Contemptible [Illustrated Edition]Includes the First World War Illustrations Pack – 73 battle plans and diagrams and 198 photos “An ‘Old Contemptible’ recounts the campaign of 1914. At the outbreak of the First World War, units of the British regular army-the B. E. F-were despatched to the continent to assist the French in an attempt to stem the tide of the advancing Imperial German Army as it marched inexorably towards Paris. The enemy viewed the ‘Tommies’ as ‘that contemptible little army.’ In that way peculiar to the British the insult became a byword for courage and honour as the highly trained and motivated soldiers in khaki demonstrated just what a contemptible little army could do. However, this was a war of attrition and despite the ‘contemptibles’ magnificent performance the ‘grey horde’ could not initially be halted. What followed was the memorable retreat from Mons. The author of this book was a subaltern officer serving in one of the county regiments of the B. E. F and chose as his title for this book the proudly worn designation ‘Contemptible.’ Although the book was written under a pseudonym it is widely believed that the writer was Arnold Gyde who served with the South Staffordshire Regiment and was one of the first British soldiers to set foot on the continent. Although the account of this vital aspect of the opening months of the conflict is presented in a ‘factional’ style it is clearly based on the author’s first hand experiences.” -Print Ed. |
Contents
AN ADVANCEDGUARD ACTION 58 | |
DEFENCE 62 | |
THE DEFENCE OF THE BRANDY 64 | |
STRATEGY AS YOU LIKE IT 66 | |
THE LAST ADVANCE 69 | |
SATURDAY NIGHT 73 | |
THE CROSSING OF THE AISNE 78 | |
THE CELLARS OF POUSSEY 83 | |
A PAUSE AND MORE MARCHING31 | |
A REARGUARD ACTION 34 | |
VILLIERSCOTTERETS 36 | |
HEAT AND DUST 40 | |
THE OCCUPATION OF VILLIERS 42 | |
THE LAST LAP 46 | |
THE TURN OF THE TIDE 50 | |
THE ADVANCE BEGINS 52 | |
THE CROSSING OF THE MARNE 55 | |
THE FIRST TRENCHES 87 | |
IN RESERVE AT SOUVIR 91 | |
TO STRAIGHTEN THE LINE 95 | |
THE JAWS OF DEATH 99 | |
THE FIELD HOSPITAL 105 | |
OPERATION 110 | |
ST NAZAIRE 113 | |
REQUEST FROM THE PUBLISHER 117 | |
The Somme Illustrations 260 | 141 |
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Common terms and phrases
advance Aisne Allied artillery attack August 1914 Figure Battalion Battery Battle Battle of Amiens Battle of Messines Battle of Mons Beaumont Hamel began billets bombardment boots Brigade British Army Captain cavalry CHAPTER Colonel command Company darkness dawn Delville Wood enemy enemy’s Etreux face feeling feet felt Fère fight fire French front German going ground guns halt happened head heard hill hole horses Hospital hurried infantry Jack Johnson knew La Fère Le Cateau looked machinegun Marne Maroilles meal miles minutes Mons morning move Neuve Chapelle never night Officers one’s Orderly pain parade Paris passed Platoon position Poussey realised Regiment rest retreat road Royal Warwickshire Regiment seemed Senior Subaltern seven o’clock shell side sight sleep soldiers Somme Figure soon sort street stretcher There’s thing thought told town transport troops turned Verdun victory village whole line wonderful wood wounded Ypres Figure