The Other Side of the Wire

Volume 2 - The Battle of the Somme. With The German XIV Reserve Corps, 1 July 1916

by Ralph J. Whitehead

Imprint: Helion and Company

482 Pages, 6 x 9 in, 255 b/w photos & illustrations, 32 b/w maps

Paperback
9781804510407
July 2022
Temporarily out of stock. Ships in 2-3 weeks.

$65.00

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“This book is an astonishing achievement, a triumph for Ralph Whitehead, whose patient detective work on the surviving German sources over many years has presented us with previously undreamt of precision to the thorny problem of German casualty figures … Whitehead has also succeeded in providing the most comprehensive description of the First Day of the Somme from the defenders' perspective which has ever appeared in print … This was a dreadful day for British arms, but an awesome German achievement and we should be grateful to Ralph Whitehead for describing it so skilfully.” ~Jack Sheldon

“The date 1 July 1916 is indelibly etched into the consciousness of British society. This day saw the largest loss of life in any one day in the long history of the British army on the Somme battlefield. Despite this, events from the other side of the hill have largely remained a mystery for English-language readers. No longer. Ralph Whitehead has added immeasurably to our understanding of this fateful day. This meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated volume provides a clear picture of the experiences of the German defenders on this day and the methods they used to defeat the British attack. This volume will revolutionize our view of 1 July 1916 and is an essential read for any scholar of the First World War.” ~Dr Robert T. Foley, Reader in Defence Studies, King's College London

"Helion has produced a first-rate book of the highest quality. Ralph Whitehead has written a book that is a critical addition to any aspiring military historian of a professional or casual background. This book is recommended in the strongest possible terms". ~Canadian Military History Journal

"This book covers so much that it needs to be read by everyone who knows the Allied versions [of 1 July 1916] ... " ~Stand To! The Journal of the Western Front Association

“… an outstanding achievement, and an essential read for anyone interested in the Great War or men at war.” ~Newsletter of the NY Military Affairs Symposium