tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1213996 2009-11-16T16:19:12+00:00 War in the 20th century TypePad tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e2012875a8c2fd970c 2009-11-16T16:19:12+00:00 2009-11-16T16:19:12+00:00

The results of 9 April 1917 were to be overshadowed by the attritional nature of the rest of the battle, as the offensive continued due to the demands of coalition warfare. As with most logistical or combat support elements, the...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a692dcc7970c 2009-10-30T15:24:08+00:00 2009-10-30T15:24:08+00:00

On the opposite side of the Arras-Cambrai road the 12th Division were to attack from the eastern edges of Arras toward a line between Feuchy and Monchy. This new army division had already experience much hard fighting since its arrival...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a69264bc970c 2009-10-30T13:11:28+00:00 2009-10-30T13:11:28+00:00

Further north the 3rd Division was in the line in the southeastern suburbs of Arras. The front for the attack was particularly narrow, the frontage slightly extending on the objective. The division had been in position for some time before...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a63d3d7c970b 2009-10-30T13:05:12+00:00 2009-10-30T13:06:27+00:00

The German retreat to the Hindenburg line had the most effect in the southern region of the proposed attack. The 56th (London) Division's attack was on a limited front, centred on the fortified village of Neuville Vitasse. The division's medical...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a63d36b8970b 2009-10-30T12:51:15+00:00 2009-10-30T12:51:15+00:00

Recent debate has looked at the effective levels of command and control of the various assets of the BEF.[1]From the medical point of view, with a chain of evacuation stretching back to the United Kingdom, the RAMC needed representation at...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a5b53e8e970b 2009-10-02T14:59:52+01:00 2009-10-02T14:59:52+01:00

Just starting on this one [as per my tweets], full title: The Storm of War: A New history of the Second World War. Do we need a new history? Well Andrew has already tried to answer that himself here.

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a60bc76b970c 2009-10-02T13:11:08+01:00 2009-10-02T13:11:08+01:00

Today marks the anniversary of the death of Major-General Frederick Drummond Vincent Wing CB. With the common portrayal of WW1 Generals being out of touch with the experiences of their men, Wing's death, as one of three Generals to die...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a5c76b09970c 2009-09-15T15:17:41+01:00 2009-09-15T15:17:41+01:00

As a long term user of parts of the National Archive's Documents Online service, I'm surprised to report that I welcome the recent changes to its war diary service. With changes to "improve service" such as barriers in the car...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a5ba54e0970c 2009-09-11T15:15:48+01:00 2009-09-11T15:15:48+01:00

A full review will follow shortly, but from the first page I was enthralled with Jack Sheldon's latest book. The shorter timespan than his early works has allowed his narrative to both focus and broaden, focus on individual units and...

Alistair Hollington tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83532e9cd69e20120a572c4b0970c 2009-08-25T17:04:14+01:00 2009-08-25T17:04:14+01:00

As a small experiment, and to continue some personal research, I've applied to the IRC for a search to be completed in their records of POWs from the First World War. It seems strange to think of the belligerent nations...

Alistair Hollington