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Numbering over five million men, Britain's army in the First World War was the biggest in the country's history. Remarkably, nearly half those men who served in it were volunteers. 2,466,719 men enlisted between August 1914 and December 1915, many in response to the appeals of the Field-Marshal Lord Kitchener. How did Britain succeed in creating a mass army, almost from scratch, in the middle of a major war? What compelled so many men to volunteer - and what happened to them once they had taken the King's shilling? Peter Simkins describes how Kitchener's New Armies were raised and reviews the main political, economic and social effects of the recruiting campaign. He examines the experiences and impressions of the officers and men who made up the New Armies. As well as analysing their motives for enlisting, he explores how they were fed, housed, equipped and trained before they set off for active service abroad. Drawing upon a wide variety of sources, ranging from government papers to the diaries and letters of individual soldiers, he questions long-held assumptions about the 'rush to the colours' and the nature of patriotism in 1914. The book will be of interest not only to those studying social, political and economic history, but also to general readers who wish to know more about the story of Britain's citizen soldiers in the Great War.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a welcome reprint of an important work that first appeared in 1988 and has long since been difficult to find.
Peter Simkins, who worked for over thirty-five years at the Imperial War Museum, retired as its Senior Historian in 1999. His book is among those rare works that has both academic rigour and plain-talking readability. Anyone who has an interest in the war, the army, the incredible expansion of military forces to face the Germans, Austrians and Turks or the units of the new armies will find much to delight them here.
Kitchener was not alone in August 1914 in believing that Britain would need to face a long war on a huge continental scale but he alone was in a position to do something about it. The authorisation by Parliament of the raising of 100,000 volunteers was followed by further similar "waves" and ultimately the army enlisted more than 5 million troops. This was not only globally unprecedented: it brought with it immense problems. The army was short of everything for these men: officers, NCOs, arms and equipment, accommodation, uniform, food and supplies. The fact that all were arranged, albeit often in a typically British improvised fashion, in a short timeframe is one of the forgotten triumphs of the war. Kitchener's men were arriving in France from early 1915.
Peter Simkins takes us through it all, from the official expansion of the "first hundred thousand" of Kitchener's first army, K1, to the unofficial raising of the many local, pals, units. He explores the motivations for men who joined up and in so doing challenges the many myths that men of 1914 were simpletons, doing what they were told in a fervour of misplaced patriotism. Our grandfathers enlisted for a whole variety of reasons, some positive and some negative, such as escaping a prison sentence or nagging wife. Factors such as the huge unemployment that arose early in the war as the peacetime economic machinery ground to a halt are explored in vivid and fascinating detail by reference to many individual cases. He also tracks and analyses the recruiting trends as initial enthusiasm wavered.
Well worth the money.
Peter Simkins, who worked for over thirty-five years at the Imperial War Museum, retired as its Senior Historian in 1999. His book is among those rare works that has both academic rigour and plain-talking readability. Anyone who has an interest in the war, the army, the incredible expansion of military forces to face the Germans, Austrians and Turks or the units of the new armies will find much to delight them here.
Kitchener was not alone in August 1914 in believing that Britain would need to face a long war on a huge continental scale but he alone was in a position to do something about it. The authorisation by Parliament of the raising of 100,000 volunteers was followed by further similar "waves" and ultimately the army enlisted more than 5 million troops. This was not only globally unprecedented: it brought with it immense problems. The army was short of everything for these men: officers, NCOs, arms and equipment, accommodation, uniform, food and supplies. The fact that all were arranged, albeit often in a typically British improvised fashion, in a short timeframe is one of the forgotten triumphs of the war. Kitchener's men were arriving in France from early 1915.
Peter Simkins takes us through it all, from the official expansion of the "first hundred thousand" of Kitchener's first army, K1, to the unofficial raising of the many local, pals, units. He explores the motivations for men who joined up and in so doing challenges the many myths that men of 1914 were simpletons, doing what they were told in a fervour of misplaced patriotism. Our grandfathers enlisted for a whole variety of reasons, some positive and some negative, such as escaping a prison sentence or nagging wife. Factors such as the huge unemployment that arose early in the war as the peacetime economic machinery ground to a halt are explored in vivid and fascinating detail by reference to many individual cases. He also tracks and analyses the recruiting trends as initial enthusiasm wavered.
