Published by Pimlico

ISBN 0 7126 5035 0 SB 216 pages £10.00

Hailed at its time of publication in 1961 as a master piece of historical writing

Clark’s book is now sadly dated.

The Donkeys is concerned in part with the destruction of the Professional Army on

the Battlefields of Flanders in 1915. However Clark concentrates on the petty

squabbles and bickering which occurred between the Generals. Although Clark has

used his undoubted skill as a writer, one is left with the feeling that he has drawn up his conclusions to this period of the war before he wrote this book.

There is no doubt that the Generals: Haig, Rawlinson, French and Co were unable

to broaden their minds as to how they should fight the enemy in this static form of warfare. It is also clear that they disliked each other to varying degrees. Clark however finds numerous ways to show the reader that they also lacked any concern for the plight

of the “Lions”.

Clark goes into detail on how Haig bought his way into his position of ultimate power. He is scathing in his contempt of Haig for using his wife’s connections with the King

to further his own career. He lists instances that show him having a totally uncaring

attitude towards the plight of those beneath him. We are given for example Haig’s distress at the fact that his horse had thrown the King, but none over the slaughter of numerous men that had died on that same day.

The Book as a whole covers this tragic period of the war in reasonable detail. Clark

writes in an entertaining manner. However one should always be aware that this book was written to court controversy just as Clark did in his own life.

Reviewer: Martin Hornby