WW1 1914-2014 Centenary thread (1 Viewer)

Just re-reading 'Death's Men' by Denis Winter for work. A truly remarkable book which includes an incredibly sad half page description of the grief felt by a father at the loss of his son ... truly moving.

But on a practical note, Winter remarks that the British machine gun on a tripod (Vickers I assume) cost 30 pounds a minute to fire.
 
Jack said:
Just re-reading 'Death's Men' by Denis Winter for work. A truly remarkable book which includes an incredibly sad half page description of the grief felt by a father at the loss of his son ... truly moving.

But on a practical note, Winter remarks that the British machine gun on a tripod (Vickers I assume) cost 30 pounds a minute to fire.
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It must be approaching old age but I have that book on my shelf but can't for the life of me remember if I've read it! I'm thinking not as I've heard how good it is so probably would.

30 pounds a min, Mons must have cost a fortune!{eek3}

Rob
 
Jack said:
Just re-reading 'Death's Men' by Denis Winter for work. A truly remarkable book which includes an incredibly sad half page description of the grief felt by a father at the loss of his son ... truly moving.

But on a practical note, Winter remarks that the British machine gun on a tripod (Vickers I assume) cost 30 pounds a minute to fire.
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I remember it as a good read, but it has been years (as in decades), since I have read it. Will have to dig it out and reread it. I especially liked the chapter on the weapons. -- Al
 
Spoke to the good people at Holts Battlefield guides yesterday and it appears there will be no new guide books added to their excellent range but they are one by one updating them and adding GPS locations which will really help find the more remote battlefield scenes.

So their range is and will remain;

WW1; Somme, Ypre Salient , Western Front North , Western Front South , Gallipoli.

WW2; D Day, Market Garden.

Rob
 
There are a number of sites where you can thumb through illustrated magazines from France, Germany, and Austria from the WW One years. You can see all the War fever in 1914 and then see the progressive dreariness set in over toward 1918 in the German and Austrian magazines. I don't read the languages but this was a golden age of illustration and graphics.
 
Hi Rob. Want to say thanks for all the articles you are posting. I may not comment on them all but I have read them all and I am really enjoying them. Needless to say, but these kind of articles don't show up over here so I appreciate the access. Please continue them. :smile2: -- Al
 
lancer said:
Hi Rob. Want to say thanks for all the articles you are posting. I may not comment on them all but I have read them all and I am really enjoying them. Needless to say, but these kind of articles don't show up over here so I appreciate the access. Please continue them. :smile2: -- Al
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My pleasure entirely Al and I certainly will. Very glad you are enjoying them mate.:smile2:

Rob
 
Terp152 said:
So, it seems army life was a grand old time, except for a couple of days each month in the trenches. The poor sods back home were really the ones who had it tough. Interesting take. Chris
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Yes I must agree there, I thought he played that aspect of it down quite a bit didn't he. It's one thing debunking the Lions led by Donkeys thing, but appearing to play down the horror of it all^&confuse . A quick look at the article on facial injury's is horrific in itself.

Rob
 
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Rob said:
Will we ever see an end of ' Lions led by Donkeys ' ?????

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25776836
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I read the article but I think it soft pedals somethings such as the bloodiest war in history question. Maybe it's not the bloodiest in history but 17,000,000 dead is nothing to sneeze at. Also 2% of Britons is a high percentage.

No one won. Technically, someone won. Yes, that's true, but at what cost. WWI saw the destruction of three empires, the onset of Communism, 17,000,000 million dead, the spawning of Nazism and laid the seeds of WW II.

I simply can't agree that Versailles wasn't harsh. Compared to what happened to Germany after WW II, maybe it wasn't as harsh, but it was still harsh nonetheless. The financial reparations were no walk in the park and helped laid the seeds for the fall of the Weimar Republic as the government couldn't make both the payments and support the economy. It is interesting to note that only two or three years ago the German government made the last reparation payments to the Allies .

Brad
 
jazzeum said:
I read the article but I think it soft pedals somethings such as the bloodiest war in history question. Maybe it's not the bloodiest in history but 17,000,000 dead is nothing to sneeze at. Also 2% of Britons is a high percentage.

No one won. Technically, someone won. Yes, that's true, but at what cost. WWI saw the destruction of three empires, the onset of Communism, 17,000,000 million dead, the spawning of Nazism and laid the seeds of WW II.

I simply can't agree that Versailles wasn't harsh. Compared to what happened to Germany after WW II, maybe it wasn't as harsh, but it was still harsh nonetheless. The financial reparations were no walk in the park and helped laid the seeds for the fall of the Weimar Republic as the government couldn't make both the payments and support the economy. It is interesting to note that only two or three years ago the German government made the last reparation payments to the Allies .

Brad
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I do agree Brad, in the link that follows the one you posted I'm wondering if they are playing down the horror, the figures and the aftermath just a little to try and give a slightly different perspective to the horror we've all read about for years. If this is the case it's a little against the grain because apparently some of these upcoming docu's will show the War in some disturbing detail. If the idea is to get folk talking and asking questions that's great, but you can't argue with actual facts can you. In Britain's case we were indeed on the winning side but were close to bankruptcy and with a generation of young men laying dead on the fields of France and Belgium, I'd like to see them try and spin that !^&confuse

One they did get right was Gallipoli, although known mainly as an Australian/New Zealand theater the Brits suffered more casualties there and the French also suffered heavy loss too. Lets hope this upcoming four year season gives us new perspective but sticks to facts. Don't know how I'm going to tape 2,500 hours Brad!{eek3}:wink2:

Rob
 
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Rob said:
I do agree Brad, in the link that follows the one you posted I'm wondering if they are playing down the horror, the figures and the aftermath just a little to try and give a slightly different perspective to the horror we've all read about for years. If this is the case it's a little against the grain because apparently some of these upcoming docu's will show the War in some disturbing detail. If the idea is to get folk talking and asking questions that's great, but you can't argue with actual facts can you. In Britain's case we were indeed on the winning side but were close to bankruptcy and with a generation of young men laying dead on the fields of France and Belgium, I'd like to see them try and spin that !^&confuse

One they did get right was Gallipoli, although known mainly as an Australian/New Zealand theater the Brits suffered more casualties there and the French also suffered heavy loss too. Lets hope this upcoming four year season gives us new perspective but sticks to facts. Don't know how I'm going to tape 2,500 hours Brad!{eek3}:wink2:

Rob
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Rob

I suspect that given the interest generated by the commemorations there may well be a flood of 're-evaluations', some of which will be valuable and thought provoking, while others will be people swimming against the tide just for the sake of it. One interesting point is how difficult it is to discuss the First World War without reference to the Second World War. Was it a sequel or a remake?

We are getting old Rob - no-one actually tapes anything anymore. They record!

Jack
 
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