THE GERMAN ARMY HANDBOOK OF 1918
This week I have read a new book found in a second hand book shop during a recent visit to the seaside.
Based on the British War Office handbook of April 1918, this is a gold mine of useful and interesting information. The level of detail is extraordinary. Strangely this bookshop also had a copy of a reproduction of the 1913 edition. Although both books were the same original price, in the same "as new" condition and virtually the same size, the 1913 version was three times more expensive. The bookshop owner could only refer me to the prices quoted on line, which he followed, with no other practical explanation of the price difference. As the content of both books was clearly very similar I elected to purchase the cheaper version. I have to say, the bookshop in question had one of the best collections of military books I have seen in a long time. I may have to go back one day !!!!!
I like these old War Office publications very much. I have a number of them including reproductions of the 1914 Field Service Pocket Book, The Employment of Machine Guns 1918 and the Field Service Manual for Infantry Battalions 1914. I also own an original Field Service Pocket Book from 1932 and an original Royal Army Medical Corps Training manual from 1911. All have splendid levels of intricate detail.
Evening Tony - for some reason I still can't post comments from my I-Pad, so hopefully this will work!
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate enough to pick up the A&A press reprint of that handbook for a very good price about 20 years ago - and at almost the same time, I got David Nash's 'Imperial German Army Handbook, 1914-1918' apparently for £16-50 according to the pencilled price on the flyleaf!
Another interesting read for German infantry and artillery weapons of the period, is the reprint of Major James E Hicks' 'German Uniforms-Weapons-Insignia, 1841-1918' the major focus of which is the German small arms of WW1. I refer to all of these regularly
I really like this sort of book as my passion has always been logistics and the level of detail about practical logistical matters is fascinating to me. Just wait till my next book review......that will really demonstrate how much I like logistics !!!!!!
DeleteA good repro or original Handbook is always fascinatingly geeky.
ReplyDeleteAs well as the 1950s National Service era infantry platoon weapons training manual that would have been used in my late Dad’s National Service Days, where the photos all looked like real-life 1950s Herald Plastic British Infantry, I also have a 1930s (but1950s WO reprint) of the War Office Animal Management Handbook mostly re feeding, parts of, diseases and transport of horses, with a very short section still on mules and oxen.
Odd in terms of our comments on German horse drawn logistics in WW2 compared to the few horses left by the 1930s and 50s in the more mechanised British Army. Presumably reprinted in the 1950s for the care of ceremonial horses?
A good mule is always useful. On some material I have seen about conscripted Japanese Army vets, The Imperail Japanese Army seemed to prize the life of a mule over their more expendable soldiers.
Mark
ReplyDeleteYes the Japanese army did value their mules highly due to the limited numbers available. In fact the British army in WW1 learned that mules were a far better bet than horses in the conditions of the Western Front. Mules eat less, eat poorer quality food and are much more robust and stronger than horses.
Thanks for the comment. Regards Tony
Somehow the mules don't get the sympathetic public coverage in WW1, being beasts of burden. I don't recall a West End show, bestselling book or major motion picture called War Mule ... but they do make it into https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals_in_War_Memorial
ReplyDeletewhich is in Hyde Park London.
Yes very true. Yet there were thousands of mules used by the British army and not only as beasts of burden but also to pull guns and wagons. Major purchasing missions went to the USA throughout the war to buy mules. Indeed officers were sent to the US even during the Zulu war to buy mules. Although cattle were the favorite draft animal in SA, they started to run out hence the move to mules. They soon found out just how superior mules are to horses and cattle, or oxen I should say. However horses remained favorite despite all the evidence that mules were better. just not glamorous I guess. Regards Tony
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