Book description
Of all the costly campaigns fought across the Western Front during the
First World War, none strikes a more chilling chord than Passchendaele.
Even now, more than ninety years on, the very mention of the name is
enough to conjure up apocalyptic images of desolation and misery on a
quite bewildering scale - humanity drowning in a sea of mud.
Passchendaele has come to serve as a symbol of the folly and futility of
war, chiefly remembered for its carnage and profligate waste of human
lives. It also stands as testament to the endurance and extraordinary
courage displayed by men of all ranks and nationalities. During the
three and a half month long struggle, which claimed the lives of more
than 60,000 British and Commonwealth servicemen, 61 men were adjudged to
have performed deeds worthy of the Empire's highest award for valour -
the Victoria Cross. Men from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South
Africa were among their number, alongside men from England, Ireland,
Scotland and Wales. They came from all walks of life, counting humble
privates and, for the first time, a general among their ranks. This is a
lasting memorial to a body of men who deserve to be numbered among the
bravest of the brave.
Stephen Snelling is a freelance writer and journalist. He has written
widely on the First and Second World Wars, including numerous titles in
the VCs of the First World War series.
