Under the Devil's Eye

[Plynkes]

I think it was Overlord who asked me for my opinion on this book, and I've read it now, so here goes. Sorry for the delay, I just don't seem to be able to make time to sit and read a book so much these days. And when I do, I often find I lack the inclination. Anyway, it is done now.

The book is written in a mixed up sort of way. The desire of the authors was to present the British view of the Salonika campaign from the bottom up as it were, and so rely heavily on quoted passages from individual soldiers' accounts. To start with this gave me some trouble as you would often have four or five block quotes on a page, which can disrupt the flow of the narrative, and I found this quite distracting. I know this kind of thing is the proper scholarly thing to do, but it makes it a little less accessable. Anyway, I soon got used to this style and after a bit ceased to notice or be bothered by it.

They also adopt a mix of the chronological and thematic in the telling of the story. We read of the initial deployment to aid Serbia (including the advance into and retreat out of Serbia), the construction of the Bird Cage Line, the advance up-country to Doiran, and the 1917 Doiran battles in a chronological format.

After this are a series of themed chapters:

Warfare along the Struma
Life in the Front Line
Life Behind the Lines
Medical Provision and Hospital Life
War in the Clouds

And then we take up the narrative again and learn of the final battle of Doiran, the pursuit of the enemy into Bulgaria, and the conclusion of the campaign and the end of the war.

This approach is not without its problems. In the Struma chapter I read of the British having to re-take positions previously relinquished in the valley, but there had been no prior mention of this in the narrative. I was left scratching my head as to the reason for this until the medical chapter, when it is revealed that the Struma valley, being a malarial hell in the summer months, was abandoned by both sides for health reasons during these times. Might have been nice to be told of this at the time, rather than having to wait until the specific chapter on health. Seems with all the switching between the chronological narrative and themed chapters, problems such as this have crept in.

Another reservation I have about this book is that it doesn't tell the whole story. I should have liked to learn what the French and Serbians were up to on their sector of the front, but they are hardly mentioned. This isn't really the book's fault, they quite clearly set their stall out and state this is about the British in Salonika. Still, this leaves me without a definitive book on the campaign, and with massive gaps in my knowledge of it. Oh well.

But don't get the impression I'm on a total downer about the book. It was very illuminating and also an enjoyable read for the most part. There are quite a lot of nice photos in the book, and some useful maps too. Loads of enticing and fascinating titbits of info as well.


(See below for examples, I'm putting them separately so those that don't want to read them don't have to.)


Quite a few scenario ideas to be found within, from the formal (suicidal) frontal assualts at Doiran, to smaller-scale actions along the Struma, right down to squad-level skirmish actions between patrols amongst the abandoned villages of No-Man's Land.

So I'm pretty glad I bought it when it was cheap, as it goes for over forty quid at the moment. Is it worth that much? I don't think so. A good book and very informative, but not for forty quid. I suppose it all depends how desperate you are to own it, though.

By the way, I did stumble upon this today, so you might be in luck. This is the cheapest I've seen it for:
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/CatalogAndSearch/ProductDetails-Under+the+Devils+Eye+-9780750935371.html

Hope this helps a little. Fascinating campaign, and I'm now itching to buy and paint a few of Tiger Miniatures John Bulgar figures.

[Plynkes]

Some of the interesting stuff in the book:

The Germans sent a Zeppelin to bomb the Entente shipping in Salonika harbour, and it was shot down by HMS Agamemnon. I had never heard of this previously. The whole air-war thing is quite interesting. The Brits initially only had obsolete models in this theatre, while the Germans had newer kites. Obviously this was not good news for the RFC, but gradually the situation was reversed and they achieved air supremacy. The top German ace, one Leutnant Rudolf von Eschwege (called "Earwig" by the Brits) was killed when a trap was laid for him in the form of a dummy observation balloon filled with explosives. It was detonated as he attacked, ending his career and his life. Many of the RFC types were upset about this, saying it wasn't right and was a "shabby trick."

One other thing that amused me was to do with the 'live-and-let-live' attitude that often develops with fixed trench warfare. Any military activity undertaken by the Brits in No-Man's Land would immediately bring artillery fire down upon them, but the Bulgarians were perfectly content to let the English conduct cricket matches in the open space between the lines without harassing them at all. I love the idea of that. 

The Brits spent much of the time having to guard against packs of feral dogs, who had been living in the area since it had been abandoned by the populace during the Balkan wars. They were so bold as to be a real menace, and wouldn't hesitate to attack an unwary soldier.

To supplement their extremely monotonous diet, soldiers would often hunt local animals. There were instances of Lewis Guns being employed to shoot down flocks of birds, and rather than employing fly-fishing techniques, grenades and mortar shells were the tools of choice of the budding Salonika anglers!

