Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front

"Tommy" is Richard Holmes's exploration of the experience of the British soldier and the British Army on the Western Front of the Great War, 1914-1918. Through a narrative rich in detail and anecdote, Holmes provides context and some necessary correction on the life of Tommy Atkins, prototypical British soldier, at war.Holmes, an experienced historian, has provided a study very much in the vein of "Redcoat", his earlier work on the British Army from Waterloo to the Crimean War. In this book, Holmes details how the small standing British professional army of 1914 became the mass army of 1918 and how it generally acquitted itself fairly well in four years of horrendous combat with the elements, its own bureaucracy, and the German Army. It is a story of the men who became soldiers, their weapons, their leadership, their food, medical care, and their sense of the fighting. Holmes includes a fascinating collection of photographs of the Western Front.Holmes has done his extensive research. The traditional regimental system comes in for some considerable praise for its contribution to unit cohesion and morale. The willingness of the Army to adapt to the demands of mass warfare, on a scale not practiced by Britain in over one hundred years, is commendable if often uneven. The leadership of the Army, especially after the first year of war, generally did as good a job as the circumstances of combat allowed. The fate of mounted cavalry and the introduction of modern warfighting technology such as tanks, airplanes, radios, and indirect artillery fire are discussed. Above all, the stubborn and patient devotion to duty of Tommy and his fellow soldiers shines through.At roughly 700 pages, this is an exhaustive if not exhausting study that will appeal the most to those with a keen interest in the First World War, especially to those looking for the story behind the battle histories. It is highly recommended as a reading experience to students of the history of the British Army.

The sense of loss and tradgedy of the Great War has led me to read many accounts to try and understand the reasons behind it, the events themselves, and the accounts (like this one) of the experiences of the (extra-)ordinary people involved. I've read many of Holmes's books and consider this the best, though perhaps that's in part down to my interest in the period. It's too close to our own era with the last few Tommies still with us to be merely dry history. This book is essentially the story of the individual experiences, tied together with explanations of how things were done, again as this affected the individual, with the great events providing a backdrop. Well-written, and terribly moving. Though not laboured in this book, it is clear that Holmes believes, as I do, that these brave men were fighting in a just cause. Well-written, not dramatised, as there's more than enough drama in the stories themselves, terribly moving and sad.

This seller is amazing! The book has a few brown age marks on the dustcover but inside it’s like new. An excellent price for a book I’ve wanted for a long time. Highly recommended

I read everything written by Richard Holmes. You can't go wrong.

What kind of man was the British soldier who unflinchingly trudged through the Menin Gate into the mud of the salient in 1917? How did he live day to day? What did he fight with and how did he do it? Where did he come from and why did he face the horrific attrition of World War I seige warfare with a 'stiff upper lip"? The answers and much more are here. This is the most detailed and yet most readable book on the British (and Empire) troops and their lives that I've seen and I've been a student of World War I for many years. From the world that created the Brit soldiers of the Great War to a realistic look at their commanders, how food reached them in the trenches, what happened when a high explosive shell fell in the middle of a platoon, how the army was organized, it's all here, but written in a page-turning, nearly can-put-it-down style that makes 700+ pages seem like not enough. There is information here that I've read before, certainly, but there is a wealth of info new to me - enriched by quotes from interviews, diaries and published works of the men themselves, woven seemlessly into the sharp narrative. It reminds me a bit of the work of Lyn MacDonald in that respect, but doesn't focus on the battles, but everything else. At least some knowledge and understanding of WWI will be helpful while reading this, but not necessary for enjoyment and revelation. If you're interested at all in the Great War this volume is indispensible.