In 1918, the Germans launched the Spring Offensive. Aware that American troops would soon be arriving in Europe, the Germans saw this as their last chance to win the war. If they could overcome the Allied armies and reach Paris, victory might be possible. The German offensive was initially a great success. Striking at the Allied line’s strongest point, the Chemin des Dames, they burst their way through and made quick progress towards Marne. However, the advance eventually stalled. With supply shortages and lack of reserves, this was to be the "last ebb" of the German war effort. Sidney Rogerson, a young officer in the West Yorkshire Regiment, describes the experiences of his battalion from the Aisne through to the Marne. Fighting under French command, the West Yorkshires were inadequately supported by artillery and practically without help from the air. The four tired divisions were forced to fight and run twenty-seven miles across wooded downlands and three rivers surviving on only emergency rations. In The Last of the Ebb, the author vividly conveys the great bravery and extraordinary resilience of the West Yorkshires, who were able to face up to the terrible ordeal of such a battle without loss of morale. Remarkably for a book of this period, an account by Major-General A. D. von Unruh, which gives the German perspective of the offensive, has been included.

Product Description: In the summer of 1940 Britain stood alone as Nazi Germany was swiftly tightening its grip on Europe. Hitler’s forces appeared to be invincible, having swept through Poland, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. Invasion seemed inevitable as the Führer’s eyes turned to Britain, isolated against the might of fascism...read more

Product Description: This book is a facsimile reprint and may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages.

Product Description: In February 1916, Captain F. J. Roberts of the British Expeditionary Force produced the first edition of The Wipers Times. Usually produced in hazardous conditions—at one point production was only 700 yards from the front line—it acted as the voice of the average soldier as it relayed his experiences, grief, and anger...read more

Product Description: During the First World War the British soldiers were renowned for their chirpy songs and plucky sayings. Indeed nothing would lift the spirits of the often exhausted and demoralized troops more than a hearty sing-a-long. These cheery and at times ribald and satiric songs and sayings have been collected together to give a fascinating insight into the more lighthearted side of trench life...read more

Product Description: T. E. Lawrence remains one of the most fascinating and enigmatic figures of the 20th century. This account, composed of his remarkable epistles to contemporaries such as Lady Astor, Noel Coward, Robert Graves, Mrs. Thomas Hardy, and Mrs...read more

Product Description: A joint operation between Britain and France in 1916, the battle of the Somme was an attempt to gain territory and dent Germany's military strength. By the end of the action, very little ground had been won: the Allied Forces had made just twelve kilometers...read more

Product Description: The writings presented in this volume shed tremendous light, both on the character of T. E. Lawrence and the current situation in the Middle East. Despite being written more than seventy years ago, the thoughts of Lawrence of Arabia remain remarkably pertinent...read more

A collection of personal photographs, illustrations, and quotations presents the story of T. E. Lawrence's life from a first hand perspective, documenting his Oxford academic career, army intelligence work in Egypt, participation in Emir Feisal's Arab revolt, contributions to the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, and post-war work with Winston Churchill.

Product Description: Drawing on new material from the archives of the Imperial War Museum, Malcolm Brown skillfully recreates the pivotal year of 1914 through the eyes of the men and women who experienced the war first-hand, vividly capturing the brutality of war as well as the moments of humanity.

Product Description: Published on the eightieth anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, this book tells the story of a year during which the casualty lists on all sides were longer, the turns of fortune were most remarkable, and action was most intense.

How would the innocent generation of 1914 respond to the horrors of the trenches? Malcolm Brown's book conveys the spirit of the British soldier, commonly referred to as Tommy, with first-hand accounts taken from uncensored letters and diaries. The eloquence and humanity of the British soldier shine through, and the work stands as a moving tribute to a lost and noble generation. Yet war is a time of contradictions, and alongside the image of the "noble Tommy" we are presented with forthright critisisms of the British command and, more disturbingly, a taste of the blood-lust that was awakened in these unlikely warriors.

A historical portrait of the soldier and leader most widely known as Lawrence of Arabia discusses his illegitimacy, relationships with contemporaries, adventurous nature, wartime experiences, deeply held faith, sexual ambiguity, and efforts for peace. (Biography) (view table of contents)

Product Description: 1916 was a year of killing. The British remember the Somme, but earlier in the year the heart of the French army was ripped out by the Germans at Verdun. The garrison city in northeastern France was the focus of a massive German attack; the French fought back ferociously, leading to a battle that would permanently scar the French psyche...read more

Product Description: The First World War was won and lost on the Western Front. Covering the whole war, from the guns of August 1914 to the sudden silence of the November 1918 Armistice, the IWM Book of the Western Front reveals what life was really like for the men and women involved...read more

Product Description: Malcolm Brown and Shirley Seaton have combed war diaries, talked to participants and consulted a wide range of contemporary letters, diaries and newspapers to produce this unique account of the Christmas truce.

Product Description: Published on the 80th anniversary of the 1918 Armistice, this book tells the story of that year.

Product Description: First published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of action in the Somme, this book draws on first-hand source material from the archives of the Imperial War Museum. The author describes the background, the battles, the action and the aftermath of fighting in the area of the Somme in 1916...read more

Product Description: The Imperial War Museum has drawn on its extensive archives and resources to produce this volume on the great conflict of 1914-1918. The book includes extracts from diaries, letters, memoirs, taped interviews, plus numerous illustrations including photographs, paintings, pamplets, posters and clips of film documenting the events of the war...read more

Profiles the enigmatic soldier, statesman, and man of letters, offering a wealth of letters that shed light on his role in the Arab revolt, his sexuality, and his retreat into obscurity