Griffiths, David The Guards 1915-17. An Elite Division at War

'The Guards 1915-17: An Elite Division at War' is the first history of this illustrious division in those years to be written since 1924. Making extensive use of the unit's original war diaries and key memoirs, it provides a readable narrative and analysis of their experiences on the battlefield at Loos, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and Pilckem Ridge. These two years are of great interest. The Guards Division had more than its share of larger than life personalities such as the Division's first Commander-in-Chief, Earl Cavan, the enigmatic 'Crawley' de Crespigny or the remarkable 'Tally-Ho VC', John Campbell, who so dramatically galvanised his men with his hunting horn in the heat of battle. There were acts of incredible bravery, inevitable failures in the 'fog of war' and the unique embarrassment of the fraternisation debacle in December 1915. The Guards Division had a unique culture and camaraderie based on the social exclusivity of its officer class and the heritage of its individual regiments, and much was expected of it. But the nature of the First World War meant that the Division's level of performance often depended on things beyond its control, and it too had to adapt to the learning process that the whole British Army underwent in those years. Maintaining the Guards Division's reputation as an elite force was always a challenge in these circumstances. This book is aimed at anyone with an interest in military history, a particular interest in the First World War or a connection to the Guards as a whole.