Paul Cornish

This is a very good book if you are interested in the subject. Aside from the expected presentation of the development of machine guns and some descriptions, there is also discussion of doctrine, procurement and usage during the war. I had some knowledge about WW1 and machine guns, but I was surprised to find that they were used not just as direct fire weapon, but as the war progressed they were grouped en masse and used for barrage and in-direct fire as a sort of light artillery. Towards show more the end of the war they had indeed superseded the rifle as the basic element of infantry use during the last hundred days or so that saw a more mobile conflict. Highly Recommended show less

IWM First World War Galleries book

Not a guide to the galleries as I had first thought but a general book on WW1 illustrated with items from the IWM collections.

One sentence devoted to Mons and Le Cateau and not much more to First Ypres.

Some interesting facts. Good, concise description of tools and techniques and weapons of war, which are set in the context of phases of the war or major Battles - eg deadlock in 1915 - trench mortars, steel helmets, grenades; Loos - gas warfare. Missed show more opportunity to talk about the Lee Enfield and 18pdr in the context of the retreat from Mons/Néry gun. Good, telling use of short quotations embedded in the text, supporting and driving the narrative.

Elements grouped around The Somme and Third Ypres are interesting and capture the effects of changing equipments and tactics clearly and concisely, although the section on the Somme appears to fall back too much on the old "total failure" orthodoxy. Similar with the handling of 'Operation Michael' - also fails to mention contextually the fact that Gough's understrength 5th Army was overextended as a result of Lloyd-George's decision to refuse more manpower to the Western Front whilst simultaneously agreeing to extend the British portion of the front. Interesting fact about the number of shells fired in the German opening bombardment exceeding the British artillery preparation for the week to 1 July 1916.

Good on the global and interlinked nature of WW1 and the grand strategic sweep.

Would have benefitted from more pictures of objects from the museum's collections. show less

Well illustrated and well-written catalogue to accompany the new WW1 Galleries at the Imperial War Museum, marking the centenary of the outbreak of that sprawling, devastating, game-changing conflict. A dispassionate tone enabled by our detachment from what is now long-off distant history.