This latest German Army book by Jack Sheldon covers a shorter (three
week) timeframe than his earlier works. After an introductory chapter
tracing the development of the Hindenburg Line, the author concentrates
on German aspects of the bitterly fought battle of Cambrai from 20
November to 6 December 1917.
The narrative splits easily into two parts. First the defensive battle
20 29 November followed by the counterattack which saw the German Army
regain not only most of the ground lost in the opening phase but more
besides. Detailed descriptions are given of the struggle for Flesquires
Ridge and the seesaw battles for key terrain, including Bourlon Wood, as
the German Army rushed reinforcements to the sectors under attack before
we witness the German offensive.
As with his other books full use is made of primary source material from
the Munich Kriegsarchiv, the Hauptstaatsarchiv in Stuttgart, regimental
histories and personal accounts. Of particular interest are the
controversial interventions in operational matters of Ludendorf which
were sharply criticized by Crown Prince Rupprecht. But for many the most
fascinating aspect will be the experiences of the front line soldiers.
