smawson44 Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 I've always been a little disappointed with the selection of Histories about Passchendaele. I've always thought that compared to the Somme the literature is not nearly as impressive. I've read most of them, my favorite being "They Called it Passchendaele." I also read Hart and Steele, and Flanders Fields, and a few others that don't stand out. I have two questions: 1.) Are there any great Passchendaele books that I'm missing? 2.) There were several great Somme books that came out with the anniversary. Anyone know of any Passchendaele books that are in the works for the anniversary? Thanks, Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 John Terraine's 'Road to Passchendaele ' is still an impressive work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 (edited) Concentrating on overarching publications rather than those concentrating on portions of the Battle, I think Peter Barton's Passchendaele (2007) is a good illustrated general account of Third Ypres, albeit a trifle pricey: it can still be got for about £30 in well-used condition. All contributions to the military history field can be worth a look, and I have nothing against the more popular Lyn Macdonald's offering, or Hart & Steele, or even Chris McCarthy's Day-by-Day. Leon Wolff's I found unsatisfactory, personally, being more a critique of the higher command than a what-was-it-like-on-the-ground volume, but please feel free to disagree! One Third Ypres author unnamed here I confess I do not read on principle (don't ask why!) Sadly, I haven't read Terraine's or Prior & Wilson's volumes yet. Looking ahead, I see that Nick Lloyd of King's College & JSC&SC Shrivenham (Loos 1915 / Hundred Days and other titles) has Passchendaele: the Lost Victory of World War 1 coming out in May. Bob Carruthers (mainly WW2 titles), Passchendaele: By Those Who Were There comes out in April. Robert J Parker (Illustrated Introduction to the Somme 1916, and some British royal/political biographical material), Passchendaele 1917: The Tommies Experience of the Third Battle of Ypres is published in June. Sorry if I've missed any others forthcoming, or misrepresented any author's previous publishing track record. Clive Edited 21 January , 2017 by clive_hughes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulgranger Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 PThere is also Prior and Wilson's 'passchendaele. The untold story', and Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' as single volume histories. 'Passchendaele in Perspective' edited by Peter Liddle, a collection of essays on various aspects of the campaign. I also have 'To Play a Giants Part', by Robert Perry. If Messines is regarded as an overture to the main event 'Pillars of Fire' by Ian Passingham, and to finish. 'a Moonlight Massacre' by Michael Locicero about the final action in December 1917. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dust Jacket Collector Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 'Passchendaele and the Somme' by Hugh Quigley, published in the 1930s, also comes to mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 21 January , 2017 Share Posted 21 January , 2017 Simon Don't forget to have a read of 'The German Army at Passchendaele' (pub.2007) by Jack Sheldon, which also looks at the way they dealt with the Allied offensive John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 22 January , 2017 Share Posted 22 January , 2017 (edited) 22 hours ago, paulgranger said: PThere is also Prior and Wilson's 'passchendaele. The untold story', and Philip Warner's 'Passchendaele' as single volume histories. 'Passchendaele in Perspective' edited by Peter Liddle, a collection of essays on various aspects of the campaign. I also have 'To Play a Giants Part', by Robert Perry. If Messines is regarded as an overture to the main event 'Pillars of Fire' by Ian Passingham, and to finish. 'a Moonlight Massacre' by Michael Locicero about the final action in December 1917. I agree with Paul, and to expand a little: I am just recovering from writing an MA essay on Third Ypres, and have had to read about 20 books on the battle. So many scholarly books refer to Prior and Wilson's 'Passchendaele The Untold Story'. P.&W. used newly-available and previously neglected sources, and this book caused quite a stir in 1996 when it was first published. Prior and Wilson are very eminent historians; they are not as optimistic as Gary Sheffield about the British Army's 'learning curve' and see Third Ypres as demonstrating that many lessons seemingly learned at Somme and Arras, were promptly forgotten. But they see Third Ypres very much as a campaign increasingly dominated by Britain (and its Empire) using artillery, until the bad weather returned in early October 1917. The introduction alone is worth buying the book. If you want to study Third Ypres in depth, then (after buying Prior and Wilson), you need Liddle's 'Passchdaele in Perspective: The Third Battle of Ypres' which is far and away the best single volume. It is full of fabulous essays by historians such as Peter Simkins, John Bourne, Paddy Griffith, Stephen Badsey, Peter Scott, Ian Beckett etc. and includes plenty from the German side too, (which is always sorely needed when studying the Western Front, IMHO). William. Edited 22 January , 2017 by WilliamRev grammar correction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smawson44 Posted 25 January , 2017 Author Share Posted 25 January , 2017 Thanks for the great responses. Passchendaele in perspective was something I saw cited in the notes of a few books, but had slipped my memory. So I just ordered it and am really excited from what I saw in the table of contents. I own Warner's book, but I have heard negative things about it, and I forgot about Sheldon's book. Can anyone comment on Nick Lloyd's earlier works. Should his Passchendaele be something to look forward to? Passchendaele 1917: The Tommies Experience of the Third Battle of Ypres by Parker looks very promising. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 25 January , 2017 Share Posted 25 January , 2017 I understand there are a few listed to come later this year - probably mostly re-treads, but hopefully some with something worth saying. We shall see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 26 January , 2017 Share Posted 26 January , 2017 (edited) On 25/01/2017 at 15:35, smawson44 said: Thanks for the great responses. Passchendaele in perspective was something I saw cited in the notes of a few books, but had slipped my memory. So I just ordered it and am really excited from what I saw in the table of contents. I own Warner's book, but I have heard negative things about it, and I forgot about Sheldon's book. Can anyone comment on Nick Lloyd's earlier works. Should his Passchendaele be something to look forward to? Passchendaele 1917: The Tommies Experience of the Third Battle of Ypres by Parker looks very promising. Simon Nick Lloyd's book on the Battle of Loos is an expanded version of his PhD, I understand. It is very scholarly, and the first really thorough book on the battle of Loos. But reading it is hard work, not least because (in my opinion) his paragraphs are far too long, and at that time he hadn't learned to write in a readable style. However, Dr. Lloyd is now a very respected military historian at King's College London, and I'm sure that anything he writes now is impeccably researched. So I too am looking forward to his book on Passchendaele/Third Ypres. [I have not bothered with any books by Warner since I read his poor book on Loos, which misses out much of the battle. When I read it a few years ago it seemed to me to me that he had submitted a half-written book to the publisher for some reason. It is a odd book.] William Edited 26 January , 2017 by WilliamRev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herekawe Posted 28 January , 2017 Share Posted 28 January , 2017 Hi If you get the chance read Elizabeth Greenhalgh's book "The French Army and the First World War" has an informative section on the involvement of the six French Divisions on the British left and their contribution to the battle, as well as their supporting actions at Verdun and La Malmaison partially intended to keep the Germans under pressure and from sending reinforcing troops north. Also "Passchendaele Anatomy of a Tragedy" by Andrew McDonald as mentioned in another thread is a different take on the battle. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blincodave Posted 5 February , 2017 Share Posted 5 February , 2017 On 1/25/2017 at 15:35, smawson44 said: Thanks for the great responses. Passchendaele in perspective was something I saw cited in the notes of a few books, but had slipped my memory. So I just ordered it and am really excited from what I saw in the table of contents. I own Warner's book, but I have heard negative things about it, and I forgot about Sheldon's book. Can anyone comment on Nick Lloyd's earlier works. Should his Passchendaele be something to look forward to? Passchendaele 1917: The Tommies Experience of the Third Battle of Ypres by Parker looks very promising. Simon Both of Lloyds books - Loos and the Hundred Days are very good. The Hundred Days is an easier read. I am looking forward to his forthcoming book on Passchendaele Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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