British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles

British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles
Title British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles PDF eBook
Author Roger Lee
Publisher Routledge
Pages 395
Release 2016-03-09
Genre History
ISBN 1317172116

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Despite the substantial output of revisionist scholarship over the last decade reappraising the performance of the British Army on the Western Front during the First World War, there still remains a stubborn perception that its commanders were incompetent, inflexible and unimaginative. Whilst much ink has been spilled vilifying or defending individual commanders, or looking for overarching trends and ’learning curves’, this is the first work to examine systematically the vertical nature of command - that is the transmission of plans from the high-command down through the rank structure to the front line. Through such an investigation, a much more rounded measure of the effectiveness of British commanders can be gained; one moves the argument beyond the overly simplistic ’casualties to ground gained’ equation that is usually offered. The Battle of Fromelles (19-20 July 1916) was selected as the case study as it was relatively small in scale, in the right period, and retains sufficient primary sources available to sustain the analysis. It also witnessed the first time Australian forces were used in offensive operations on the Western Front, and thus looms large in wider Commonwealth perceptions of ’Bumbling British Generals’. The book follows the progress of the battle plan from its inception in the strategic designs of the supreme commander down through the various intermediate level commands at operational and tactical headquarters until it became the orders that sent the infantry forward into the attack. In so doing it provides a unique insight into the strengths and weaknesses of British command structure, allowing a much more scholarly judgement of its overall effectiveness.

British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles

British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles
Title British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles PDF eBook
Author Roger Lee
Publisher Routledge
Pages 244
Release 2016-03-09
Genre History
ISBN 1317172124

Download British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Despite the substantial output of revisionist scholarship over the last decade reappraising the performance of the British Army on the Western Front during the First World War, there still remains a stubborn perception that its commanders were incompetent, inflexible and unimaginative. Whilst much ink has been spilled vilifying or defending individual commanders, or looking for overarching trends and ’learning curves’, this is the first work to examine systematically the vertical nature of command - that is the transmission of plans from the high-command down through the rank structure to the front line. Through such an investigation, a much more rounded measure of the effectiveness of British commanders can be gained; one moves the argument beyond the overly simplistic ’casualties to ground gained’ equation that is usually offered. The Battle of Fromelles (19-20 July 1916) was selected as the case study as it was relatively small in scale, in the right period, and retains sufficient primary sources available to sustain the analysis. It also witnessed the first time Australian forces were used in offensive operations on the Western Front, and thus looms large in wider Commonwealth perceptions of ’Bumbling British Generals’. The book follows the progress of the battle plan from its inception in the strategic designs of the supreme commander down through the various intermediate level commands at operational and tactical headquarters until it became the orders that sent the infantry forward into the attack. In so doing it provides a unique insight into the strengths and weaknesses of British command structure, allowing a much more scholarly judgement of its overall effectiveness.

The AIF in Battle

The AIF in Battle
Title The AIF in Battle PDF eBook
Author Jean Bou
Publisher Melbourne Univ. Publishing
Pages 320
Release 2016-06-13
Genre History
ISBN 0522868665

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By the end of the First World War the combat formations of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in both France and the Middle East were considered among the British Empire’s most effective troops. While sometimes a source of pride and not a little boasting, how the force came to be so was not due to any inherent national prowess or trait. Instead it was the culmination of years of training, organisational change, battlefield experimentation and hard-won experience—a process that included not just the Australians, but the wider British imperial armies as well. This book brings together some of Australia's foremost military historians to outline how the military neophytes that left Australia's shores in 1914 became the battle winning troops of 1918. It will trace the evolution of several of the key arms of the AIF, including the infantry, the light horse, the artillery, and the flying corps, and also consider how the various arms worked together alongside other troops of the British Empire to achieve a remarkably high level of battlefield effectiveness.

The World at War, 1914–1945

The World at War, 1914–1945
Title The World at War, 1914–1945 PDF eBook
Author Jeremy Black
Publisher Rowman & Littlefield
Pages 363
Release 2019-04-03
Genre History
ISBN 1538108364

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This text provides an innovative global military history that joins three periods—World War I, the interwar years, and World War II. Jeremy Black offers a comprehensive survey of both wars, comparing continuities and differences. He traces the causes of each war and assesses land, sea, and air warfare as separate dimensions. He argues that the unprecedented nature of the two wars owed much to the demographic and industrial strength of the states involved and their ability and determination to mobilize vast resources. Yet the demands of the world wars also posed major difficulties, not simply in sustaining the struggle but also in conceiving of practical strategies and operational methods in the heat and competition of ever-evolving conflict. In this process, resources, skills, leadership, morale, and alliance cohesion all proved significant. In addition to his military focus, Black considers other key dimensions of the conflicts, especially political and social influences and impacts. He thoroughly integrates the interwar years, tracing the significant continuities between the two world wars. He emphasizes how essential American financial, industrial, agricultural, and energy resources were to the Allies—both before and after the United States entered each war. Bringing the two world wars to life, Black sheds light not only on both as individual conflicts but also on the interwoven relationships between the two.

The Battle of Fromelles 1916

The Battle of Fromelles 1916
Title The Battle of Fromelles 1916 PDF eBook
Author Roger Lee
Publisher Simon and Schuster
Pages 182
Release 2010-06-30
Genre History
ISBN 1921941677

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The Battle of Fromelles remains the single bloodiest day in terms of soldiers killed, wounded or missing, in Australia's military history. Remains of soldiers were recently discovered in mass graves in northern France and the final soldier will be laid to rest when a new cemetery officially opens on 19th July, 2010 - the 94th anniversary of the battle.

British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles

British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles
Title British Battle Planning in 1916 and the Battle of Fromelles PDF eBook
Author Roger Lee (Military historian)
Publisher
Pages 229
Release 2015
Genre Fromelles, Battle of, Fromelles, France, 1916
ISBN 9781315570075

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Loyal to Empire

Loyal to Empire
Title Loyal to Empire PDF eBook
Author Patrick Crowley
Publisher The History Press
Pages 373
Release 2016-05-02
Genre Biography & Autobiography
ISBN 0750968885

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Winston Churchill did not describe General Sir Charles Monro in the most glowing terms. Referring to Monro’s brave decision to recommend a withdrawal from the Gallipoli disaster, Churchill said: ‘He came, he saw, he capitulated.’Monro was one of a handful of senior officers selected to command a division with the British Expeditionary Force in 1914 and also led a corps on the Western Front as the war progressed.After Gallipoli he was instrumental in supporting the war effort from India as commander-in-chief and was directly involved in the aftermath of the Amritsar massacre by Brigadier General Dyer. His earlier life included distinguished service on the North West Frontier and in South Africa, and he was responsible for dramatically improving tactics within the army.Loyal to Empire brings to life the interesting character of General Monro, perhaps the least well known of all the British First World War commanders, and reassesses the legacy of his important military contributions.