The stand of the Field Artillery, 1914
Although Europe was at peace for the first half of 1914, plans for the invasion of France by tens of thousands of German soldiers, supported by a huge resource of material and artillery, were well in place. By contrast the small standing army of Great Britain languished in its garrisons. When war broke out the B. E. F was hastened to the continent in little more than a week. That the British were not annihilated in the first days of conflict demonstrates the quality of every aspect of the British Army, which many at that time believed to be the best army-man for man-in the world. However, no force of its size could stop the inexorable advance of the enemy, German superiority in numbers began to tell and the retreat from Mons was ordered. By the 25th of August the First German Army was so hard on the heels of the British II Corps that, despite orders to the contrary, Smith-Dorrien, the corps commander, realising that he could not rely on support while his corps retreated, defied Sir John French and ordered his men to stand and fight at Le Cateau, east of Cambrai. There the British fired shrapnel shells into the advancing Germans, inflicting and sustaining terrible casualties, but ensuring that the B. E. F would exist to fight another day. Angry at the time, Sir John French later freely acknowledged that Smith-Dorrien's action had saved the army from destruction. Published to coincide with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this unique Leonaur book contains two accounts of the fighting at Le Cateau, an iconic example of the British Army performing at its very best.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The stand of the Field Artillery, 1914
Although Europe was at peace for the first half of 1914, plans for the invasion of France by tens of thousands of German soldiers, supported by a huge resource of material and artillery, were well in place. By contrast the small standing army of Great Britain languished in its garrisons. When war broke out the B. E. F was hastened to the continent in little more than a week. That the British were not annihilated in the first days of conflict demonstrates the quality of every aspect of the British Army, which many at that time believed to be the best army-man for man-in the world. However, no force of its size could stop the inexorable advance of the enemy, German superiority in numbers began to tell and the retreat from Mons was ordered. By the 25th of August the First German Army was so hard on the heels of the British II Corps that, despite orders to the contrary, Smith-Dorrien, the corps commander, realising that he could not rely on support while his corps retreated, defied Sir John French and ordered his men to stand and fight at Le Cateau, east of Cambrai. There the British fired shrapnel shells into the advancing Germans, inflicting and sustaining terrible casualties, but ensuring that the B. E. F would exist to fight another day. Angry at the time, Sir John French later freely acknowledged that Smith-Dorrien's action had saved the army from destruction. Published to coincide with the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, this unique Leonaur book contains two accounts of the fighting at Le Cateau, an iconic example of the British Army performing at its very best.
Leonaur editions are newly typeset and are not facsimiles; each title is available in softcover and hardback with dustjacket; our hardbacks are cloth bound and feature gold foil lettering on their spines and fabric head and tail bands.

The fourth and final part of Major AF Becke's official Order of Battle of the British Army in the Great War lists the Army Council, GHQs, Armies and Corps, including Tank Corps, and has appendices on Home Forces and Commanders of central force; the GOCs and commands at home; Corps heavy artilleries in France; ordnance of the BEF in France at the beginning and end of the war in August 1914 and November 1918; Nos. 1, 2, and 3 Groups of the Tank Corps; and the British section of the Supreme War Council in January 1918.

Facsimile reprints of the Order of Battle of the British Army in the Great War 1914-1918. These give details of every division with its component brigades, battalions, artillery, engineers, medical support etc., units and record any changes. There are also organisational tables for divisions in the various theatres of war. Included are the names of GOCs and brigade commanders and senior staff officers. Each division has a brief history listing the operations and battles in which it was engaged and the corps to which it was subordinated at the time. One volume provides details of corps, army and superior HQs. This volume is Part 1. The Regular British Division. 1st - 3rd Cav Divs; Guards and 1st - 8th Inf Divs; 27th - 29th Inf Divs.10304HB

Second part of the official Order of Battle of the British Army in the Great War lists the Territorial Army and Yeomanry divisions on the Western Front and in Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine.

Parts 3a and 3b (here published in one volume) of A. F. Becke's classic Order of Battle of the British Army in the Great War lists Kitchener's New Army Divisions. 9th - 26th Inf Divs. 30th - 41st Inf Divs. and the 63rd (Royal Naval) Div. With appendices on the raising of the first three New Armies and the war establishments of the 14th (Light) Division in England in 1915 and in France in 1918; the 23rd Division in Italy in 1918; the 10th (Irish) division in Palestine, 1918; the 11th (Northern) division, Gallipoli,1915; the 26th division, Macedonia, 1915 and 1918 and the 13th (Western) division, Mesopotamia, 1918.