i noted that this book focuses mainly on the heroism of the British units at first ypres.In the artwork ,the Germans sort of have the look of a "foreign horde"(hunnish)look like they're not too bright.When you see the German casualty lists it seems like just so many ants,anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 according to the author,British casualties at 60,000.The British soldiers portrayed in the illustrations are notably in heroic poses bayonetting,machine gunning, or taking the Huns prisoner.At first Ypers the German stategic Vonschliffen plan officially ended and the western front settled pretty much into trench warfare.Britains professional army was decimated and the German high command was forced to accept the prospect of an unwinnable war.The opponents were just too evenly matched from the descriptions in this book.You will also note from the pictures that although the Germans are wearing wearing stahlhelms,the British are still wearing the softcaps,more useful for policing a soccer game but of no use in war,with flying bullets and shrapnel.This just reinforces how unprepared most countries were for this war,and this chaos and lack of organization are discussed in the book.It seemed from a study of the maps in the book, like the Germans were trying to find the British flanks,but too often found themselves enfiladed instead.There are also pictures and a discussion of some of Britains foreign troops mainly the Indian Sepoys which were vital and are too often overlooked.

Perhaps my expectations have been raised too high by the many excellent Osprey campaign books I have read recently, but this book fell short for me. It is told almost entirely from the British point of view and can be easily summarized: the gallant Tommies hold off the German hordes despite terrible casualties. There is very little discussion of the German point of view and even less about the French, who played a key role in the battle. I give it three stars because the story is told competently, but that is all. Being a relatively early book in the series (they are now up to about 150), it does not meet the standard of the later books.



The book also suffers from having to devote a section to wargaming the battle (something dropped in the later books). The author wastes six pages on this -- wastes, as his ideas on wargaming are useless. He would have done much better to keep this section to a minimum and use the pages elsewhere -- either in more descriptions of small unit actions or to flesh out the sections on leaders and the opposing forces, which are terse to the point of being virtually useless. He does include a very detailed order of battle -- for the British. The orders of battle for the French and Germans are skimpy by comparison. In particular, the German heavy artillery, which he repeatedly mentions as having a big impact on actions, is left out completely.



The occasional detailed description of small unit actions are the high point of the book; the rest of the battle is told at such a high level (and in such a dry style) that I was not engaged. I would have happily given up some of the high level narrative for more small unit 'vignettes'. I was particularly intrigued by the author's mention of some of the more experienced German units using 'infiltration'. Since infiltration tactics are not normally considered to have been used until 1917, I would have liked to learn just what these units were doing. But to do that would have detracted from the relentlessly British focus of the book and so, apparently, would not do.



I did gain some interesting insights into this period. Although the standard image of World War 1 is the generals living in chateaus far from the front line, which they never visited, that was not true at this point. In fact, one divisional commander and most of two division's staffs were killed by a single German shell. Haig, in particular, comes across as a hero -- visiting the front lines, scraping together reserves to meet each German breakthrough and generally performing just as a good commander should. Although the author does not make this point, it is obvious that the Germans giving up the attack just when the British line was on the verge of collapse made a strong impression on him. Haig's determination to keep up attacks at (for instance) the Somme was probably based on his intention not to make this mistake; to 'out last' the Germans in the attack, as he had on the defense at First Ypres.

Perhaps my expectations have been raised too high by the many excellent Osprey campaign books I have read recently, but this book fell short for me. It is told almost entirely from the British point of view and can be easily summarized: the gallant Tommies hold off the German hordes despite terrible casualties. There is very little discussion of the German point of view and even less about the French, who played a key role in the battle. I give it three stars because the story is told competently, but that is all. Being a relatively early book in the series (they are now up to about 150), it does not meet the standard of the later books.

