Against the Tommies

This unique collection of images details the travels of a German infantry division along the entire Western Front, where it fought from the start until the end of the war. Interspersed with the captions and photographs are brief summaries of the actions the division fought in, first against the French and then the British. What makes this book particularly interesting to British readers is the unique focus provided on battles many are already familiar with, such as the Somme, Flanders and Arras. Also covered are the initial combats with the French in the Vosges, an area about which little has been written in English.

The photographs were chosen by the men of the division to form a commemorative book (a record of service), published in 1920, that detailed their experiences in the four years of war. None of the photographs have appeared in a British publication, so each will be fresh to the reader. Arranged chronologically, the illustrations show the changes behind the front as well as life on the line. The focus is largely on the photographs, taken by men of one the best divisions in the German Army, with a brief text that shows what they felt of their situation and where they went. The book provides a completely new look at life in the German Army during the war.