British Battalions in France and Belgium 1914

Media: BOOK - hardcover, 392 pages
Author: R. Westlake
Year: 1997
ISBN: 0850525772
Other: b&w photos, maps, index

There is no doubt that the popularity of the battlefield of the First World War as places of pilgrimage, far from decreasing with the passage of time, actually increases year by year. This burgeoning interest, particularly in the cemeteries, which, thanks to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, are themselves places of great beauty, owes much to the desire of present generations to retrace the footsteps of their forebears who fought in the Great War.

The author has painstakingly compiled a comprehensive compendium of the exact movements of every regiment (all 143 battalions) in meticulous detail, both in and out of battle involved in the various battlefields in France and Flanders during WWI.

Due to the reception accorded to the authors earlier titles, it shows that immense debt that is owed to him by family historians, a debt also acknowledged by researchers, and many many more. Ray’s painstaking work clearly fills a long felt need.

Review:
How the beginning of the First World War was fought... An excellent introduction to the opening phases of the conflict that was to last over four bloody years. With the exception of the final stages, the opening of hostilities saw the most fluid movements on the battlefields of Flanders. Indeed, Westlake has succinctly expressed how close the Allies came to losing in those early months, and had to receive a nasty and costly warning that the war would not be over by Christmas. One to read in conjunction with Edward Spears excellent ‘Liaison 1914’ -- Reviewer, Amazon.co.uk (5 stars)