The book also suffers from having to devote a section to wargaming the battle (something dropped in the later books). The author wastes six pages on this -- wastes, as his ideas on wargaming are useless. He would have done much better to keep this section to a minimum and use the pages elsewhere -- either in more descriptions of small unit actions or to flesh out the sections on leaders and the opposing forces, which are terse to the point of being virtually useless. He does include a very detailed order of battle -- for the British. The orders of battle for the French and Germans are skimpy by comparison. In particular, the German heavy artillery, which he repeatedly mentions as having a big impact on actions, is left out completely.

The occasional detailed description of small unit actions are the high point of the book; the rest of the battle is told at such a high level (and in such a dry style) that I was not engaged. I would have happily given up some of the high level narrative for more small unit 'vignettes'. I was particularly intrigued by the author's mention of some of the more experienced German units using 'infiltration'. Since infiltration tactics are not normally considered to have been used until 1917, I would have liked to learn just what these units were doing. But to do that would have detracted from the relentlessly British focus of the book and so, apparently, would not do.

I did gain some interesting insights into this period. Although the standard image of World War 1 is the generals living in chateaus far from the front line, which they never visited, that was not true at this point. In fact, one divisional commander and most of two division's staffs were killed by a single German shell. Haig, in particular, comes across as a hero -- visiting the front lines, scraping together reserves to meet each German breakthrough and generally performing just as a good commander should. Although the author does not make this point, it is obvious that the Germans giving up the attack just when the British line was on the verge of collapse made a strong impression on him. Haig's determination to keep up attacks at (for instance) the Somme was probably based on his intention not to make this mistake; to 'out last' the Germans in the attack, as he had on the defense at First Ypres.

Perhaps my expectations have been raised too high by the many excellent Osprey campaign books I have read recently, but this book fell short for me. It is told almost entirely from the British point of view and can be easily summarized: the gallant Tommies hold off the German hordes despite terrible casualties. There is very little discussion of the German point of view and even less about the French, who played a key role in the battle. I give it three stars because the story is told competently, but that is all. Being a relatively early book in the series (they are now up to about 150), it does not meet the standard of the later books.

The book also suffers from having to devote a section to wargaming the battle (something dropped in the later books). The author wastes six pages on this -- wastes, as his ideas on wargaming are useless. He would have done much better to keep this section to a minimum and use the pages elsewhere -- either in more descriptions of small unit actions or to flesh out the sections on leaders and the opposing forces, which are terse to the point of being virtually useless. He does include a very detailed order of battle -- for the British. The orders of battle for the French and Germans are skimpy by comparison. In particular, the German heavy artillery, which he repeatedly mentions as having a big impact on actions, is left out completely.

The occasional detailed description of small unit actions are the high point of the book; the rest of the battle is told at such a high level (and in such a dry style) that I was not engaged. I would have happily given up some of the high level narrative for more small unit 'vignettes'. I was particularly intrigued by the author's mention of some of the more experienced German units using 'infiltration'. Since infiltration tactics are not normally considered to have been used until 1917, I would have liked to learn just what these units were doing. But to do that would have detracted from the relentlessly British focus of the book and so, apparently, would not do.

I did gain some interesting insights into this period. Although the standard image of World War 1 is the generals living in chateaus far from the front line, which they never visited, that was not true at this point. In fact, one divisional commander and most of two division's staffs were killed by a single German shell. Haig, in particular, comes across as a hero -- visiting the front lines, scraping together reserves to meet each German breakthrough and generally performing just as a good commander should. Although the author does not make this point, it is obvious that the Germans giving up the attack just when the British line was on the verge of collapse made a strong impression on him. Haig's determination to keep up attacks at (for instance) the Somme was probably based on his intention not to make this mistake; to 'out last' the Germans in the attack, as he had on the defense at First Ypres.

