The French Army 1914-18

The French Army 1914-18 (Men-at-Arms 286) by Ian Sumner, artwork by Gerry Embleton (London, Osprey, 1995; ISBN 1855325160)

The uniforms and organisation of the French Army during the First World War, in the characteristic Osprey style.

'Pertinently written ... exactly what was, until now, lacking for English-speaking readers interested in the French Army. I heartily and definitely recommend it' François Vauvillier

'[The book] proves how much information could be fitted into the ... format by a really professional author.' Martin Windrow

'This book is a great source on all details about WWI french soldiers. It has plenty of (black and white) photos as well as the usual Osprey center color plates, with complete explanations at the end.' Frederico Kereki on amazon.com

'This is a great book on a very neglected aspect of the Great War. Ian Sumner has made an outstanding contribution to the Anglophone history of the French Army 1914-1918, and this venerable member of the Osprey series has impeccable scholarly credentials. However, the strengths of the book are in its representation of the minutiae of uniform and organisation. These are connected to a fine selection of plates. However, for a more detailed account of the French Army's operations, and evocative first hand accounts, the author's excellent book They Shall Not Pass is recommended.' Withnail67 on amazon.co.uk

'Very complete historic information and excellent colour plates. As always, Osprey is a good chance to enjoy History. My favourite collection' Josito on amazon.co.uk

Around the First Battle of the Marne: 3 victory

The third (and last) part of visiting the 1914 battlefields of the Marne in connection with my Osprey on the First Battle of the Marne. Although the fighting had gone on for several days, the Germans had not succeeded in defeating the Allies, although they had been driven back in places with heavy casualties. But the front was too long for the number of men engaged, and gaps, small and large, began to appear. Both sides rushed to fill the gaps, but began to run out of men. The clash to the west of the town of Montmirail was the straw that broke the German camel's back. We stayed at the Hotel Le Vert Galant in Montmirail. More by chance than design, the French had found the open flank of the German 2nd Army. On 8th September, masking Montmirail itself, French infantry from 36th Division crossed the Petit Morin river and climbed the wooded slopes opposite, supported by artillery. The key combat was the struggle for the small village of Marchais-en-Brie. The German comman...

Kings of the Air: Clément Ader

This is the first of a series of biographical sketches based on the research I am doing for my new book Kings of the Air: French aces and airmen of the Great War , to be published by Pen & Sword. Clément Ader (1841-1925) was a French inventor, whose attempt at heavier-than-air flight some years before the Wright brothers was so nearly successful. Ader had a restless mind, and his inventions covered a wide range of fields. In 1868, he began as a velocipede manufacturer. Instead of conventional iron tyres, his machines used a rubber tubular tyre of his own invention, resulting in a much lighter frame, and a much more comfortable ride. The war against German in 1870 brought an end to his work. He then began working for a railway company in the south-west of the country, the Compagnie des Chemins de Fer du Midi. In 1875, he designed an engine that laid rails, that saw service for several years. He then turned to the new telephone, commercialising the inventions ...

The French Air Force in the First World War

Published by Pen and Sword in their Images of War series, January 2018, and available where all good books are sold. The French air force of the First World War developed as fast as the British and German air forces, yet its history, and the enormous contribution it made to the eventual French victory, is often forgotten. So Ian Sumner's photographic history, which features almost 200 images, most of which have not been published before, is a fascinating and timely introduction to the subject. The fighter pilots, who usually dominate perceptions of the war in the air, play a leading role in the story, in particular the French aces, the small group of outstanding airmen whose exploits captured the publics imagination. Their fame, though, tends to distract attention from the ordinary unremembered airmen who formed the body of the air force throughout the war years. Ian Sumner tells their story too, as well as describing in a sequence of memorable photographs the ...

Ian Sumner

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