Bilton, David Images of War. The French Army in the Great War. Rare Photographs from Wartime Archives

Only a few books have been written in English about the French army in World War I. Those that do exist contain hardly any illustrations. This book aims to provide a readable and concise overview of the French army's deployment on the Western Front and to offer readers a wealth of photos showing the everyday life of French soldiers both inside and outside the trenches. All images are contemporary, many are taken from wartime and post-war magazines, and include many previously unpublished illustrations. The book aims to provide a brief overview of the war as seen through French eyes and to highlight the losses incurred. Although the mutinies of May 1917 were an important but brief part of the story, they are not covered in detail as they can distract from the main story of bravery shown by French troops in battles where losses were extremely high. Also included is a detailed introduction outlining the structure of the French army at the beginning of the war. In addition, there are descriptions of some of the problems the army faced, as well as a section dealing with uniforms and how they changed during the war.