheep - no one seemed to know who we were and where we had to go - we began to notice that the unfriendly attitude of the Tynesiders was not directed against us in particular but was the general attitude. They were only partially dressed and what uniform they did wear was in very bad condition. No belts, very few hats, no puttees, dirty boots. Most of them had cigarettes hanging from their lower lips and their conversation consisted of a series of grunts. These fellows are not unfriendly, I thought. They are down and out. No spirit, no cheerfulness. That fellow's eyes over there. Look at them. He seems half dazed. Those men there. Look how they walk, dragging their feet. These fellows have suffered and their memories are too vivid to be brushed aside, too near to be laughed away. What ghost is it that seems to be haunting them?’

However, as I say, the real USP is the photographs, in all around 170 images, of which some 140 have not been published before; they were bought from auctions, collected from archives or borrowed from the families of those who took the images.

1. They show the troops in the first months of their arrival in 1915, in trenches and behind the lines, in the summer sun and the desperate winter mud.
2. There are pictures taken in action on 1 July; pictures taken in la Boisselle, days after capture and in other villages such as Contalmison and Fricourt.
3. There are pictures in the German trenches at Beaumont Hamel prior to the attack on 1 July.
4. Some pictures were taken near Delville Wood and near Ginchy as the fighting raged, and include the wooden grave of Raymond Asquith a few days after he was killed.
5. There are pictures of the German garrison in the trenches at Thiepval and of the British troops minutes before storming that famous position, and there are pictures taken in Thiepval the day after it was finally taken.
6. There are images of tanks just after the fighting at Flers and of the attack at Beaumont Hamel six weeks later, including knocked out tanks. Some images were taken outside and inside a German dugout after it was over-run And there are pictures of the winter of 1916-1917 and the terrible conditions that prevailed then.

So all in all I hope this book will be judged as different from anything else that has appeared hitherto on the Somme Battle.

Richard

[Fattyowls]

Richard, any prospect of a nationwide book signing tour?

Pete.

[Bernard_Lewis]

Interesting...

Bernard

[Forton]

Hi Pete

Funnily enough I am going up to Pen & Sword tomorrow to sign books for those who have ordered signed copies. I will then go and see Alicia Wilson, aged 104, to whom the book is dedicated (she doesn't know yet, so hopefully it will be a nice surprise) and I will ask whether she will sign a few of the books too. Her father is buried in Becourt Cemetery and she visited his grave for the one and only time in 1926!!

The next talk I do is at the WFA Spring Conference at the Fleet Air Arm Museum where I will talk about the Somme book and the images. Otherwise no particular 'signing tour' as such.

All best

Richard

[Fattyowls]

Hi Pete

Funnily enough I am going up to Pen & Sword tomorrow to sign books for those who have ordered signed copies. I will then go and see Alicia Wilson, aged 104, to whom the book is dedicated (she doesn't know yet, so hopefully it will be a nice surprise) and I will ask whether she will sign a few of the books too. Her father is buried in Becourt Cemetery and she visited his grave for the one and only time in 1926!!

The next talk I do is at the WFA Spring Conference at the Fleet Air Arm Museum where I will talk about the Somme book and the images. Otherwise no particular 'signing tour' as such.

All best

Richard

That's a lovely gesture Richard, I'm sure she will be pleased.

Pete.

[trenchtrotter]

I think I will get myself a copy based on the kind reply to my q and the dedication alone. Super gesture.

TT