Loos 1915: The Unwanted Battle

by Gordon Corrigan

This book looks at the major British offensive of the forgotten year -- 1915 -- and examines how the necessity of demonstrating Allied solidarity in a coalition war, where the British were the junior partners on land, persuaded the British government to overrule the advice of the generals and order the British Expeditionary Force to embark on a battle that it did not want to fight, over ground that was quite unsuitable for the attack. Once committed to taking part, the need to compensate for insufficient artillery led to the first use by the British of gas, but changes in wind direction at the last minute meant that this was only partially effective when the infantry left their jump off trenches at 0630 on the morning of 25 September.

The book examines the reasons for deciding to use gas and its effectiveness or otherwise. First Army, which mounted the attack, was composed of regular, territorial and New Army British units, and regular Indian and Gurkha battalions. The book compares and contrasts these different types of soldiers, and looks at their strengths and weaknesses. The book looks at the lessons drawn from the Loos battle and asks how they influenced the war fighting doctrine of the BEF thereafter.

Genres: History, World War I, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Military History

Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

Reviews

[Geevee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon Corrigan's Loos 1915 is a useful addition to the subject and delivers a steady and comfortable read on how the battle came about, was fought and the challenges British troops faced against a German army well placed in fortified positions.

I had written a much longer, detailed review but [very unusually in my experience] GR didn't auto-save and crashed when I entered submit.

[Brian Gilbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found it a hard read, not being a military man. Only read it because my grandfather was killed in this battle/fiasco. All I learned was that it was a tragic waste of life like most wars, and that this was an almost forgotten part of WW1.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surprisingly clear and fairly easy to follow account of the battle of Loos in 1915, including the events that led up to it and the consequences that arose from it, and not just those on the battlefield. Corrigan does delve into the details quite a bit and this can get a little much for those of us without a military background, but on the flip side he does explain well enough to understand, it just makes for a lot of information that doesn't really feel like it adds to the understanding of the battle. I did like how Corrigan wrapped up and summarised everything in the last chapters and for me this really made this book as it tied all the chaos and hell of fighting together, particularly the potential importance of this for future events.

[mr carey robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was like many others drawn to this book in search of further information on my grandad’s service as a machine section member with 5th Cameron’s.
Whilst the book provides a concise summary of the events of the battle it quickly became clear that there would be little of use at battalion level.
It also highlighted the stark reality that units were committed and wiped out with appalling regularity over insignificant geographical features which inevitably favoured the defender. My grandad survived the war but eventually succumbed to emphysema in later life possibly as a result of “friendly” gas at Loos although the Kaiser gave him another dose in 1918.
Would recommend as an overview but not for detail or personal accounts which bring the reality to life.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding analysis of a battle that no-one in the BEF wanted to fight. Major Corrigan, as always provides the viewpoint of the soldier-historian and leaves out any analysis of the actions of the 'Frocks' in Whitehall. Given his leaning towards the side of Haig, he is careful to outline the problems faced by Sir John French, the eventual scapegoat, and French's efforts to carry out his orders, distasteful though they might be. For me the real villains of the piece are the French who, as ever was, cared little for the sacrifice of the BEF as long as their own offensives were supported.

[Eric J. Hartsfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good look at a forgotten battle

While much has been written about the campaigns and battles of 1916, but those that occurred in 1915 are less well known. Coleman's book on the battle of Loos fills an important gap. I feel it shows the steep learning curve the British faced as the adapted to fighting a large scale continental war. Not overly long and I think it appeal to a wide audience.

[MR. S. BEATTIE · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book for me highlighted the stupidity of war.

A battle of the fist world war that the British were not prepared for. It has left me with feelings of sadness to the futile waste of life and misunderstanding that must have been in minds of the unprepared recruits who joined . Recommend it as a read but it's not some kind of glorious battle story..

[Lorraine Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of the battles in and around Loos during WW1. As with many WW1 books, it is really helpful to be reading this with a map, preferably a trench map, by your side. Stamford School had a number of pupils killed during this action and the book has added significantly to my understanding of the actions in which they were involved.

[J MCLEOD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Good Read

I have not yet finished reading this but sneaking a lol at the Order of Battle , I am surprised to see no mention of 4 Black Watch (Dundee's Own) whose losses were so great they had to be amalgamated with 5th BW. A great loss to the city and still commemorated.

[Peter Gerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed account of The inconclusive Battle of Loos - the first major battle fought in WW I by the BEF

[John Burns · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and sad

I found it difficult at times to follow the references to the various army units (division, battalion, etc.) not having a military background.

[Alister · Rating 4 out of 5]

Major Corrigan does his usual thorough job of explaining what went wrong and what went well. He mixes dry descriptions of unit progress with human stories, like the VC awarded to the piper who played on the trench parapet under heavy fire. Very readable and clear-eyed.

[AskHistorians]

A good single-volume account of the Battle of Loos. Something of a prelude to the Somme Offensive of the following year, it is most popularly remembered now (which says a lot, and I don't know if anything good) as the battle that killed Rudyard Kipling's son.

[Jacqueline Heron Wray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about a mostly forgotten battle.