These three Battleground Europe books on Ypres 1914 mark the centenary of the final major battle of the 1914 campaign on the Western Front. Although fought over a relatively small area and short time span, the fighting was even more than usually chaotic and the stakes were extremely high. Authors Nigel Cave and Jack Sheldon combine their respective expertise to tell the story of the men - British, French, Indian and German - who fought over the unremarkable undulating ground that was to become firmly placed in British national conscience ever afterwards. The most direct route to Ypres for the advancing German columns in October 1914 was along the axis of the Menin Road. It was here that the Old Contemptibles of the BEF earned their legendary heroic status as they fought off increasingly desperate German assaults day after day, whilst place names such as Zandvoorde, Polygon Wood and Gheluvelt were first etched into the British national consciousness. Bent and battered by the German storm, dressed in rags and short of food, equipment and ammunition, the regiments of the old professional army stood their ground against huge odds.When, on 11th November, they finally halted the Prussian Guards around Polygon Wood, virtually within sight of Ypres, they were reduced to one thin firing line. The BEF was at its last gasp, but it had inflicted a crushing defeat on the German army.

The British 31st Division tore itself to pieces against the German defenses at the village of Serre on the Somme in 1916. Serre was the northernmost point of the Somme front, and was the scene of 4 distinct battles during World War I.

This "Battleground Europe" book contains detailed information on the battles at Serre and detailed walking and car tours of the battlefields and monuments as they are today.

This wood featured significantly in the First and Third Battles of Ypres and was the scene of numerous deeds of heroism, such as that which won young Lieutenant-Colonel Philip Bent the VC. The courage of individuals and units from Britain and Australia is described in this latest edition to the series covering Ypres.

A mound three miles southeast of the fiercely contested town of Ypres, Hill 60 was the scene of intense fighting throughout most of World War 1. Hill 60 was not a natural feature but had been produced by the dirt excavated in a nearby railroad cut. Neither the British nor the Germans could permit the other to occupy the hill, with its commanding view of the town of Ypres. The first German gas attack against the British in 1915 was here and the hill eventually became honeycombed with an unusually complex system of tunnels and trenches.

Nigel Cave continues in Hill 60: Ypres the highly-acclaimed tradition of the Battleground Europe series. The volume features over two dozen maps and over 75 photographs, covering the battlefield both then and now. Everything of interest to the battlefield visitor is covered, including all memorials, cemeteries, local churches and villages, accommodations, and the scenes of all important events in the battle.

For those doing research on the battle, the volume contains a wealth of detail on troop movements and actions, the feats of all Victoria Cross winners and other significant individuals in the sector, and diagrams of trenches and emplacements. For the general reader, following the history of a World War I battle is a sombre and thought-provoking experience, as the narrative progresses through the almost unimaginable tragedy of the war itself, the organizing of cemeteries and building of monuments immediately after the war, the long years of neglect by most private citizens, and the revival of interest in recent times.

The British offensive, which became known as Passchendaele, got underway on 31 July, 1917 with the objective of capturing fifteen miles of territory.The attack quickly lost momentum and, it was not until finally in November that the line managed to advance seven miles.With winter setting in, the British troops were subjected to some of the worst conditions they had ever faced. During the attack 265,000 were either killed or injured.This battlefield guide gives details of the attacks whilst guiding the reader through the battlefield as it stands today.With illustrated maps and then and now photographs it will appeal to those visiting the area as well as armchair historians.

This guide to the battlefields of Ypres is intended for both the casual tourist and the serious scholar. Sanctuary Wood and the village of Hooge saw intense fighting during World War I, being situated for much of the time in the front line of the notorious Ypres Salient. Beginning at the museum at the wood itself, the book takes the reader on an explanatory tour of the immediate area, which includes the neighbouring British cemetery. Text and supporting photographs help to explain the significance of individual burials, such as that of the German aviator, Hans Roser, the victim of an air battle with the Royal Flying Corps pilot, Lance Hawker, who for his exploits in this action and others on the same day was awarded the first VC for aerial combat. Between May and September 1915, Hooge was rarely out of the newspapers, and the fierce battles that took place here - including the first use of the dreaded "Flamenwerfer" against British troops - are described in a series of chapters supported by maps and contemporary accounts. Also recounted are the exploits of Canadian troops in June 1916, when valuable ground was lost and almost immediately recaptured. (In one incident, the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry came very close to losing their regimental colour to the Germans.) Rather less violent, but typical aspects of World War I life are covered with sections of a trench raid (1918) and the usual routine of an engineer officer in the trenches. The guide directs readers to view certain areas and explains what they would be seeing more than 70 years ago - whether it would be the British or German lines. Names that were given to geographical features at the time of the fighting are explained, together with military terms and methods of operation.

This is the first part of a planned four-volume series focusing on a hitherto largely neglected aspect of the Great War on the Western Front - the war underground. The subject has fascinated visitors to the battlefields from the very beginning of battlefield pilgrimages in the years immediately after the Armistice. This volume looks mainly at the central Artois, the environs of the whole line of the Vimy Ridge to the River Scarpe and Arras. The narrative draws on French and German archival material and personal descriptions. The text is illustrated with numerous diagrams and maps, in particular from the British and German records, and there is an exhaustive guide to the Grange Subway. Other sites open to the public are also explained and put into context. Endorsements 'The Underground War is that rare combination of a deeply researched and very detailed book that is also very well-written and engages both historian and layman alike. It is enlived by many first-hand accounts from the soldiers and tunnellers and excellent photographs and maps which vividly bring to life that grim, yet invisible subterranean war...Robinson and Cave look not only at the technical nature of the tunnelling and mining, but also the existing topography and they include a fascinating section on touring the relevant battlefield, that enables visitors to find what still remains, and visit sites open to the public. If you have any interest at all in the First World War, then this book comes highly recommended.' Martin Pegler 'This first book in the series details the extensive mining operation along Vimy Ridge to Arras. The authors explain the background to the mining operations and they provide comprehensive maps of the network of runnels that covered this stretch of the front. Helpfully, the authors, Phillip and Nigel, have included a number of tours of accessible sites associated with the underground war.' Britain at War