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Breakdown: The Crisis of Shell Shock on the Somme, 1916
Paralysis. Stuttering. The 'shakes'. Inability to stand or walk. Temporary blindness or deafness. When strange symptoms like these began appearing in men at Casualty Clearing Stations in 1915, a debate began in army and medical circles as to what it was, what had caused it and what could be done to cure it. But the numbers were never large. Then in July 1916 with the start of the Somme battle the incidence of shell shock rocketed. The high command of the British army began to panic.An increasingly large number of men seemed to have simply lost the will to fight. As entire battalions had to be withdrawn from the front, commanders and military doctors desperately tried to come up with explanations as to what was going wrong. 'Shell shock' - what we would now refer to as battle trauma - was sweeping the Western Front. By the beginning of August 1916, nearly 200,000 British soldiers had been killed or wounded during the first month of fighting along the Somme. Another 300,000 would be lost before the battle was over. But the army always said it could not calculate the exact number of those suffering from shell shock. Re-assessing the official casualty figures, Taylor Downing for the first time comes up with an accurate estimate of the total numbers who were taken out of action by psychological wounds. It is a shocking figure. Taylor Downing's revelatory new book follows units and individuals from signing up to the Pals Battalions of 1914, through to the horrors of their experiences on the Somme which led to the shell shock that, unrelated to weakness or cowardice, left the men unable to continue fighting. He shines a light on the official - and brutal - response to the epidemic, even against those officers and doctors who looked on it sympathetically. It was, they believed, a form of hysteria. It was contagious. And it had to be stopped. Breakdown brings an entirely new perspective to bear on one of the iconic battles of the First World War
416 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2016
15 people are currently reading
238 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 10, 2024
Easily one of the best history books I’ve ever read. The book begins with the start of WWI and British citizens excitedly volunteering to fight. The author then details the brutality of WWI and this strange new phenomena of soldiers “breaking down”. Soldiers shaking, unable to speak or sleep, temporary blindness/deafness,etc.
The author then goes into detail how both military personnel and doctors did not know what to make of “shell shock” and the debate among everyone regarding how to deal with these struggling soldiers both during and after the war.
Well written and well researched. Highly recommend 👍
The author then goes into detail how both military personnel and doctors did not know what to make of “shell shock” and the debate among everyone regarding how to deal with these struggling soldiers both during and after the war.
Well written and well researched. Highly recommend 👍
August 5, 2017
Military historians tend to focus on the performance of armies in battle and pay little attention to casualties, other than to consider the impact in terms of force reduction. But, of course, for the casualties themselves and their families, the experience may be traumatic, with permanent consequences. Even where casualties are considered, it tends to be the physically harmed who receive our focus - the amputee or the burns victim. Yet the scars of war can be equally great when they are not outwardly visible, but are in the mind of the injured.
Taylor Downing's study of shellshock in the Battle of the Somme is therefore a valuable and welcome contribution to the literature. Starting with the formation and training of Kitchener's New Armies in 1914-1916, Downing then explores the very limited understanding among military medics of the nature and causes of the unexpected emergence of 'shell shock', showing how some were convinced it stemmed from physical trauma to the brain, while others thought it reflected inherent debility on the part of some soldiers. Although there was a gradual appreciation that any soldier, if exposed to the awesome threat and grinding carnage of modern warfare, would in the end give way, this was not a view widely supported, especially by the military establishment.
This all provides the basis for a examination of the impact of the experience of the Somme on the British troops engaged, especially the men of the New Armies, where Downing shows that shell shock cases sometimes represented some 20% of all casualties, with in some cases the survivors of whole battalions being declared unfit to continue following severe losses. Downing also shows how the military establishment fought against shell shock, primarily by denying its validity, treating it as a sickness rather than as a wound, and then by adjusting the ways in which it was recorded, in order to reduce the incidence in the records. He also demonstrates that many of the men executed for cowardice were almost certainly suffering from shell shock.
The combination of new recording systems and better treatment led to a dramatic reduction in the number of shell shock cases notified from 1917 onwards, such that the problem essentially disappeared, though there remained tens of thousands of veterans after the war, who either remained debilitated by the condition or else sought disability pensions as a consequence. The book concludes with a brief summary of the numbers of cases in other armies (the French, Germans and Americans all seem to have experienced about 5% of all casualties as being due to shell shock), and subsequent understanding of what is now termed PTSD.
