The statistics of the First World War alone are astounding. For
every nine British soldiers sent to the Western Front, five would
become casualities. In one day 16, 500 men would be killed to gain
1,000 yards of ground. Over a million British lives would be lost
in total. The achievement of Richard Holmes' book "Tommy", however,
is to illuminate the personal, individual dramas and tragedies that
make up these statistics. As with his previous work "Redcoat",
which told the story of the common soldier in the age of horse and
musket, "Tommy" concentrates on the common soldier in The Great
War. Using a wealth of vivid first hand sources along with
measured, compelling analysis of the vast tomes written on the
subject, Holmes succeeds in over-turning many received notions
about life on the front, such as the "lions led by donkeys" cliche.
A hefty book in itself, it combines intellectual rigour with a keen
awareness of the dramatic. (Kirkus UK)
The first history of the First World War to put the British soldier
who fought in the trenches centre-stage. This superb and important
book tells the story of this epic and terrible war through the
letters, diaries and memories of those who fought it. Unmissable.
The First World War is deeply dug into the consciousness of the
British. The images it conjures are of blood, barbed wire,
shell-holes filled with dead bodies; of subalterns with wispy
moustaches who never had the chance to grow old; of soldiers with
faces vacant with shell-shock; of great aunts who never married.
Holmes, one of Britain's foremost military historians and TV
presenters, broke new ground when he published Redcoat: his history
of the British soldier 1750-1860. Now in the same inimitable style,
Tommy tells the story of the First World War through the
experiences of those who fought it. Over 6 million men served in
the British army (22% of the adult male population). Nearly one
million lost their lives and over 2 million were wounded. This is
the story of all these men, and the women they left behind. By
using completely unseen letters, diaries, memoirs and poetry of
1914-1918 to complete his picture of the generation that fought and
died in the mud of Flanders during the First World War, the life
and character of Sgt Tommy Atkins is cast. Richard Holmes quotes
many who wrote at lunchtime and died before tea; of women who lost
husbands and brothers in the same afternoon and those who's mental
health was destroyed for ever by shell shock. He examines their
motivation, the impact of their service, their attitudes to war and
to the enemy, and ultimately the legacy of their experience. This
book covers completely new ground and the result is a moving
testament to the courage and sacrifice of a generation. It tells --
for the first time -- the real story of trench warfare, the
strength and fallability of the human spirit, and the individuals
behind an epic event. It is an emotional and unforgettable
masterpiece from one of our most important historians.
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