Loos 1915: The Unwanted Battle

by Gordon Corrigan

In many ways 1915 is the forgotten year of First World War studies, and yet it saw the British and the French make repeated attempts to find methods that would release them from the stalemate that had existed since the end of First Ypres in the winter of 1914.

These attempts to break through the German lines culminated in what to the British was the Battle of Loos, the largest deployment of the British Army so far in this war. At this stage the British were, on land, the junior partner in a coalition, and in the greater scheme of things, Loos was but a minor distraction in a much larger strategy, but as part of the development of the British way of waging war it was important.

Loos saw the first use by the British of gas, a weapon banned in future conflicts, so terrible was it (erroneously) thought to be; the first use of the New Armies, Britain's first truly citizen army, and the realisation that it would be some time yet before they could be deployed with any confidence; and it was the final straw that led to the dismissal of Sir John French and his replacement by Sir Douglas Haig as Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force.

Gordon Corrigan uses contemporary accounts, war diaries and his own knowledge of the ground to chart the course of the battle, and assess the competence of commanders and the capabilities of men and equipment in what was, in many ways, the last hurrah of the old regular army.

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

231 pages, Kindle Edition

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.