Cambrai 1917: The birth of armoured warfare

Description

This crucial new study on one of the seminal events in military history dispells many of the myths surrounding Cambrai 1917. Common perception classifies it as the 'world's first tank battle' but Alexander Turner shows us that the true importance of Cambrai was that it saw the first use of armour as an operational shock tactic. With this, the conduct of war was irrevocably changed. The battle also heralded the combined use of aircraft, armour and artillery, marking the birth of modern combined-arms techniques. Written by a military historian and serving soldier, this is a fascinating analysis of a battle which ended a stalemate, yet spawned a host of war-winning tactics.

Alexander Turner is a serving British Army officer in the Irish Guards. His operational experience includes Northern Ireland, Kosovo, the Iraq war of 2003 and service as a United Nations Military observer. He has a BA in War Studies from King's College London and is a graduate of the UK Command and Staff College. He also wrote Campaign 151: Vimy Ridge 1917. Peter Dennis was born in 1950. Inspired by contemporary magazines such as Look and Learn he studied illustration at Liverpool Art College. Peter has since contributed to hundreds of books, predominantly on historical subjects. He is a keen wargamer and modelmaker. He is based in Nottinghamshire, UK

"If you want insight into the first major assault or just a fascinating read, then this is the book for you. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and I'm sure you will as well." --Scott Van Aken, modelingmadness.com (November 2007) "Altogether, especially for those who are students of mechanized combined-arms warfare, this title should be considered as mandatory reading. Those modelers with an interest in the Great War and those early tanks will also be well served. Dust off that old Emhar Mk.IV kit and have a go! Highly recommended." --Frank V. De Sisto, missing-lynx.com (November 20, 2007) "Alexander Turner's Cambrai 1917: The Birth of Armoured Warefare tells of the birth of armored warfare which saw the first use of armored vehicles in 1917. The battle of 1917 ended in a stalemate -- but the tactical lessons learned from the conflict reach far into the future and hold meaning for military collections in particular." --California Bookwatch (January 2008)