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(Military historian) William Langford
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Somme Intelligence: Fourth Army HQ, 1916 Kindle Edition

by William Langford (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 10 ratings
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For the Somme offensive British Fourth Army headquarters was situated in a chateau at Querrieu on the Albert-Amiens road. In the build up months to Haig's Great Push a steady flow of intelligence was being compiled; captured German documents, intercepted messages, prisoners' letters, diaries and information gleaned from prisoner interviews were entered into foolscap-size ledgers where they could be perused by the planners.The hand-written journal of intelligence reports upon which this work is formed was originally compiled by a former soldier of the 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, (Accrington Pals), Harry Platt of Burnley. In 1916 he was a sergeant working on intelligence duties at Fourth Army GHQ. He was later commissioned in the Royal Engineers. Harry also served in the Second World War in the Royal Artillery reaching the rank of Major. He was Mentioned in Despatches in both conflicts. Harry died in August 1951 aged 56.In 2002 the handwritten journal was lodged with the Imperial War Museum at the instigation of historian William Turner, military historian and author of books on the Accrington Pals.As the reader goes through these reports it would be helpful to keep in mind that members of the British staff at Querrieu chateau, including Generals Haig and Rawlinson, would have had their impressions coloured by the words you are reading and doubtless their optimism for a successful outcome to the Somme offensive greatly enhanced. They would have noted the effect the British bombardment was having; dominance of the Royal Flying Corps as its machines seemingly operated unmolested over the trenches; growing unrest in German cities as food shortages drove the populace to riot; and the relentless call-up to the colours of ever-younger youths as that nation's manhood bled in the great battles taking place.
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  1. Print length
    263 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Pen & Sword Military
  5. Publication date
    August 5, 2013
  6. File size
    41582 KB
  7. Page Flip
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  8. Word Wise
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  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This summer we have been inundated with a bewildering array of new (and not so new) Somme titles, few of them offer any new insight or fresh information. This book however does offer the Somme Guide the opportunity to get inside the thinking of Haig and his staff. Packed with examples of the intelligence gained from POWs, captured letters, diaries and documents it provides an array of useful snapshots of German morale and the British analysis of the intelligence gained."
Despatches

About the Author

The author has been employed in printing and publishing for fifty years. His works include five fictional titles, two books on aviation topics, five further titles on the First World War and one covering the actions of the SS Totenkopf Division in the invasion of France in May 1940.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00LV5735S
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pen & Sword Military (August 5, 2013)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 5, 2013
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 41582 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 263 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

About the author

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(Military historian) William Langford

(Military historian) William Langford

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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
10 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Writing Historian
3.0 out of 5 stars A Bit Uninspiring
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2019
Verified Purchase
The author has essentially published the intelligence staff notes of the British Fourth Army during the Somme with little attempt to enhance that perspective with a look at the German version of events. The material is a bit repetitive = through no fault of the author - as the British intelligence analysts frantically grasp any tidbit of information indicating that the Germans are taking heavy losses. In this regard, one can confirm the British viewed the Somme as a battle of attrition once their hopes for an early breakthrough were thwarted. So the same German regiment that takes heavy losses in one engagement is cited again and again, albeit in a slightly different manner, in this account. Three stars only as it required some additional work on the authors part to make this a truly interesting and informative book.
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John S. Knight
4.0 out of 5 stars WW l interests me.
Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2019
Verified Purchase
My great uncle was in British Military Intelligence Corps in this area so that is why I read this book.
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