geraint Posted 28 February , 2008 Share Posted 28 February , 2008 The more I hear about Graves the more I dislike him. Just read Coppard's, and it puts Graves's self indulgence in the shadow. Chalk and cheese! Geraint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Longboat Posted 13 May , 2008 Share Posted 13 May , 2008 Spent the bank Holiday Sunday wandering around Bluewater wtih a pocket full of change burning a hole in my pocket and a 4 year old insisting we have a look in Waterstones for Thomas the Tank Engine books Came out with 2 books for the little man and this gem for myself. What a thoroughly good read. Deserves to be up there with the best. Highly recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harps Posted 25 August , 2010 Share Posted 25 August , 2010 Yanking up an old topic, but finally reading this book and its absolutely fantastic. Whilst googling him, I stumbled across the interview archives with him here: http://sounds.bl.uk/View.aspx?item=025M-C1023X0080XX-0100V0.xml An incredible man. Its amazing that despite being so close with Snowy they never met again. Does anyone know what happened to Snowy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBK1 Posted 13 September , 2010 Share Posted 13 September , 2010 Lovely book and well worth the reminder. If you enjoyed this book you may be interested in reading another great memoir: 'A Life Apart' by Alan Thomas, an officer in the 6th West Kents [also in 37th Brigade/12th Division] whose O.C.: Lt-Col Dawson, is mentioned by Coppard. Dawson is an amazing character, clearly defined by both his war record and his portrayal in Thomas's memoir. George Coppard's closing paragraph to his book is one of my absolute favourites and portrays an endearing picture of the man, commensurate with what has previously been said. 'Very soon now, the last survivors of the 1914-1918 war will have faded away. Those of us who are still going are surely deeply thankful to Providence for having been spared. Just recently I have discovered that an old 12th Division man lives close to me and my heart leaps when I spot him walking up the road. We never miss a natter and his eyes shine as we go over the umpteenth episode of our war experiences. We catch vivid memories of the past and are glad that we were young in 1914.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 24 October , 2015 Share Posted 24 October , 2015 Was left waiting by my family at a Guildford Park and Ride for an hour and was fuming a bit until I found Coppard's excellent book in a box in the boot. Suffice it to say that the hour became a real pleasure and flew by. As has been commented on, it's a really easy read but redolent with the spirit of the age. Recommended. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 25 October , 2015 Share Posted 25 October , 2015 I read With a machine gun to Cambrai two years ago, and wrote the following review on another thread on this forum. What strikes me afresh is that it was written in the 1960s when he was in his late 60s (he was born in 1898), and so it has gathered an accretion of views and ideas which became commonplace in the 1930s and 40s, including those concerning futility, and stupid generals etc. Nevertheless, this one is still worth reading. I wrote: "I have just read "With a machine gun to Cambrai" after it was recommended by several people on this thread. Written in a straightforward manner many years later, (he appears to have just read Robert Graves' "Goodbye to all that" which he mentions a few times), Coppard joined the army at the outbreak of war, aged sixteen and a half, was a private in the West Surrey Regiment, then a private and later an NCO in the Machine Gun Corps in the 12th Division. What I found fascinating was his training - he keeps getting bits of kit stolen and is always short of money - when he has some wages he frequently gets lured into gambling it away, and he is always hungry. Once on the Western Front his descriptions of the Machine Gun Corps in action make this required reading for anyone who is researching this unit, especially the use of barrage-fire when his machine-gun was required to fire 15,000 rounds in a few hours. I found his occasional little rants about generals or the use of the tank rather tiresome - they read as though these are opinions he has picked up in later years in the pub, but otherwise this is a moving little book that rings true in every way. It is a small book - just 135 pages, and when it arrived from Amazon (second-hand) I did wonder if it was worth the £11.51 that I had paid for it. Well it was, although I now see that copies are at least £20." William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shazbaz123 Posted 25 October , 2015 Share Posted 25 October , 2015 It is advertised on Abe Books at 65p plus p/p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 25 October , 2015 Share Posted 25 October , 2015 It is advertised on Abe Books at 65p plus p/p Yes, and plenty of copies 2nd hand starting at £5-ish on Amazon.. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken S. Posted 26 October , 2015 Share Posted 26 October , 2015 There's an "acceptable" condition copy for £0.50 on amazon.co.uk. http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/B0061SINC2/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used As for my copy I was fortunate enough to find it at a thriftstore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 27 October , 2015 Share Posted 27 October , 2015 I have two copies of this superb book, an x-library copy of the original 1969 pocket sized edition ( with the paper covers strengthened to make it a hardback) and the 1980 hardback reprint which includes an epilogue of the author's return to the battlefields in 1972 and letters of appreciation from old soldiers who had written to the author after the original edition had been published. I find the x-library copy is an ideal size for taking away for some holiday reading , or should I say rereading, because it's one of those books that you can read time and time again and never get bored with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 27 October , 2015 Share Posted 27 October , 2015 ... and 1980 hardback reprint which includes an epilogue of the author's return to the battlefields in 1972 and letters of appreciation from old soldiers who had written to the author after the original edition had been published. I would like to read the 1972 visit comments. Must get hold of a copy of the reprint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Maria Posted 27 October , 2015 Share Posted 27 October , 2015 I would like to read the 1972 visit comments. Must get hold of a copy of the reprint. Yes, it's well worth getting hold of the expanded edition, the epilogue is an extra thirty four pages . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 27 October , 2015 Share Posted 27 October , 2015 I have just ordered the 1980 edition, looking forward to its arrival based on these reviews. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 4 November , 2015 Share Posted 4 November , 2015 With a Machinegun to Cambrai 1980 edition, arrived yesterday and I am saving it for a relaxing read whilst I am away at an upcoming militaria show. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 21 November , 2015 Share Posted 21 November , 2015 Didn't get the time while I was away, but got into the book on my return home, finally finished it last night and I have to say I enjoyed every bit of it, and I am glad that I got the copy that included personal letters to the author from readers. One of those books that I consider the best examples of the GW experiences of an enlisted man. khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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