Jack Sheldon (1)

"The German Army at Ypres 1914" covers a lesser-known episode of the First World War's initial six months, one that closes out what many military historians call "The Race to the Sea". Once the Germans failed to defeat the French on the Marne in the late summer of 1914, a subsequent sequence of battles saw the combatants desperately seeking an open flank towards the Franco-Belgian coast of the English Channel. Jack Sheldon's work picks up this story as the new German Minister of War, Erich von Falkenhyn, attempted to salvage German hopes of a quick and decisive victory by inserting the new Fourth Army into the battle in Belgian Flanders before the Allies' defenses firmed up.

At 483 pages in my Kindle edition, "The German Army at Ypres" is not lightweight reading. Published by Pen and Sword in 2010, the book encompasses a forward, introduction, author's note, acknowledgments, prologue, eight numbered chapters, a postscript, an appendix comparing German and British Army ranks, a bibliography, and an index. Unacknowledged in the contents is a small selection of photographs between Chapters 3 and 4. There is a selection of annotated maps, which are critical to Sheldon's presentation of this story. The operations detailed in the book are confined to the area from Diksmuide in the north to Ploegsteert in the south, a pretty small section of what will become the Western Front. The book is arranged chronologically, with the author jumping from one segment of the battlefield to the next as German offensive operations unfolded. Not only are the geographic distances short; the action in the book takes place between 14 October and 11 November 1914.

As the battle developed geographically, Sheldon lays out his chapters accordingly. The first two chapters set the stage from the beginning of the war to the German march to the Yser River in Belgium. Chapter 3 discusses the epic German failure at Langemarck (the current site of one of the largest German WWI cemeteries), while Chapter 4 tells of the battles around the villages of Beselare, Geluveld, and the Menen Road. Chapter 5 details the fighting around Diksmuide, while Chapter 6 tells of the battles south of Ypres. Chapter 7 covers a second round of fruitless fighting around Langemarck, while Chapter 8 illustrates the end of Germany's offensive plans in the West during the final 1914 fighting for the Menen Road.

Sheldon lays out each of the main chapters in the same fashion: a general discussion about the section of the subject section of the battlefield, followed by the annotated map, followed by the personal accounts of the participants uncovered by the author's diligent research. The annotated map bears numbers that Sheldon uses to organize the participant/eyewitness accounts, which number five or more per chapter. These accounts are the heart of this book as they provide the details glossed over in more conventional histories. The reader gets some idea of what is was like to attack through the inundated farmland deliberately flooded by the Belgiums desperate to deny the countryside to the Germans, to live a miserable existence with sleep and eating impossible under the conditions, and to advance under a barrage of shrapnel shells.

Sheldon makes it clear to his reader of the flaws in some of his sources. Some memoirs and regimental histories came out after the rise of Nazism, and their stories were embellished to enhance the Nazi cause. Sheldon also addresses the "Kindermoerder" or slaughter of the students attributed to the attacks on Langemarck, another case where elements of truth were altered to fire up the zeal of potential German military and paramilitary recruits.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is incredibly detailed and can be a slog at times. I found myself scrolling back and forth between maps and texts to understand the personal accounts Sheldon laid before me. However, a World War I historian should not pass on this treasure trove of German source material and Sheldon's thoughtful analysis of it.… (meer)

Congrats again to Jack Sheldon. The finest book I have read on the Battle of Passchendaele (or 3rd Battle of Ypres). Not only is it the finest book I have read on this campaign, but the only one devoted to the German side. His first hand accounts describing the fighting in the rain and mud are unforgetable. When the soldiers talk about the living conditions your heart and complete admiration goes out to them. Their determination and courage are of the highest order. All this is presented in very readable style. The maps presented in each chapter have numbers marking the location of units mentioned in the soldier's accounts. Very useful in understanding where the actions is taking place relative to the towns and forests metioned in the narative.

My only negative comment is that several on the commentaries become redundant due to similar experiences among various units. This comment should in no way discourage anyone from reading this volume. It is very informative and tremendously interesting...........

Well done Mr. Sheldon. I look forward to reading the remaining book on The German Army at Ypres.… (meer)

Another fine work by Jack Sheldon. 'Vimy Ridge' follows his usual format of giving an overall summary of a local portion of the battle including units and dispositions. He then introduces first-hand accounts from German troops of their experiences and views of the action. The vast majority of the first-hand accounts come from ordinary soldiers and NCOs; most officer accounts are from battalion level or below. Very few are from upper command. In this manner Sheldon keeps the perspective for the most part at the trench level.

I have also read his other works relating to the Somme, Cambrai and Ypres (what I call the "German Army" books). They are all fine reads. Am currently reading the book on Passchendaele. Jack Sheldon has written other books, too. Such as "The Germans at Beaumont Hamel" and "The Germans at Thiepval", among others. These are from the ''Battleground Europe' series. This group is a different style than the 'German Army' books. The Battleground Europe books include a large sections presenting information on touring the battlefields. If you are interested in that aspect, these books may be OK for you. I have no interest in that, so I returned those books unread. Does not make them poor, just not in my area of interest.

I recommend all five of his 'German Army" works to anyone interested in WWI in general or in the Imperial German Army on the Western Front.… (meer)