English-language books about the German armies in WW1 are comparatively rare. Time and time again, books and articles about the fighting on the Western Front have been written almost as though the enemy did not exist other than as faceless, nameless machine gunners.

2003 saw the publication of Ian Passingham's "All the Kaiser's Men: The Life and Death of the German Army on the Western Front - 1914-1918." Whilst it did not meet with overall acclaim, it was recognised by many as a good and worthwhile attempt to understand the fighting from the German viewpoint.

So Leo Cooper's production of Jack Sheldon's work is especiailly welcome. As the title suggests, it focuses strongly on the German military effort on the Somme, from the first moves until the conclusion of the bitter fighting against the Allies in 1916. Jack's research has been most intensive and results in an impressive work. He quotes from many memoirs and notes of individuals, war diaries, operations orders and other first-hand sources.

In a sense, the story is already familiar: the experiences of soldiers were pretty much the same on both sides after all. But the 1916 Somme takes on a new meaning. The development over many months of incredibly strong trench lines and fortifications, and the inevitable confidence that this engendered in the troops that would need to hold on, sets the scene.

After that, it is all covered, and is illustrated vividly by the voices of those who were there. The ferocity of the preparatory British and French bombardment; the comparative ease with which the initial attacks were defeated - and the respect that the Germans felt for the raw bravery of the advancing lines; the hasty and often terribly costly counter-attacks undertaken to comply with orders to give no ground; the ceaseless drumfire of British artillery and the ever-present danger of infantry attack; the misery and utter fatigue of fighting in deteriorating weather.

Modern British historians in general argue the point that the Somme was a key phase in a costly learning curve that eventually won the war, and that the German defeat really commenced in the mincing machine on the Somme. This book goes a long way to suggest that the German army was - despite losses, chaos, pain and privations - stilll in good heart and fighting order at the end of the year.

I found the appendices on German ranks and army organisation very useful indeed.

The book is well produced, and carries some very good and unusual B&W photographs. The single map is amateur to say the least.

But I do have one complaint. The book is very difficult to read! Not because of Jack Sheldon's style or the intensity of battle narrative and unfamiliar place names. No. It is simply because the publishers chose to use a typeface font called 10 point Ellington. It is very narrow and upright and I presume was chosen because it resembles Germanic scripts of the period. It made my eyes hurt: after a couple of pages I needed a rest. It is a shame, because it detracted from what is otherwise a splendid book.