Birthday Anniversary Edition

Newsletter & Book Club
Anniversary, July 2016

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Welcome To Our First Anniversary Issue!

This July marks the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. An overnight vigil and a moment of silence began the commemorations this morning across the United Kingdom, and at the Lochnagar Crater and the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France. For the true history of what happened one hundred years ago, the lead up to it, and the battles that followed, Sir Martin's The Somme is incomparable.

July 2016 also sees an interesting battle unfolding in the United States, with the July 18-21 Republican Convention in Cleveland and the Democratic Convention in Philadelphia on July 25 to 28. At this historic time, it might be worthwhile to consult Sir Martin's Routledge Atlas of American History to see past trends and high and low points in that nation's history. Whatever the outcome of the Conventions, many around the world look to see a vibrant democratic process and an inspiration to settle differences, as Sir Martin quoted Churchill: "Meeting jaw to jaw is better than war."

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Book Club Choice & Anniversaries

The Somme

1 July 1916, the Battle of the Somme begins;
2016 marks its centenary
The battle of the Somme was one of the most costly battles in the history of warfare. On the first day alone, 19,240 British and Commonwealth soldiers were killed and more than 36,000 wounded

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The Atlas of American History
4 July 1776, US Independence Day;

July 2016 will see both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions for the 2016 Presidential election.
The complete history of America is unravelled through vivid representations of all the significant landmarks, from early migrations and Native tribes to sites of American Heritage abroad, and includes maps dealing with politics, military events, social history, transport and economics.
Enter code DC360 at Routledge checkout to receive 20% off this title until 31st, July 2016
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Listen to Sir Martin

talk on the Somme

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From Esther Gilbert

At 7 am on the morning of 1 July 1916, 'one of the most costly battles in the history of warfare' began along the River Somme in Northern France. 'So intense and so loud was the barrage that it was heard on Hampstead Heath in north London, almost two hundred miles away.' This July marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of a battle that took place along a mere 15 mile front, a battle which in its first day claimed the lives of more British and Commonwealth soldiers than any other single day during the First World War.

The two times I accompanied Martin on visits to the Somme in preparation for his own book on that battle, among his sheaf of papers, maps and notes constantly in hand, was a well-thumbed copy of Major and Mrs Holt's Guide to the Somme. The maps, the descriptions of the memorials, the practical information in their book helped to clarify what we were seeing. At one point it even brought it to life. It was during our November 2005 visit. Martin described the view in front of our eyes as illuminated in their guidebook – a view utterly impossible to discern due to the thick fog that enveloped us. Even though we couldn't get our bearings, we had their experienced voices to paint the scene in front of our eyes. (And then to remind us where we could find a welcome cup of tea.) Like Martin's Somme, The Heroism and Horror of War, the Holt's Guidebook to the Somme can be studied prior to a visit, read and consulted during a visit, and used to broaden the horizons of those remaining on the 'homefront'.

With the Holt's permission, the Foreword that Martin wrote for their 2008 edition is included here as his Blog. It is an honour to recognise the work the Holts have done for nearly fifty years to make the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars accessible and visited, honoured and remembered, and an homage to Sir Martin's use of and appreciation for the work done by others.

Sir Martin's Blog

Major and Mrs Holt receiving the Somme Centennial Medal, January 2014, from Christian Manable, President of the Conseil General de la Somme, for their work, in the words of François Bergez, the Director of Somme Tourism, in 'opening the doors to the battlefields'

Foreword to Major & Mrs Holt's
Battlefield Guide to the Somme

2008 edition by Sir Martin Gilbert,17 December 2007
Reprinted by kind permission of Major & Mrs Holt

Major and Mrs Holt continue to do an important service to everyone interested in the battlefields of the First and Second World Wars. Their work gives each visitor to the battlefields, as well as all those who read guidebooks in their own homes without leaving these shores, a sense of what the contending forces attempted, achieved and suffered.

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Book Prize Winner, June 2016
Congratulations to Alison Nelson from New Zealand

I am delighted to be the winner of D-Day by Sir Martin Gilbert in this commemorative month of June!
Placing a copy of the book from Sir Martin's private library, onto my own bookcase, will be a memorable moment. It will have travelled further than any of the winning books so far, in coming to Aotearoa, New Zealand, but it will be welcomed unreservedly. And it will be among family, other books from Sir Martin's prolific body of work. I can see the two copies of Holocaust Journey standing taller and Atlas of the Holocaust sprucing itself up. Churchill's The Second World War (Volume 11) will need to move onto that shelf, as it's a cousin really ...

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Read more about Sir Martin’s inspiration and interest in world war history, his blogs, films and book talks:

Sir Martin & The First & Second World Wars

Book Collections:
Churchill Biography : Churchill Collection : First World War : The Second World War : Holocaust : Israel & Jewish History : 20th Century : Historical Atlases

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Book Indexes : Filmography : Memorial Tribute : Blog Archive : Newsletter Archive

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