CHALLENGE OF BATTLE: The British Army's Baptism of Fire in the First World War

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A full picture of the British Expeditionary Force in WWI. Previous assessments of the BEF have held to an unshakable belief in its exceptional performance during the battles of 1914. But closer examination of the historical record reveals a force possessing some key strengths yet undermined by other, significant failings.

Within a well-paced campaign narrative, this work reevaluates the army's leadership, organization, and tactics. It describes the problems faced by commanders, grappling with the brutal realities of 20th-century warfare, and explains how the British infantry's famed marksmanship has to be set against the inexperience and tactical shortcomings of the BEF as a whole.

Making full use of diaries, letters and other contemporary accounts, Adrian Gilbert builds a compelling picture of what it was like to fight in the battles of Mons, Le Cateau, the Aisne, and Ypres.