A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.



Worth the wait , 31 Jul 2008
I have been waiting for this book since November. I had pre-ordered it on the strength of its sister volume; Uniforms of the Napoleonic wars and its been worth the wait.

Its packed full of details of the uniforms and equipment used by all the main participants of the war; the Americans, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Hessians and the Native American units who like the Americans themselves were on both sides of the conflict.

The illustrations are fantastic and anyone interested in this war/revolution or military history in general will love this.

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.



Worth the wait , 31 Jul 2008
I have been waiting for this book since November. I had pre-ordered it on the strength of its sister volume; Uniforms of the Napoleonic wars and its been worth the wait.

Its packed full of details of the uniforms and equipment used by all the main participants of the war; the Americans, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Hessians and the Native American units who like the Americans themselves were on both sides of the conflict.

The illustrations are fantastic and anyone interested in this war/revolution or military history in general will love this.

A Definitive Work., 09 Jun 2007
Brilliant! a fantastic, comprehensive work of reference for anyone interested in the order of the Knights Templar. Karen Ralls is well known for balanced historical writing, including both orthodox and speculative angles, generated by unrelenting scholarship. Here she has put together a book that will be valued for years to come, everything you wanted to know about the Templars and much more.

Includes a chronology etc, and photos. Highly recomended!

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.



Worth the wait , 31 Jul 2008
I have been waiting for this book since November. I had pre-ordered it on the strength of its sister volume; Uniforms of the Napoleonic wars and its been worth the wait.

Its packed full of details of the uniforms and equipment used by all the main participants of the war; the Americans, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Hessians and the Native American units who like the Americans themselves were on both sides of the conflict.

The illustrations are fantastic and anyone interested in this war/revolution or military history in general will love this.

A Definitive Work., 09 Jun 2007
Brilliant! a fantastic, comprehensive work of reference for anyone interested in the order of the Knights Templar. Karen Ralls is well known for balanced historical writing, including both orthodox and speculative angles, generated by unrelenting scholarship. Here she has put together a book that will be valued for years to come, everything you wanted to know about the Templars and much more.

Includes a chronology etc, and photos. Highly recomended!


This is a must have book for anyone interested in WWII, 28 Dec 2001
This book is an exciting journey through the highs and lows of the Second World War. The pictures range from the joy of the ending of war (VE and VJ Day) to the dismal sight of the dead bodies in concentration camps. Although a bad time, you can look back through nostalgic periods with this book. A must have for any budding historian's book-shelf.

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.



Worth the wait , 31 Jul 2008
I have been waiting for this book since November. I had pre-ordered it on the strength of its sister volume; Uniforms of the Napoleonic wars and its been worth the wait.

Its packed full of details of the uniforms and equipment used by all the main participants of the war; the Americans, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Hessians and the Native American units who like the Americans themselves were on both sides of the conflict.

The illustrations are fantastic and anyone interested in this war/revolution or military history in general will love this.

A Definitive Work., 09 Jun 2007
Brilliant! a fantastic, comprehensive work of reference for anyone interested in the order of the Knights Templar. Karen Ralls is well known for balanced historical writing, including both orthodox and speculative angles, generated by unrelenting scholarship. Here she has put together a book that will be valued for years to come, everything you wanted to know about the Templars and much more.

Includes a chronology etc, and photos. Highly recomended!


This is a must have book for anyone interested in WWII, 28 Dec 2001
This book is an exciting journey through the highs and lows of the Second World War. The pictures range from the joy of the ending of war (VE and VJ Day) to the dismal sight of the dead bodies in concentration camps. Although a bad time, you can look back through nostalgic periods with this book. A must have for any budding historian's book-shelf.

Great for a begginer, 01 Jan 2005
I picked up this book being interested in the Roman millitary but not knowing a thing on the subect. After simply browsing through several chapters, I knew enough to write an essay. The writing, whilst sometimes vague and confusing, is extremely informative for the greater part. The pictures are a fine addition, and the battle descriptions are worth praise.
The book is divided into three sections. The Early Army, from the founding of Rome to the Legionary. The Proffesional Army, from Marian to the Batlle of Adrianople, and the Army of Late Antiquity. The ill fated army that fought at the collapse of the western empire. In fact, it is essentiall to note that the Byzantine Empire hardly gets a mention in the works, although most intrepid historians should start off with the 'tradditional' roman solider. Each section is divided into sub-chapters, detailing things such as seige and the average soldier's working life.
To conclude, a great book that you will treasure, mostly because of it's hefty price tag.