Well worth the money.
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This timely reissue of Peter Simkin's excellent study of the raising of the New Armies is most welcome.
The book documents the various aspects that emerged from the need to create a `continental' army and details the logistic and organisational problems that arose.
It also explains how the problems had their origin in the Haldane reforms and how the dynamics of a public pre-war apathy to the Army, coupled with the Government's unwillingness to anticipate the consequences of its foreign policy and the likelihood of involvement in a European war. In short, conscription was unacceptable yet conscription seemed to be the only way to create an Army of the size needed. That the British volunteer Army was created and acquitted itself so well is testament to the magnificent men who volunteered and those who, under difficult circumstances, trained them.
Simkins also offers thoughts on the iniquity of the volunteer system and why many men did not rush to the colours.
It is an object lesson in change management and a very useful reference as well as being a `good read'.
The book documents the various aspects that emerged from the need to create a `continental' army and details the logistic and organisational problems that arose.
It also explains how the problems had their origin in the Haldane reforms and how the dynamics of a public pre-war apathy to the Army, coupled with the Government's unwillingness to anticipate the consequences of its foreign policy and the likelihood of involvement in a European war. In short, conscription was unacceptable yet conscription seemed to be the only way to create an Army of the size needed. That the British volunteer Army was created and acquitted itself so well is testament to the magnificent men who volunteered and those who, under difficult circumstances, trained them.
Simkins also offers thoughts on the iniquity of the volunteer system and why many men did not rush to the colours.
It is an object lesson in change management and a very useful reference as well as being a `good read'.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
The forgotten part of war
7 April 2012
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is about the forgotten part of war. All to many war books focus on the exploits, the movement of the Xs and Os of the battles. Those stories are important but there is so much more to the business of war. The hidden or forgotten part of the war is the machine that puts the armies into the field. There is a lot of time and resources that go into fielding armies. This book is about that part of the fight.
The book covers the British government's work involved with the fielding of their volunteers in the late months of 1914. The British Army grew in those months by 500,000. The problems involved with such growth was incredible. The troops had to be armed, fed, housed, trained, and all that. This book describes that work. There is much to be learned from that. The basic issues Britain faced in 1914 was the same issues they faced in 1939 and any other nation would face if they had to fight a major war over night.
I found it also very interesting in how they dealt with the fielding of new weapons like machine guns and trench mortars. The fielding of these war devices is complicated. Things have to be designed, tested, and then contracts have to be cut. The items then have to be delivered. After delivery the troops have to be trained on how to use them. This issue is the same thing the US Army has had to face over the past ten years or so. That goes to show how history is so timeless.
The book is an academic book. It is very well documented. You will learn things in this book I am sure isn't anywhere else. However there isn't much drama told in the story. It is all facts in this book. Any WWI fan or professional will love it. Due to the narrow focus of the book I am not sure the general public will like it.
The book covers the British government's work involved with the fielding of their volunteers in the late months of 1914. The British Army grew in those months by 500,000. The problems involved with such growth was incredible. The troops had to be armed, fed, housed, trained, and all that. This book describes that work. There is much to be learned from that. The basic issues Britain faced in 1914 was the same issues they faced in 1939 and any other nation would face if they had to fight a major war over night.
I found it also very interesting in how they dealt with the fielding of new weapons like machine guns and trench mortars. The fielding of these war devices is complicated. Things have to be designed, tested, and then contracts have to be cut. The items then have to be delivered. After delivery the troops have to be trained on how to use them. This issue is the same thing the US Army has had to face over the past ten years or so. That goes to show how history is so timeless.
The book is an academic book. It is very well documented. You will learn things in this book I am sure isn't anywhere else. However there isn't much drama told in the story. It is all facts in this book. Any WWI fan or professional will love it. Due to the narrow focus of the book I am not sure the general public will like it.
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