Hell in Flanders Fields

by Cassar, George H.

• ISBN13: 9781554887286
• ISBN10: 1554887283
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-08-09
• Publisher: Dundurn Pr Ltd

Summary

On 22 April 1915, the men of the 1st Canadian Division faced chlorine gas, a new lethal weapon against which they had no defence. In defiance of a particularly horrible death, or, at the very least, severe lung injury, these untested Canadians fought almost continuously for four days, often hand-to-hand, as they clung stubbornly against overwhelming odds to a vital part of the Allied line after the French units on their left fled in panic. By doing so, they saved 50,000 troops in the Ypres salient from almost certain destruction, and, in addition, prevented the momentum of the war from tipping in favour of the Germans.In this new, deeply researched account, the distinguished military historian George H. Cassar skillfully blends into the history of the battle the graphic and moving words of the men on the front line. Illustrated with outstanding photographs and numerous maps, and drawing from diaries, letters, and documents from every level of planning, Hell in Flanders Fields is an authoritative, gripping drama of politics, strategy, and human courage.

Table of Contents

Maps	p. 8
Preface	p. 9
Acknowledgements	p. 13
Creating an Army	p. 15
Off to the Front	p. 51
Unheeded Warning	p. 78
A Higher Form of Killing	p. 104
The Deadly Counterattacks	p. 127
Securing the New Flank	p. 152
24 April: The Onset of the Battle of St. Julien (4:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m)	p. 177
24 April: The Crisis Deepens (1:40 p.m to 7:00 p.m)	p. 207
24 April: The 2nd Brigade Stands Fast	p. 227
25 April: Another Awful Day	p. 249
Lambs Led to the Slaughter	p. 278
The Patricias at Frezenberg	p. 303
Epilogue	p. 316
Appendix: Order of Battle, First Canadian Division	p. 335
Notes	p. 336
Bibliography	p. 372
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