ISBN: 1 84415 239 1 SB 368 pp £15.99
Published by Pen & Sword Military.
Western Front South is the companion volume to Western Front North. Both volumes
are written by Major and Mrs Holt, who are well respected authors in the field
of Military History, and have published over twenty books on the subject, and
are credited with creating the modern battlefield tour.
Western Front South takes the reader from the Somme down to the St Mihiel
Salient, taking in the battlefields of the Aisne,
Each section is introduced in the same format of the other guide books; there
is a map with colour coding, a summary of the battle, what happened and then
the tour. Mileages are well marked with additional long visits to points of
interest highlighted in grey, and other items of interest marked with NB.
Throughout the book is illustrated with excellent photographs which add to the
clear concise text. There is also useful tourist information regarding places
to stay and eat, and also local associations and museums, and at the back
information regarding War Graves Organisations.
Major and Mrs Holt bring a unique insight into their writing, that of the
soldier and that of the wife and mother, which shines through in the
sympathetic text, and when describing monuments and post war cemetery and
battlefield visits.
The book is well researched and easy to read, whether as an armchair tourist or
on the ground itself. It is a handy size, not too bulky which makes it very
useful for use on the battlefields. Both volumes retail at reasonable prices
and are good value for money. The Holt’s are to be congratulated for these
books. Highly recommended.
Reviewer: Michelle Young
