Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: the trojan bunny on 12 November 2021, 07:28:05 PM
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The campaigns in the mid east during the first world war are something I've had a passing interest in for a number of years now, and I'd like to delve into it more. So, I'm looking for book recommendations that give a good overview of the campaigns and battles of this theatre. I already have T. E. Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom, but nothing else.
Thanks!
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Bill the Bastard.
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You could try "Devils on Horses" which is about the history of the NZ mounted troops in the Middle East from Sinai to Palestine. This may be a bit more specific than what you may be looking for though I highly recommend it.
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The Australian & New Zealand Official Histories are available on line (presumably the British one too, but I haven't checked that).
Wavells 'The Palestine Campaigns' is a useful single volume overview. There should be numerous S/H copies knocking around.
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Fall of the Ottoman Empire is very good.
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Hi, I presume by Middle East you mean Egypt/Palestine/Iraq, and nothing Gallipoli. My gaming group are just getting into this using Pendraken 10mm, so I too have been reading up on the period. My recommendations would be as follows;
"The Ottoman Endgame" by Sean McMeekin. A good general overview of the whole war from the Turkish perspective including Gallipoli, the Middle East and vs Russia in the Caucasus.
"The Fall of the Ottomans; the Great War in the Middle East 1914-20" by Eugene Rogan. Does what it says on the tin.
"Palestine; the Ottoman Campaigns of 1914-18" by Edward Erickson. Quite short and more militarily specific. This guy is an expert on the Turkish army in WW1
"From Gaza to Jerusalem; the Campaign for Southern Palestine 1917" by Stuart Hadaway. Again more militarily specific about the campaign and written by one of the RAF "official" researchers . Hearing him talk at a local history event back in 2018 and buying this book was what launched myself and my chums into thinking about the period/theatre as a gaming project.
"Lawrence of Arabia's War" by Neil Faulkner. A large 470 page book about the British, Arabs and Turks. A good read.
"A Peace to End all Peace; The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East" by David Fromkin. Covers what you seem to want but also the post-ear carve up of the Ottoman Empire
I could also recommend some more esoteric volumes but those above IMHO more fit what you want.
Osprey also publish a few volumes in their "Campaign" series including one on the Arab Revolt and one on Megiddo. These always have nice illustrations and good maps but the text is pretty light and they aren't cheap unless you can find them discounted.
I happen to have a 2nd hardback copy of the Rogan book which you could have for £8 inc P&P to a UK destination.
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Thanks for all the recommendations, I'll look into all of these!
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For the Palestine campaigns I can recommend The Last Crusade, by Anthony Bruce.