In many ways, the book is well written and provides a good introduction to an important subject. However, it left me feeling dissatisfied in two ways. First, Downing makes a number of references to the fact that it appeared that a well-led battalion, with good morale, tended to suffer far fewer shell shock cases than a badly-led one with poor morale, but he does not really explore this any further. To be, this seems a vital question. Second, he notes that the rate of shell shock fell significantly after the Somme, but broadly suggests this was primarily due to changes in reporting. I was left wondering whether there was, in fact, a change in the professionalism of the army and the troops, as it and they ascended the famous 'learning curve'. Was the high incidence of shell shock on the Somme in fact in large measure a consequence of units of men, who had not really made the transition out of civilian thinking and into a military paradigm, who had been barely trained and who were thrown into the battle almost as helpless cannon fodder by commanders who had minimal faith in their military usefullness? It would have been interesting for Downing to have compared the British experience on the Somme with that of the newly-formed German Reserve Corps, which were hurled into the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914. Almost untrained, these innocent volunteers too suffered massive casualties and, I believe, experienced very high rates of shell shock.
Nonetheless, while perhaps not exploring the topic as deeply as might have been wished, Downing has produced a valuable work, which sheds new light from an important perspective on a key aspects of what makes men continue to fight. If only for that, the book is recommended.
Taylor Downing's study of shellshock in the Battle of the Somme is therefore a valuable and welcome contribution to the literature. Starting with the formation and training of Kitchener's New Armies in 1914-1916, Downing then explores the very limited understanding among military medics of the nature and causes of the unexpected emergence of 'shell shock', showing how some were convinced it stemmed from physical trauma to the brain, while others thought it reflected inherent debility on the part of some soldiers. Although there was a gradual appreciation that any soldier, if exposed to the awesome threat and grinding carnage of modern warfare, would in the end give way, this was not a view widely supported, especially by the military establishment.
This all provides the basis for a examination of the impact of the experience of the Somme on the British troops engaged, especially the men of the New Armies, where Downing shows that shell shock cases sometimes represented some 20% of all casualties, with in some cases the survivors of whole battalions being declared unfit to continue following severe losses. Downing also shows how the military establishment fought against shell shock, primarily by denying its validity, treating it as a sickness rather than as a wound, and then by adjusting the ways in which it was recorded, in order to reduce the incidence in the records. He also demonstrates that many of the men executed for cowardice were almost certainly suffering from shell shock.
The combination of new recording systems and better treatment led to a dramatic reduction in the number of shell shock cases notified from 1917 onwards, such that the problem essentially disappeared, though there remained tens of thousands of veterans after the war, who either remained debilitated by the condition or else sought disability pensions as a consequence. The book concludes with a brief summary of the numbers of cases in other armies (the French, Germans and Americans all seem to have experienced about 5% of all casualties as being due to shell shock), and subsequent understanding of what is now termed PTSD.
In many ways, the book is well written and provides a good introduction to an important subject. However, it left me feeling dissatisfied in two ways. First, Downing makes a number of references to the fact that it appeared that a well-led battalion, with good morale, tended to suffer far fewer shell shock cases than a badly-led one with poor morale, but he does not really explore this any further. To be, this seems a vital question. Second, he notes that the rate of shell shock fell significantly after the Somme, but broadly suggests this was primarily due to changes in reporting. I was left wondering whether there was, in fact, a change in the professionalism of the army and the troops, as it and they ascended the famous 'learning curve'. Was the high incidence of shell shock on the Somme in fact in large measure a consequence of units of men, who had not really made the transition out of civilian thinking and into a military paradigm, who had been barely trained and who were thrown into the battle almost as helpless cannon fodder by commanders who had minimal faith in their military usefullness? It would have been interesting for Downing to have compared the British experience on the Somme with that of the newly-formed German Reserve Corps, which were hurled into the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914. Almost untrained, these innocent volunteers too suffered massive casualties and, I believe, experienced very high rates of shell shock.
Nonetheless, while perhaps not exploring the topic as deeply as might have been wished, Downing has produced a valuable work, which sheds new light from an important perspective on a key aspects of what makes men continue to fight. If only for that, the book is recommended.
October 5, 2021
Soldiers suffering from "PTSD" is nothing new. It was first really observed over a century ago during World War One. Truth is no war or combat today or since compared to what trench soldiers of World War I experienced. They were trapped for days or even weeks in subterranian trenches, filled with filth, water, often cold temperatures, rats, lice, fleas and vermin and many times full of dead and rotting bodies and body parts the result of an almost incoceivable level of continual high volume shelling and bombing. Throw in poison gas attacks too.
Today we recognize the symptoms of concussion and brain damage but this was the first time high explosive shells were used so much and military leaders were stunned to find large amounts of men stumbling around in a stupor, unable to function. In many cases they trembled without control, their eyes bulged and they became irrational. The problem became called "shell shock." Having not seen this before to this extent and on the verge of losing to the Germans, military leaders were concerned many men were faking or exaggerating symptoms to get away from the horrors of the front line trenches.