Given the obvious limitations imposed by the publisher, I think David Lomas has done a most competent job in this title. Anybody familiar with the Osprey Campaign series should realise that they get a basic primer - 'Look & Learn Famous Battles' as it were. Each book is less than 20000 words, has a set number of monochrome pix and an equally fixed number of colour plates. They are designed, I suspect, for a particular market and I don't doubt that the author(s) receive a specific brief - so many words on the commanders, so many words on this aspect, so many words on that angle.
Osprey's titles on some other WW1 campaigns are far worse. I don't name names but 19000 words to cover seven months bitter fighting, for instance, is a near impossibility.
Certainly I don't find Lomas' prose stilted, quite the reverse. It's a darned sight better than some of the turgid stuff that comes out of a few mid-Western universities I could name. It's clear and concise, the photographs are good and the artwork (Brits bashing Germans) is nothing to do with the author - at least if the jacket artwork of some of my books is anything by which to judge. It's the publisher's decision, dudes!
It's true the book concentrates on Ypres 1914 from the British angle. Again, I suggest editorial requirements and, in truth, there ain't the space to do much else. But it is a British publisher who turned this out, presumably for an essentially British market. I personally found the book a lot less one-sided than many similar publications penned by US authors.
Not that I get personal here but I wonder how many rejection slips some of your reviewers have received - if they've ever tried to write a book, that is. I'm not referring to this particular review but across the board. I sometimes think, psrticularly with non-fiction, that every single-issue fanatic in the world sounds off about what a lousy job the author has done. Of course, there are turkeys out there - mostly from graduates of CA Writing seminars - but no book makes it to print without editorial input. In theory, if the damned thing is unreadablr, it gets bounced. Unless, I suppose, your godfather happens to own the publisher but I don't think that is the case with Lomas.

Perhaps there should be a rule that critics should mention their own achievments. I've written 12 published books, as it happens, under a nom-de-plume and cheap fiction granted, so I do know something about what it takes.

This is a highly reccommended book that recounts the eventful German "drive to the sea" in the autumn of 1914 in a bid to capture the coastal ports in Belgium and northern France after having failed to capture Paris (where the Germans were stopped at the Marne).
The battle surrounding the town of Ypres is notable for two facts: it was the last attempt by both sides to try to create a new mobile front on the western front, and it was the last battle in which the Old Contemptibles, Great Britain's professional volunteer army, fought as a coherent unit.
Although marked by heroic attacks and counter-attacks, desperate rearguard actions, and scenes of personal bravery, the Battle of First Ypres is unfortunately overshadowed by the two following trench battles that took place in the same area in 1915 and 1917, and so this book sheds new light to the discerning student of the Great War.
Presented in the usual first-class Osprey format, this is an excellent book illustrated by rare photographs and Ed Dovey's wonderful colour battlescenes. As an extra for wargamers, there is a useful guide to wargaming the battle and a detailed Order of Battle chart.
Highly reccommended.

First Ypres 1914 is a terse but very detailed study of the exploits of the BEF following the Battle of the Marne in september 1914. The main focus is on the series of battles (La Bassee, Armentieres,Givenchy and Ypres) that are known collectively as the first of the four battles of Ypres. I include the battle of the Lys in 1918 as the fourth battle. There are several important problems with the book including a very drab and stilted writing style, confusing battle maps, and frankly silly illustrations of the "brave Tommy Atkins beating up the Hun..." The book does have a tremendous amount of factual data that seems to be missing in other books of this admittedly fast paced but confusing period of the first world war. My advice is to read this book as an adjunct to other better written treatises.

First Ypres 1914, David Lomas' sequel to his earlier Mons 1914, is a decent summary of the relatively neglected period of October-November 1914 in Belgium. During this period after the Battle of the Marne, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought the Germans to a standstill over a fairly small patch of Belgian mud, thereby denying the Germans access to the Channel ports. However in the process, the old pre-war British regular army was virtually destroyed. The BEF of 1914 was an elite force, but not designed for the grinding attrition warfare that was quickly developing on the Western Front.

