August 1914: Surrender at St Quentin by John Hutton
The great retreat of the British Expeditionary Force from Mons in August 1914 is one of the most famous in military history, and it is justly celebrated. But not all the British soldiers who were forced back by the German offensive performed well. Two colonels, Elkington and Mainwaring, tried to surrender rather than fight on, and were disgraced. This is their story. It is one of the least glorious and most revealing episodes in the record of the British Army during the conflict on the Western Front. In this compelling account John Hutton shows, in graphic detail, the full confusion of the retreat, and the dire mental state to which brave men can be reduced by extreme stress, uncertainty and fatigue. But he also describes how Elkington redeemed himself. He joined the French Foreign Legion, fought gallantly, was severely wounded and was reinstated by King George V. His is one of the more remarkable stories to come out of the Great War, as is the story of the attempted surrender at St Quentin itself.Former Secretary of State for Defense John Hutton is the Member of Parliament for Barrow and Furness. His personal interest in the Great War, sparked by the men he met in his district who had participated in the fighting, led to the publication of Kitchener's Men: The King's Own Royal Lancasters on the Western Front 1915-1918, his first book with Pen and Sword.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781848841345 |
| ISBN 10 | 1848841345 |
| Title | August 1914: Surrender at St Quentin |
| Author | John Hutton |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Pen & Sword Books Ltd |
| Year published | 2010-12-20 |
| Number of pages | 208 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |