When Germany invaded Belgium in 1914, Britain mobilised its army in addition to its navy, and declared war on Germany. The British Army that disembarked in France in August 1914 was a small but highly efficient force. Led by Sir John French, the army was highly aware of the lessons it had learnt from colonial wars, but couldn't avoid the settlement of the front line leading to the war of positions, more commonly referred to as the war of the trenches. The subject of this short book is a non-exhaustive study of the British soldier's equipment and his commitment within the British Expeditionary Force.

Almost a century has passed since the signing of the armistice on 11 November 1918. Of all the soldiers who went through that hell on earth, photographs, letters, stories and old uniforms kept in attics are all that is left. Thanks to a collection of more than ten thousand documents, the author allows us to follow these young men with previously unseen photographs. All these faces, sometimes smiling, sometimes serious, have a story to tell. Many collectors have also allowed us access to their most precious objects, the fruit of their relentless research that helps save these objects that went through four terrible years of oblivion and destruction. Finally, being in the era of Internet, many links allow you to retrace the history of your ancestors and their regiments. The Canadian Expeditionary Force arrived with its infantry division in France in February 1915. The Canadians underwent the first poison gas attack two months later. In 1918, they had such a reputation that they were used as shock troops and took part in all the battles of the year. The subject of this short book is a non-exhaustive study of the Canadian soldier’s equipment and his commitment within the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in France in 1915-18.

1914..

Eleanor of Aquitaine, also known as Eleanor of Guyenne, successively Queen of France and Queen of England, lived an eventful life: power and passion, the adventures of the Crusades and chivalrous life, the ‘Cours d’amour’ with their troubadours and trouvères, whilst devoting herself to a family life with her many children. She was an exceptional woman, who lived to a remarkable age, leaving an indelible mark on her time.

The First World War was the first international conflict in history, killing more than 20 million people, including 11 million soldiers of various nations. The United States, which at the beginning of the conflict had chosen to remain neutral, enlisted on April 6, 1917, following the declaration of President Woodrow Wilson. The American Expeditionary Force, commanded by General John Pershing, landed in France in early 1918 at the rate of 10,000 soldiers a day, at a time of war when the Germans were unable to replace their losses. Uncle Sam's young soldiers, alongside seasoned French soldiers, discovered new ways of fighting, but soon revealed their fighting qualities and changed the course of the war. On November 11, 1918, at 11 am, more than two million American soldiers had served on the battlefield and more than 53,000 had lost their lives.

The kingdom of France was plunged into darkness. Weakened by war and famine, the country risked falling into English hands. As the dauphin Charles desperately aspired to one day become king, a young girl from Domremy, guided by mysterious voices, emerged from the shadows, swearing she would have him crowned in Reims. Driven by her fervour and her boundless will, she who would bear the epitaph of Maid of Orleans, led her small troop to raise the siege in the eponymous city. Behind her, the people of France took up arms with newfound courage, to plunge headlong into one of the greatest epics of all time.

Almost a century has passed since the signing of the armistice on 11 November 1918. Of all the soldiers who went through that hell on earth, photographs, letters, stories and old uniforms kept in attics are all that is left. Thanks to a collection of more than ten thousand documents, the author allows us to follow these young men with previously unseen photographs. All these faces, sometimes smiling, sometimes serious, have a story to tell. Many collectors have also allowed us access to their most precious objects, the fruit of their relentless research that helps save these objects that went through four terrible years of oblivion and destruction. Finally, being in the era of Internet, many links allow you to retrace the history of your ancestors and their regiments. Following their baptism of fire at Gallipoli in 1915, the Australians arrived on the Western Front in spring 1916. A few months later came the Somme with 24,000 casualties and the tragic events of Fromelles. Then, these tough men, who had travelled so far, continued fighting in France in 1917 and 1918. Since then, the bond of friendship between France and Australia is still going strong.

Throughout the course of centuries, the Somme has been the scene of numerous battles and the passageway for armies. However, the Great War of 1914-1918 was, by far, the most murderous conflict to fall upon the region, leaving in its wake an indelible mark. Today, the Somme has hundreds of military cemeteries. In the woods, trench lines still wind their way between the shell holes. In the fields, munitions still emerge when the tractor’s plough cuts through the earth.This guide takes a look at the major events that took place in the specific sector and, thanks to a map, covers a circuit of remembrance that follows the armies of both sides.

This short book is a chronological and non-exhaustive study of photographs, letters, stories, weapons, and uniforms of soldiers. This study gives the opportunity to access the very private lives of soldiers who participated in various operations on the Western Front during the Great War.

June 6th, 1944, Norman beaches situated between Ouistreham and Sainte-Marie-du-Mount entered the history books of the humanity under their respective code name:Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha and Utah Beach. Seventy years after these events, the photographer Arnaud Guérin takes you for a journey on these sites which made the history of the Landing for the fi l of more than 240 photos …

The use of images is a device used by war correspondents to recall the actions of the armed forces of their countries. This book looks back to June 6th 1944 and the landings by the Canadians on Juno Beach, immortalised by these images of the tense fighting, dramas and victories of that day. This book is a photographic journey of a glorious past, a past that will never be forgotten by the communities who experienced it but who also look to the future.

The artificial port of Arromanches, codename ‘Mulberry B’, was a great British invention designed to bring to Normandy the equipment required by the Allied armies to Normandy following the D-Day landings. Jimmy, a British engineer and specialist in designing ports, experiences the whole operation from its conception in England to its installation in France despite the setbacks including the storm that nearly destroyed it. Jimmy recounts the whole story in a book written in 1944. Jimmy speaks not only of the doubters from ordinary soldiers to men of genius, but also the fishermen and sailors of Port-en-Bessin who helped construct the artificial port even when all looked lost. Today, all these decades later, this book also brings us to the Museum of Arromanches where Linda, an English teenager, on reading Jimmy’s book, begins to understand the significance of this operation, and in the story of the invasion, we discover how the story of her family crosses that of this great historical event…

On June 5th 2009, commemorating the D-Day landings in the German cemetery of La Cambe, Schaffers, the German Ambassador, gave a moving and conciliatory speech. Listening attentively were veterans from all participating countries. In the crowd, a man was listening particularly closely. This was Wolfgang Fleischmann. Wolfgang was looking for Paul Rapier among the other listeners. Sixty-five years earlier their paths had crosses at Ouistreham. It was in June 1944, the 6th to be precise, the day of the Landings. Their meeting was brief, happening in the midst of chaos as it did. That day, Wolfgang and Paul were enemies…

Duke William of Normandy (1027-1087) is best known for his conquest of England but his eventful and chaotic youth is often forgotten. William inherited the Dukedom at the age of eight when his father, Robert the Magnificent, died in 1035 on his return from a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. However, many of the barons who had sworn allegiance to the young Duke before his father had left, now refused to obey a bastard. They dragged Normandy into civil war, immersing the province in blood and fire. The young Duke himself narrowly escaped death a number of times and had to go into hiding. He reappeared in 1040 resulting in further revolts increasing in intensity in 1046. It becomes imperative that the young Duke imposes his authority on his Dukedom. William now enters an episode which will determine the rest of his life at the battle of Val es dunes. The result of this battle will not only determine the future of Normandy but also that of England and France itself.

In 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, raised an army to invade England and to seize the throne. Maixent, a young boy from a poor family, became the unexpected companion of a nobleman named Tancrède de Hautmesnil on his way to join the Norman chief on the coast. From there, on the 28th of September and taking advantage of favourable winds, the fleet set off to launch the assault on England. Aboard the many ships, men feared the capricious seas, but, as soon as dawn broke, the enemy coast was already in sight. They would soon be in Hastings for the decisive battle.

Almost a century has passed since the signing of the armistice on 11 November 1918. Of all the soldiers who went through that hell on earth, photographs, letters, stories and old uniforms kept in attics are all that is left. Thanks to a collection of more than ten thousand documents, the author allows us to follow these young men with previously unseen photographs. All these faces, sometimes smiling, sometimes serious, have a story to tell. Many collectors have also allowed us access to their most precious objects, the fruit of their relentless research that helps save these objects that went through four terrible years of oblivion and destruction. Finally, being in the era of Internet, many links allow you to retrace the history of your ancestors and their regiments. During World War One, the well-known blue and red uniform of the French army has taken different shapes, but it is not the only thing that has changed: rifles, grenades, pistols, bayonets, head-wears, etc. have seen different forms or, for some of them, were introduced during the war. Those changes are shown in this short book about the French soldier’s equipment and his commitment within the French army.