The weakest part of this volume is the early sections on opposing commanders, opposing armies and opposing leaders. David Lomas seems to feel that he has done his duty in regard to this vital introductory sections by jotting down a few paragraphs and moving on. For example, the section on leaders barely amounts to one page of text and only comments on army-level commanders like Sir John French. Similarly, the section on opposing armies is far too brief. The Indian Corps that was dispatched to the Western Front was significantly different in training from the remainder of the BEF and this should have been highlighted in this section. Although the extensive order of battle partly covers up the deficiencies of this section, it is skimpy on the French. Opposing plans are also covered in far too brief a section.

Clearly the author has put all his effort into the campaign narrative itself, and as in his earlier Mons 1914, the operational summary is quite good. Excellent maps and photos add value to this account of First Ypres.

First Ypres 1914, David Lomas' sequel to his earlier Mons 1914, is a decent summary of the relatively neglected period of October-November 1914 in Belgium. During this period after the Battle of the Marne, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought the Germans to a standstill over a fairly small patch of Belgian mud, thereby denying the Germans access to the Channel ports. However in the process, the old pre-war British regular army was virtually destroyed. The BEF of 1914 was an elite force, but not designed for the grinding attrition warfare that was quickly developing on the Western Front.

The weakest part of this volume is the early sections on opposing commanders, opposing armies and opposing leaders. David Lomas seems to feel that he has done his duty in regard to this vital introductory sections by jotting down a few paragraphs and moving on. For example, the section on leaders barely amounts to one page of text and only comments on army-level commanders like Sir John French. Similarly, the section on opposing armies is far too brief. The Indian Corps that was dispatched to the Western Front was significantly different in training from the remainder of the BEF and this should have been highlighted in this section. Although the extensive order of battle partly covers up the deficiencies of this section, it is skimpy on the French. Opposing plans are also covered in far too brief a section.

Clearly the author has put all his effort into the campaign narrative itself, and as in his earlier Mons 1914, the operational summary is quite good. Excellent maps and photos add value to this account of First Ypres.

First Ypres 1914, David Lomas' sequel to his earlier Mons 1914, is a decent summary of the relatively neglected period of October-November 1914 in Belgium. During this period after the Battle of the Marne, the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) fought the Germans to a standstill over a fairly small patch of Belgian mud, thereby denying the Germans access to the Channel ports. However in the process, the old pre-war British regular army was virtually destroyed. The BEF of 1914 was an elite force, but not designed for the grinding attrition warfare that was quickly developing on the Western Front.

The weakest part of this volume is the early sections on opposing commanders, opposing armies and opposing leaders. David Lomas seems to feel that he has done his duty in regard to this vital introductory sections by jotting down a few paragraphs and moving on. For example, the section on leaders barely amounts to one page of text and only comments on army-level commanders like Sir John French. Similarly, the section on opposing armies is far too brief. The Indian Corps that was dispatched to the Western Front was significantly different in training from the remainder of the BEF and this should have been highlighted in this section. Although the extensive order of battle partly covers up the deficiencies of this section, it is skimpy on the French. Opposing plans are also covered in far too brief a section.

Clearly the author has put all his effort into the campaign narrative itself, and as in his earlier Mons 1914, the operational summary is quite good. Excellent maps and photos add value to this account of First Ypres.

In the usual 96-page format, with excellent 3D maps showing different moments of the battle, and plenty of black and white period photos as well as color drawings of the soldiers and equipment, this book gives a nice overview of the first Ypres battle. If you want detail, check the four pages long "Order of Battle"!

You could also get Osprey's "THE OLD CONTEMPTIBLES" for more information on the BEF.

In the usual 96-page format, with excellent 3D maps showing different moments of the battle, and plenty of black and white period photos as well as color drawings of the soldiers and equipment, this book gives a nice overview of the first Ypres battle. If you want detail, check the four pages long "Order of Battle"!

You could also get Osprey's "THE OLD CONTEMPTIBLES" for more information on the BEF.