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The French Army in the First World War

The French army of the First World War withstood the main force of the German onslaught on the Western Front, but often it is neglected in English histories of the conflict. Now, though, keen interest in the war in general and in the part the French played in it has prompted a fresh appreciation of their army and the men who served in it. Ian Sumner’s wide-ranging photographic history is an important contribution in this growing field. Using a selection of over 150 rare wartime photographs, he provides a graphic overview of every aspect of a French soldier’s service during the struggle. But while the photographs create a fascinating all-round portrait of the French poilu at war, they also give an insight into the army as a whole, and offer a rare French perspective on the Great War.

Reviews
'There's not much out on the French Army in the Great War so was pleased to see many photos I hadn't seen before. A few period tank photos are were new and armored car shots. For the price its a great reference for the arm chair historian and modeler. The captions are very well detailed giving locations, divisions, individuals, etc.' Charles Duckworth on Amazon.com

'Ian Sumner is one of the foremost English language authors on the French experience during the Great War. His book of first hand poilu accounts, "They Shall Not Pass" is a classic in the field. His photo book, "The French Army in the First World War" is a strong compliment to "They Shall Not Pass". There are literally thousands of photographs of the French Army during the Great War. What makes this book work is that Sumner selects good photos that are reflective of the French experiences in the trenches. The written paragraph that accompany the photos do a great job of explaining the photograph. Sumner is more interested in the experience of the poilus than he is in gear they used. I am looking forward to collecting his other photo books. Highly recommended!' Marco Antonio Abarca on Amazon.com

'A picture book to read thanks to the detailed captions using witness accounts related to the theme of each photograph; also a lot of diverse situations that include training, joining, medical service' Michael on Amazon.com

'There's not much out on the French Army in the Great War so was pleased to see many photos I hadn't seen before. A few period tank photos are were new and armored car shots. For the price its a great reference for the arm chair historian and modeler. The captions are very well detailed giving locations, divisions, individuals, etc.' Retired MopRRer on Amazon.com 

This new addition to the Images of War series is another one on the topic of WW1, and covering in this case the French Army from the start of the war to the end. With so much interest in WW1 generated by the 100 year anniversaries since 2014, this is another interesting, and well illustrated insight into the life of the French army and its' soldiers during the course of the war. Including over 150 photos, most of which I have never seen before, there are some excellent references for modellers on both uniforms and equipment, as well as some interesting dioramas. Even for the non-modeller, this look at what life was like for the French soldier during WW1, including their life both in the front and behind it, but also their training and the medical support they could expect as well.
The losses inflicted on the French nation had a huge impact, and of course went on to influences them years later when faced with the threat of WW2 as well. The conditions they had to fight in were often awful, and the photos give a good idea of what life was like for them, as while a visit to the battlefields today is still a fascinating experience, the beautiful countryside and villages you find today is greatly different from the desolation inflicted on huge swathes of the French countryside during WW1. As is pointed out in the introduction, with 8 1/2 million men mobilised during the war, there were 1 1/2 million killed and another 3 million wounded. That is equal to 890 killed each day of the war, quite staggering statistics. Numbers that today are hard to imagine.
Split into 6 chapters, it covers 'The Attack Must be pursued to close quarters', when at the outbreak of war the French Army was based on conscription rather than volunteers. Each 20 year old man liable for three years military service. Second comes 'Finding the Right Formula', as the experience of the first year of the war and establishment of trench warfare. Among the photos in this section are some of the early French tanks as well. In three we have 'Warriors Ready for anything', which cover life in the front line. Chapter four is 'We know nothing of glory', and this focuses more on the lessons faced by new recruits as they entered service during the war, and the training they received. In chapter five it covers 'Life goes on', the regular periods out of the line, and how they got leave, the chance to get clean and the support of medical services behind the lines. Among the photos here to catch my eye, huge vats of wine on railway wagons that were part of the rations. It is rounded off by chapter 6, 'An unforgettable day', when the war ended in November 1918. Parades, going home and demobilisation are the theme of this one. Each of the chapters has a few pages of introductory text to give some background, and then the photos in each section are accompanied with informative captions.
Another interesting addition to the popular Images of War series. Robin Buckland in Military Modelling
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