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Trial by Fire Command and the British Expeditionary Force in 1914

Nikolas Gardner

Book Code: GM2473

ISBN: 0-313-32473-5

ISBN-13: 978-0-313-32473-4

DOI:

280 pages, maps

Praeger Publishers

Publication: 8/30/2003

List Price: $85.00 (UK Sterling Price: £47.95)

Availability: In Stock

Media Type: Hardcover

Also Available: Ebook

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Series Title: Contributions in Military Studies

Series Number: 227

Reviews:

Gardner's important book adds much to our understanding of the BEF as an army, and of operations in 1914....[a]n interesting, well-argued and original survey which is recommended to those interested in the First World War, or questions of military leadership.
—War in History 2005
[T]his is an important contribution to the current historiography and Gardner certainly presents the case for the wider re-examination of the French and German archival records in 1914 in the light of his own work on the British Expeditionary Force.
—History: The Journal of the Historical Association April 2005
A perceptive and thoughtful book which makes an excellent read. An important examination of the exercise of command in the BEF up to the end of first Ypres concentrating on command at Corps level and at GHQ. This important work is essential reading in understanding how the BEF operated in 1914.
—Stand To! Journal of the Western Front Association January 2008
[A] fresh and original study....[p]rovides some new and thought-provoking insights into the conduct of the BEF's operations from Mons to First Ypres.
—Birmingham Univ. Centre for 1st World War Studies Website

Description: While existing accounts of this period have elevated the exploits of the British soldiers on the battlefield to almost legendary status, the operations of the British Expeditionary Force in the dramatic opening campaign of the First World War remain poorly understood. Based on official unit war diaries, as well as personal papers and memoirs of numerous officers, this study sheds significant new light on the retreat from Mons in August 1914, the advance to the River Aisne in September, and the climactic First Battle of Ypres in October and November. In addition, Gardner provides important insights into the ideas and values of British officers in the initial stages of the war. Beyond explaining the conduct of the 1914 campaign, Gardner analyzes the initial stages of the "learning curve" experienced by British officers as they grappled with an unaccustomed type of warfare, including the unprecedented scale and intensity of the conflict as well as the advent of trench warfare. He also demonstrates the impact of rivalries among senior officers on the operations of the army. As a whole, the study adds depth to our understanding of command in European armies during the First World War.

Table of Contents:

Maps
Introduction
The"Hybrid" Officer Goes to War: British Commanders and Staff Officers in 1914
Command in Crisis: Mons, Le Cateau, and the "Great Retreat"
The Advance to the Aisne and the Advent of Trench Warfare, 6-30 September
The Costs of Confidence: Command and the Demise of II Corps, 1-30 September
Losing the Race for the Flank: The First Incarnation of IV Corps, 9-25 October
A Hazardous Experiment: Command and the Indian Corps in the First Battle of Ypres
The Victors of First Ypres: Sir Douglas Haig and I Corps, 21 October-11 November
Conclusion: Personal Leadership, "Hybrid" Officers and "Social Darwinism": The Nature of Command in 1914
Bibliography

LC Card Number: 2002193033

LCC Class: D546

Dewey Class: 940


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