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Command and Control on the Western Front : The British Army's Experience 1914-18

Name: Command and Control on the Western Front : The British Army's Experience 1914-18
Author: Gary D. Sheffield, Stephen Badsey
ISBN: 9781862270831

by Gary D. Sheffield, Stephen Badsey

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Overview

This path-breaking study by leading historians of the First World War moves forward the debate about British generalship by examining the practicalities of command at all levels on the Western Front. While recent historians have shown that British Generals were not the 'donkeys' of popular myth, little is known about how they and their staffs actually exercised command. In this important new book, while the role of individuals such as Haig is not neglected, their performances are placed firmly in the context of the British Army's machinery for command and control.

Drawing upon a wealth of original research, a mixture of established historians and younger scholars examines topics such as the adjustment to static warfare; the role of GHQ, Corps and Brigades; Hubert Gough's style of command at Fifth Army; divisional command at Passchendaele; artillery command; and command within the infantry battalion.

These analyses show a command and control system that was a good deal more flexible, robust, innovative and effective than many previous writers have allowed, and helps to explain why the British Army reached a peak of military excellence in 1918. This book is required reading for everyone with an interest in the First World War.