Even today looking at the old silent movies of Great War soldiers affected by shell shock is horrifying, the men with bulging crazed eyes, often shaking or convulsing. But other men said to be shell shocked might well have been faking or simply were suffering from terrible exhaustion and just needed a rest and some quiet time. Not everyone who had shell shock showed the horrible symptoms and it's not unreasonable to assume some soldiers faked the condition given the horror of trench warfare.
While we all now know that concussions can cause temporary or permanent brain damage and physical impairment, even today the debate over the mental "PTSD" continues because sadly the physical symptoms of mental problems are not always blatently obvious.
The Battle of the Somme remains one of the worst in history and this book and its focus on shell shock and PTSD emerging for the first time as a serious military, medical and societal issue provides important background and perspective for a problem still haunting us today.
Today we recognize the symptoms of concussion and brain damage but this was the first time high explosive shells were used so much and military leaders were stunned to find large amounts of men stumbling around in a stupor, unable to function. In many cases they trembled without control, their eyes bulged and they became irrational. The problem became called "shell shock." Having not seen this before to this extent and on the verge of losing to the Germans, military leaders were concerned many men were faking or exaggerating symptoms to get away from the horrors of the front line trenches.
Even today looking at the old silent movies of Great War soldiers affected by shell shock is horrifying, the men with bulging crazed eyes, often shaking or convulsing. But other men said to be shell shocked might well have been faking or simply were suffering from terrible exhaustion and just needed a rest and some quiet time. Not everyone who had shell shock showed the horrible symptoms and it's not unreasonable to assume some soldiers faked the condition given the horror of trench warfare.
While we all now know that concussions can cause temporary or permanent brain damage and physical impairment, even today the debate over the mental "PTSD" continues because sadly the physical symptoms of mental problems are not always blatently obvious.
The Battle of the Somme remains one of the worst in history and this book and its focus on shell shock and PTSD emerging for the first time as a serious military, medical and societal issue provides important background and perspective for a problem still haunting us today.
June 29, 2016
A book that moved me and caused me to rethink ideas around WW1.The emergence of shell shock was in part due to the Battle of the Somme.Shell shock was known to the medical corps but it was felt to be a symptom of cowardice.The influx of Kitchener's pals battalions and the horrendous loss of of life on the Somme led to a realisation that some of these volunteers could not cope.They were not cowards but civilian men placed into a world of such horror that they became casualties of war.This book is a testament to those who became shell shocked and to the medical staff who treated them.Sadly years after the war flash backs could happen, for some men the Blitz pushed them back into their experiences of the trenches.I would highly recommend this book.
March 22, 2020
In this book the author covers far more than the title tells us. Obviously the battle of the Somme, and the effect it had on the British soldiers that went 'over the top', are the main focus of the book. But we also get to see how Lord Kitchener's New Army, a citizen army, was created. How the army was unprepared and overwhelmed by the huge number of volunteers that were prepared to go to war, that they struggled to equip them, train them, even house them.
Since Britain had a professional army, these citizens were viewed with disdain. But with the losses mounting, there was no other way to reinforce the BEF. The Great War was an industrial war, and for the first time soldiers were exposed to continious shelling, collapsing trenches and dugouts, mates that were blown to pieces, while a man could be next to him and survive without a scratch. It was this combination of unrelenting pressure that made men lose it all.
With the number of 'shell shock' victims rising steadily, the British Army (and obviously the armies of other nations too) had to find a way to cope with this 'new' problem. Main issue was that they were afraid that a drop of morale, and maybe even collapse, of the units involved could lead to major problems to hold the frontlines.
The author tells the story in a well written way. The personal stories of the men involved, be they soldiers, officers, medical officers and doctors makes for a chilling read at times. It also covers the men that were executed for cowardice, which was often far from the truth. A man can only bear so much, before something snaps.
The author ends the book by drawing comparisons between the situation during the Great War and the many conflicts afterwards, showing what the army learned, or did not learn, from it.
The amount of detail, research and thought that went in this book makes for a fascinating read and a book that I can only highly recommend.
Since Britain had a professional army, these citizens were viewed with disdain. But with the losses mounting, there was no other way to reinforce the BEF. The Great War was an industrial war, and for the first time soldiers were exposed to continious shelling, collapsing trenches and dugouts, mates that were blown to pieces, while a man could be next to him and survive without a scratch. It was this combination of unrelenting pressure that made men lose it all.
With the number of 'shell shock' victims rising steadily, the British Army (and obviously the armies of other nations too) had to find a way to cope with this 'new' problem. Main issue was that they were afraid that a drop of morale, and maybe even collapse, of the units involved could lead to major problems to hold the frontlines.