As in many such campaigns, disease was the main enemy. It seems like during their stay, the BSF were decimated by Malaria, and this really seems to have hamstrung their efforts against the Bulgarians. Also constant U-Boat attacks meant they had to become self-sufficient and much time was spent growing crops in the fertile farmland abandoned during the Balkan Wars. This lead to the unfortunate nickname "The Gardeners of Salonika" and the impression back home that Salonika was a safe and cushy posting in which to sit out the war. In stark contrast to this, many who had been in France said they preferred it there. It may have been more dangerous, but life was far more comfortable, there were facilities behind the lines and home leave was possible. Many who went to Salonika were there for the entire war, and never had leave of any kind.

[Overlord]

Yes Plynkes, it was I who asked about this book.  I have been researching my family history, specifically that of my grandfather who fought in Salonika.  He served initially in 7th Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry and later in the Machine Gun Corps.

Thank you for a comprehensive overview of the book. I was interested in it as I am guilty, probably like many other people, of knowing virtually nothing of the Salonika Campaign.  I wanted an overview of the campaign, but specifically the British involvement.  This seems to be what I am looking for.

Thanks for the link.  As you said, if you can find a copy, most people are asking around £40.

Many who went to Salonika were there for the entire war, and never had leave of any kind.

It currently appears that my grandfather was there from late 1915 to 1918.

Cheers Plynkes 

[Helen]

Thanks Poly, very interesting overview. 

That was not very sporting of the British to use a dummy balloon to take-out an air ace 

[Prof.Witchheimer]

Sorry for the delay, I just don't seem to be able to make time to sit and read a book so much these days. And when I do, I often find I lack the inclination.

Seconded, I can understand it. Too many interesting things around me.

I'm really missing my school time. We had no computers, no miniatures and the TV was too boring. The only thing I could do was reading. And I did, some hundert books every year and it was marvellous. A pity this time is gone. On the one hand I'm happy about my hobby and all that internet, on the other hand I'm missing my reading "orgies"

[Plynkes]

The good news is, now I am starting to read "Tip and Run."

The main reason I haven't read this before is that it is about Ostafrika in the Great War, a subject that I have already read quite a few books on, and I didn't really feel like reading new accounts of the same old stuff again. But I am sort of refreshed and ready to get into this period again now, so it all seems quite new once more. Hopefully it will be a good way to get me inspired to paint some more figures, which is something I need because I have a bunch of Copplestone Indian Army troops that I want to paint.

[Prof.Witchheimer]

great news, look forward for your review. In the meantime some other people around here have bought this book and given their nice reviews on it, but for some reason I've decided not to buy it till you did read yours

Maybe It will inspirte me again to the Africa painting/gaming, at the moment I'm lost in the world of Back of Beyond and partially some late WW1 Eastern Front things.

[Gallowglass]

The good news is, now I am starting to read "Tip and Run."

I've had my eye on that for a while. Will probably pick it up soon.

[Plynkes]

That was not very sporting of the British to use a dummy balloon to take-out an air ace 

Yes, some of the RFC flyers thought so, too. There seems to have been a sporting attitude between aviators for the most part, though. They would often fly over with messages saying "such and such brought down on our side of the line. Tell his family he is safe and now in a POW camp" or less happy ones to inform them of a death.

Even so, there seems to have been spite and deep enmity between the Germans and British on this front, absent in the relations between Bulgarians and Brits. When not actually in a battle situation, the Bulgars come across as actually friendly to the British, while the Germans are reported to have behaved in their usual stereotype "Hunnish" way, beating and spitting on POWs and such.

[Poliorketes]

The good news is, now I am starting to read "Tip and Run."

I'm reading that one at the moment and must say that I'm a bit disappointed. The author is more than a little bit one-sided, trying to prove that the germans were the agressors. Sometimes this is really funny, e.g. when he tries to show how numerical inferior and thus in danger of being overrun the british forces in east africa (Kenia) have been at the start of the war - and equally in Uganda, Nyassaland, Rhodesia... forgetting to add the british forces of these colonies.

[Poliorketes]

The good news is, now I am starting to read "Tip and Run."

I'm reading that one at the moment and must say that I'm a bit disappointed. The author is more than a little bit one-sided, trying to prove that the germans were the agressors in africa (!). Sometimes this is really funny, e.g. when he tries to show how numerical inferior and thus in danger of being overrun the british forces in east africa (Kenia) have been at the start of the war - and equally in Uganda, Nyassaland, Rhodesia... forgetting to add the british forces of these colonies.