Not Complete!, 24 May 2004
The book is a bit disappointing. There are some bad mistakes like naming a "Gladius" to "Spatha" in one picture. Is it also too hard to have also good pictures of republican and late roman re-enactors in one book instead of those high-empire "Ermine Street Quard" guys who seem to be everywhere? Why are there whole-page pictures of Hadrian`s crumbling walls in colour and then a tiny black-and-white picture of a very interesting looking late roman soldiers? Bad editing, I quess. Also the illustrations are very disappointing and rudimentary. They also give the wrong impressions for example of roman swords. The shape of "Mainz type" sword is awful and in comparison to newer "Pompeii style" sword they were usually longer.

The text is very good like always with Adrian Goldsworthy, although there`s not much new. So there`s plenty of room for another basic book about roman army, this book won`t fill the need. The "dream book" about roman army would be in my mind a combination of Peter Connolly`s illustrations, Daniel Peterson "Roman Legions Recreated in Coulour Photographs" style photos and Adrian Goldsworthy`s writing. We are still waiting for a "Complete Roman Army".

Good reference but sadly poor graphics, 12 Feb 2004
Good reference book for beginners on the subject.
Sadly battle maps and graphics are very rudimentary.
Too expensive for what one gets.

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked to have seen more old photographs of the cemeteries in their original state.
Whilst the modern photographs are very good there are ones that are just as good in the Commission's Annual Reports.
HOWEVER THERE IS A GLARING MISTAKE ON PAGE 145 WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN PICKED UP :- The photograph shows the small GORDON CEMETERY at Mametz (100 graves)whist the text describes it as the large GORDON DUMP CEMETERY at La Boisselle with over 1,600 graves.

Never Forget, 21 Jun 2007
This is a beautiful book covering an important and moving subject. Of course, "the subject" is not just the war cemeteries covered so well here, but the whole tragedy of war, especially World War One.

As I grow older it is increasingly sad, and even more humbling, to think of those thousands of men dying for - in so many ways - nothing.

All the more important then that we remember them, their loss and - here's the real point - that we as a nation of people collectively show our debt and gratitude to all servicemen by tending the graves of the fallen.

We should also provide today's soldiers with decent equipment, housing and pay, but that's another story. Maybe by paying homage to the dead of the last century we can better appreciate the service of those today.

After I bought a copy for myself I immediately got another one for a friend.

Highly recommended.


Excellent with beautiful photos, 04 Jun 2007
Military historians and family history researchers along with the many of the thousands who regularly visit the battlefields and Commonwealth War cemeteries around the globe each year, will be delighted with this superb large format colourful volume, which in a mixture of words and beautiful photographs chronicles the history of the multi-national organization that is tasked with caring for the final resting places of over 1.7 million Commonwealth war dead of both the Great and Second World Wars.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission who's work is funded by the Australian, British, Canadian, Indian, New Zealand and South African Governments, skillfully and caringly maintains cemeteries in no less than 23,000 cemeteries in locations spanning 170 countries worldwide, was founded 90 years ago with the aim of recording the exact burial places of servicemen killed in battle and providing them with a grave, where without distinction in rank, race or creed, but with uniformity would be remembered in perpetuity.

Writing this book would not have been an easy task, however the author has succeeded, in not only covering the history of the Commission, but has also cleverly "woven in" many fascinating stories behind the headstones adding a human and sensitive perspective to the history too. This factor alone makes fascinating reading however, when the text is coupled together with Brian Harris's brilliant and very often artistic photographs taken in Europe, Canada, the Middle and Far East, the volume becomes more valuable to both the researcher and casual reader.

As all royalties from the sale of this excellent volume are being donated towards the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I would therefore urge anyone with an interest is this fascinating subject to purchase this volume to assist them in keeping up their excellent work.


Fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC, 16 May 2007
Biographer and historian Julie Summers and acclaimed newspaper photographer Brian Harris have combined their talents to produce this memorable and visually stunning book thats publication date marks the 90th anniversary of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, established by Royal Charter in 1917 as the Imperial War Graves Commission with its guiding principle of equal treatment of all war dead, irrespective of rank, race or creed..

The History of this organisation which is responsible for cemeteries and memorials in 23,000 locations in 150 countries around the world began with the work and foresight of one Red Cross volunteer, Fabian Ware in the First World War. Careful record keeping by Ware and his resistance to the selective repatriation of war dead were early features of war graves work.Later Ware called upon a wealth of talents including Sir Edwin Lutyens to design the cemeteries and memorials of the First World War. Rudyard Kipling, his only son missing in the trenches, became the first literary adviser to the I.W.G.C.

The remarkable story unfolds with supporting well-selected archival photos as well as stunning contemporary ones. The role of ordinary men and women is not forgotten: Annie Souls, an Oxfordshire housewife who lost five sons in the First World War and Ben Leech who was allowed by the Germans in World War 2 to continue tending the Somme war cemeteries, also finding time to involve himself in Resistance activities.

Many aspects of the work of the CWGC are covered: grave concentration, horticulture and gravestone production. There was no standard type of gravestone: as at Gallipoli climate dictated the use of pedestal stones in a style similar to that used after the Second World War in war cemeteries in Thailand and Burma. At Mill Road cemetery on the Somme flat headstones were dictated by old German tunnels below, and in Malta rocky ground and shortage of land necessitated multiple burial plots.

Many of Brian Harris' photos remind us of the beautiful, calm settings of many war cemetries in places like the Somme & Monte Cassino - once ravaged, desolate battlefields There are particularly outstanding photos of Chungkai in Thailand and Ramparts Cemetery, Ypres. Some of the best photos are taken early in the morning: Kranji, Singapore, the gardeners already at work, and Alexandria War Cemetery, Egypt. Some cemeteries are in more busy urban settings or have become so: Sai Wan, Hong Kong in particular.

This book is a fitting tribute to the work of the CWGC. and a reminder to us of the sacrifice of the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth Forces who died in the two World Wars.
All Royalties from 'Remembered' go to the CWGC to support its work.



Worth the wait , 31 Jul 2008
I have been waiting for this book since November. I had pre-ordered it on the strength of its sister volume; Uniforms of the Napoleonic wars and its been worth the wait.

Its packed full of details of the uniforms and equipment used by all the main participants of the war; the Americans, the British, the French, the Spanish, the Hessians and the Native American units who like the Americans themselves were on both sides of the conflict.

The illustrations are fantastic and anyone interested in this war/revolution or military history in general will love this.

A Definitive Work., 09 Jun 2007
Brilliant! a fantastic, comprehensive work of reference for anyone interested in the order of the Knights Templar. Karen Ralls is well known for balanced historical writing, including both orthodox and speculative angles, generated by unrelenting scholarship. Here she has put together a book that will be valued for years to come, everything you wanted to know about the Templars and much more.

Includes a chronology etc, and photos. Highly recomended!


This is a must have book for anyone interested in WWII, 28 Dec 2001
This book is an exciting journey through the highs and lows of the Second World War. The pictures range from the joy of the ending of war (VE and VJ Day) to the dismal sight of the dead bodies in concentration camps. Although a bad time, you can look back through nostalgic periods with this book. A must have for any budding historian's book-shelf.

Great for a begginer, 01 Jan 2005
I picked up this book being interested in the Roman millitary but not knowing a thing on the subect. After simply browsing through several chapters, I knew enough to write an essay. The writing, whilst sometimes vague and confusing, is extremely informative for the greater part. The pictures are a fine addition, and the battle descriptions are worth praise.
The book is divided into three sections. The Early Army, from the founding of Rome to the Legionary. The Proffesional Army, from Marian to the Batlle of Adrianople, and the Army of Late Antiquity. The ill fated army that fought at the collapse of the western empire. In fact, it is essentiall to note that the Byzantine Empire hardly gets a mention in the works, although most intrepid historians should start off with the 'tradditional' roman solider. Each section is divided into sub-chapters, detailing things such as seige and the average soldier's working life.
To conclude, a great book that you will treasure, mostly because of it's hefty price tag.

Not Complete!, 24 May 2004
The book is a bit disappointing. There are some bad mistakes like naming a "Gladius" to "Spatha" in one picture. Is it also too hard to have also good pictures of republican and late roman re-enactors in one book instead of those high-empire "Ermine Street Quard" guys who seem to be everywhere? Why are there whole-page pictures of Hadrian`s crumbling walls in colour and then a tiny black-and-white picture of a very interesting looking late roman soldiers? Bad editing, I quess. Also the illustrations are very disappointing and rudimentary. They also give the wrong impressions for example of roman swords. The shape of "Mainz type" sword is awful and in comparison to newer "Pompeii style" sword they were usually longer.

The text is very good like always with Adrian Goldsworthy, although there`s not much new. So there`s plenty of room for another basic book about roman army, this book won`t fill the need. The "dream book" about roman army would be in my mind a combination of Peter Connolly`s illustrations, Daniel Peterson "Roman Legions Recreated in Coulour Photographs" style photos and Adrian Goldsworthy`s writing. We are still waiting for a "Complete Roman Army".

Good reference but sadly poor graphics, 12 Feb 2004
Good reference book for beginners on the subject.
Sadly battle maps and graphics are very rudimentary.
Too expensive for what one gets.

The Encyclopedia of Tanks, 02 Sep 2008
The Encyclopedia of Tanks & Armored Fighting Vehicles: From World War I to the Present Day
Brilliant book ,really good present

Great book, 13 Oct 2007
I bought this book for my husband last christmas and he spent the whole time reading it - a great hit!!! Hopefully this year he will carve the turkey!!

A Collection to make you think, 20 Aug 2008
I agree with the other reviews so will try not to repeat too much in my own review.

Children (and some adults) are all too dismissive of the previous generations and, although I would not recommend showing this to young children, it could help teenagers studying history to get a real sense of the conditions the men fighting in the First World War were subject to. The author does not shy away from showing the dead in photographs and I think it gives the reader something to think about and possibly discuss.

As a book, it is well thought out and presented beautifully. It's a book I would happily leave on my coffee table for friends to flick through. A couple of friends can not understand why I would want to look at pictures from the War (as they find the subject of warfare disturbing) but I've never believed in wrapping people in cotton wool - I think people should know what those men went through and be proud of them. Although it is a collection of frank photographs of war, I think the subject has been handled sensitively too - there are no gratuitous shots what so ever in this book.

Highly recommended to anyone who wants to get a real sense of the lives of the men involved.



Great book. , 07 Aug 2008
This is a brilliant book. Every picture, many of which I have never seen before tells a different story. Max Arthur has juxtaposed the photographs in chronological order and there is a real drama in the build up to the war from both sides and also in the lead up to the battles of the Somme and Arras. The consequence of the battles is poignantly told not only in photos but in words of the men who fought in them. I was particularly moved by the photo of the packs taken from the bodies of the dead, the photo shows British soldiers searching through for anything that can be sent home to the dead man's next of kin.

One particular photo is accompanied by the words of a young Lieutenant 'Now we die. It is the wet death, the muddy death, death dripping with blood. The bodies lie frozen in the earth which slowly sucks them in. The luckiest depart wrapped in canvas, to sleep in the nearest cemetery.'

But there are lighter moments such as the amazing shot of the Zulus dancing in their full battle costume and the tough looking Australian who the Kaiser loathed because he was always stealing from the German dead. There are many more like this in this memorable book.


Essential Addition to the WW1 Library, 06 Mar 2008
This is first and foremost a picture book. As you might expect, there are many uncomfortable images, but it is a far more balanced book than that. There are many depictions of strong comradeship and even happiness amongst the desperate conditions and casualties of the trenches. Without much in the way of text, it doesn't fully, even with pictures, convey the 'grit' of the WW1 experience that I think many of today's, removed generation would like to understand. But as a picture book, it has no rival, and is beautifully printed.



Unforgettable faces, 30 Oct 2007
There have been other books of photos of World War 1, and one might expect to see the same old images - but this is a collection of many unfamiliar, previously unseen photos - of subjects ranging from the Western Front, Gallipoli, the home front, and behind the lines - and both before, during and after the war.
The large format lends itself to the often panoramic images - and also allows you to see in detail extraordinary and haunting portraits - the 'faces' after which the book is named. It's a collection to please the expert and the interested browser alike - a WWI buff will appreciate the precisely captioned battle scenes - but any reader will feel the impact of the personal quotations which accompany many images - they add an extraordinary dimension to one's understanding of life and conditions in the trenches. It's an immensely moving photo-record, but my heart was particularly wrenched by the three Australian brothers who all died in one two-day attack, the home images of the average, working-class man who went to fight for king and country... not the Eton toffs, but the desperately poor. The images depict a world of contrasts, both in Britain and in Germany - but when it came down to it, all the men at the front were in the same boat, and returned after the conflict to their bleak lives with their terrible disfigurements, mental scars and the memory of lost comrades.


REMEMBERED, 31 Aug 2007
Enjoyed the book but much of the text is lifted from other books on the subject. I would have liked t