The author tells the story in a well written way. The personal stories of the men involved, be they soldiers, officers, medical officers and doctors makes for a chilling read at times. It also covers the men that were executed for cowardice, which was often far from the truth. A man can only bear so much, before something snaps.
The author ends the book by drawing comparisons between the situation during the Great War and the many conflicts afterwards, showing what the army learned, or did not learn, from it.
The amount of detail, research and thought that went in this book makes for a fascinating read and a book that I can only highly recommend.
April 16, 2020
A very frustrating book to read, especially given the subject matter that is to be covered. There are some really good and insightful chapters to this book, especially the accounts of the soldiers and the doctors involved in the conflict.
The frustration for me comes in the structure and execution of the whole focus of the work. The focus on the Somme is good but only starts one third of the way into the book. The initial context I understand is needed to a point, but a long section on establishing the class differences in the setting up of kitcheners army is full of personal opinion and also contradiction. Much like in the prologue where the views of “lions led by donkeys” is refuted and then returned to throughout all the chapters to contradict the initial idea.
The most interesting part is actually the last few chapters which are fantastic and really well, but the series of appendix at the end just hint of how the scope of this book could have been wider and created more interest by going beyond such a narrow focus, making a lot of the book feel like filler to the main event.
Such a shame as good in parts, just feels rushed and to cash in on the Somme 100th Anniversary rather than a considered and more relevant work.
The frustration for me comes in the structure and execution of the whole focus of the work. The focus on the Somme is good but only starts one third of the way into the book. The initial context I understand is needed to a point, but a long section on establishing the class differences in the setting up of kitcheners army is full of personal opinion and also contradiction. Much like in the prologue where the views of “lions led by donkeys” is refuted and then returned to throughout all the chapters to contradict the initial idea.
The most interesting part is actually the last few chapters which are fantastic and really well, but the series of appendix at the end just hint of how the scope of this book could have been wider and created more interest by going beyond such a narrow focus, making a lot of the book feel like filler to the main event.
Such a shame as good in parts, just feels rushed and to cash in on the Somme 100th Anniversary rather than a considered and more relevant work.
October 21, 2018
After two academic works relating to shell shock, this popular history of how the Battle of the Somme had a lasting impact on conceptions of the disorder was refreshing, even if the subject was not.
The battle is described in detail, including quotes from letters and diaries of soldiers who participated. The author is careful to draw from accounts of officers and non-officers alike. This book also did an excellent job of capturing the unprecedented wave of volunteer soldiers that joined the British army in response to a call to action by Haig. It is mind-boggling to think that one in six British adults fought in World War I, first as volunteers and then through conscription. The casualties were also unbelievable, and this book does an exceptional job of making the vast numbers meaningful and understandable to readers now a century removed from the war.
The battle is described in detail, including quotes from letters and diaries of soldiers who participated. The author is careful to draw from accounts of officers and non-officers alike. This book also did an excellent job of capturing the unprecedented wave of volunteer soldiers that joined the British army in response to a call to action by Haig. It is mind-boggling to think that one in six British adults fought in World War I, first as volunteers and then through conscription. The casualties were also unbelievable, and this book does an exceptional job of making the vast numbers meaningful and understandable to readers now a century removed from the war.
January 28, 2022
Another View of WW1
Great read for WW1 enthusiasts or those that want to see the outcomes caused during the birth of modern industrial warfare. Aside from the deaths and physical activity disabilities caused by the conflict this book highlights the issues faced by those in the trenches and the psychological impact the war caused them. Whilst focusing on the British experience it was similar for all nations. Highly recommended read if a bit dry for the non interested in this aspect of history.
Great read for WW1 enthusiasts or those that want to see the outcomes caused during the birth of modern industrial warfare. Aside from the deaths and physical activity disabilities caused by the conflict this book highlights the issues faced by those in the trenches and the psychological impact the war caused them. Whilst focusing on the British experience it was similar for all nations. Highly recommended read if a bit dry for the non interested in this aspect of history.
November 21, 2017
Some good facts about the Pals Battalions and the cultural factors behind their formation, but the book doesn’t really cover any new ground with regarding Shellshock . Only finished about half the book before stopping as the topic covered in this story imo, does not warrant a book of this length and most of the facts are covered better in other works.
March 12, 2025
I have read so many books on WW1. This may be why I didn't find this a great read. I felt the book lacked shape. It was interesting, but I didn't feel greatly engaged with it. My main takeaway from the book is the number of soldiers suffering with shellshock/PTSD who were shot for "cowardice". Such a distressing testament against humanity. 5/10.
September 21, 2017
Very interesting look at the shell shock treatment and attitude.
April 2, 2018
Excellent, particularly interesting regarding the Lonsdale Battalion, (local to me), and a must read for anyone interested in ptsd.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews