{"title":"Dale Blair","description":"\u003cp\u003eDelve into the captivating world of Dale Blair, where thrilling mysteries and suspenseful tales await. Perfect for fans of gripping narratives and intricate plots. Start your next adventure here.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"battle-of-bellicourt-tunnel-book-dale-blair-9781848325876","title":"Battle of Bellicourt Tunnel","description":"In November 1918 the BEF under Field Marshal Haig fought a series of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed mightily to the German army's defeat.  They did so as part of a coalition and the role of Australian 'diggers' and US 'doughboys'  is often forgotten.  The  Bellicourt Tunnel attack, fought in the fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and marked a unique moment in the Allied armies' endeavours. It was the first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a British army. Additionally, untried American II Corps and experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash with British divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks.Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten desperate German defence. Although celebrated as a marvellous feat of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack failed generally to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the conventional explanation of the US 'mop up' failure and points the finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps commander for particular criticism. Overall, Blair judges the fighting g a draw. At the end, like two boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and the Germans, badly battered, back-pedalling to remain on balance. Overall the day was calamitous for the German army, even if the clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on the Western Front - and hence Imperial Germany itself - was bleak indeed.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49562896892177,"sku":"GOR007243964","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":51113568141585,"sku":"CIN1848325878VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":53374302748945,"sku":"GOR007175510","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1848325878.jpg?v=1751313467"},{"product_id":"battle-of-bellicourt-tunnel-book-dale-blair-9781526796967","title":"The Battle of Bellicourt Tunnel","description":"In the summer and autumn of 1918, the British Expeditionary Force, under Field Marshal Haig, fought a series of victorious battles on the Western Front that contributed mightily to the German Army's final defeat. They did so as part of an Allied coalition, one in which the role of Australian diggers and US doughboys is often forgotten.  The Bellicourt Tunnel attack in September 1918, fought in the fading autumn light, was very much an inter-Allied affair and marked a unique moment in the Allied armies' endeavours. It was the first time that such a large cohort of Americans had fought in a British formation. Additionally, untried American II Corps and experienced Australian Corps were to spearhead the attack under the command of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, with British divisions adopting supporting roles on the flanks.  Blair forensically details the fighting and the largely forgotten desperate German defence. Although celebrated as a marvellous feat of breaking the Hindenburg Line, the American attack generally failed to achieve its set objectives and it took the Australians three days of bitter fighting to reach theirs. Blair rejects the conventional explanation of the US mop up failure and points the finger of blame at Rawlinson, Haig and Monash for expecting too much of the raw US troops, singling out the Australian Corps commander for particular criticism.  Overall, Blair judges the fighting a draw. At the end, like two boxers, the Australian-American force was gasping for breath and the Germans, badly battered, were back-pedalling to remain on balance. That said, the day was calamitous for the German Army, even if the clean break-through that Haig had hoped for did not occur. Forced out of the Hindenburg Line, the prognosis for the German army on the Western Front and hence Imperial Germany itself was bleak indeed.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49740031885585,"sku":"NGR9781526796967","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":51223035314449,"sku":"GOR014202012","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1526796961.jpg?v=1750894262"},{"product_id":"no-quarter-book-dale-blair-9781740272919","title":"No Quarter","description":"One of the rarely discussed aspects of the experience of soldiers in the First World War was the refusal to take prisoners during battle and in some cases the killing of prisoners in the front line. No Quarter investigates the degree to which Australian soldiers were participants in this practice both as victims and perpetrators. '...exceptionally well-researched, objective and well-written...an essential work for any student of the Great War...' - Military History","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52336073048337,"sku":"NLS9781740272919","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"US \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":53336719491345,"sku":"NIN9781740272919","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9781740272919.jpg?v=1758162144"},{"product_id":"australian-rules-football-during-the-first-world-war-book-dale-blair-9783319578422","title":"Australian Rules Football During the First World War","description":"The book explores the intersection between the Great War and patriotism through an examination of the effects of both on Australia's most popular football code. The work is chronological, and therefore provides an easy path by which events may be followed. Ultimately it seeks to shine a light on and provide considerable detail to a much-ignored period in Australian Rules football history, including women's football history, that was subject to much upheaval and which reflected considerable social and class divisions in society at the time. One hundred years on, the Australian Football League presents past soldier footballers as unequivocal representatives of a unifying national 'Anzac' spirit. That is far from the reality of football's First World War experience.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":52480430342417,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ INGRAM","offer_id":52480431653137,"sku":"NLS9783319578422","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/9783319578422.jpg?v=1759850210"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-dale-blair.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}