What do these cover and not cover? Gunfire! British Artillery in World War II, Stig Moberg (Pen & Sword, 2017) Barrage: The Guns in Action, Ian Hogg (Ballantine, 1970) The Development of Artillery Tactics and Equipment (The War Office, 1950)
The Development of Artillery Tactics and Equipment is one I've got as well (as a download from MLRS Books). It is a very detailed work but it is one I find hard to navigate, I must admit. As the contents pages above show, it takes a chronological approach and examines each variant of artillery (Field, Anti-tank, Anti-aircraft) within the period covered, and breaks down further into theatres. It also covers a lot of subjects and actions, though often in just a few paragraphs. Certainly a terrific title to have, but probably throws a very wide net in terms of subject matter. Gary
This is the official classified analysis. It has a good index if you want to follow a particular topic.
I don't have Barrage and don't want to pay £25 postage from the USA for a copy! I have some of his other books. I particularly enjoyed Men against tank - the story of anti tank artillery. Ian Hogg was a Master Gunner and knew a lot about artillery equipment. However there are surprising omissions. Detachment sizes? Rates of fire? His works never mention PEr. His books were written fifty years ago. To understand British Artillery I would add four more books. Gunners at War - Bidwell Firepower - Bidwell and Graham Artillery and firepower - Bailey and.... Gunners in Normandy - Townend and Baldwin. This includes several chapters on artilelry equipment organisation and tactics focusing on the Normandy Campaign I am working on a Battlefield Guide to Artillery on the D Day beaches and landing grounds. This looks at several actions in the D Day Caen- Bayeux area to show what role artillery played and explain in lay terms what the Gunner mumbo jumbo meant. The first voilume covers the British Beaches and a draft is with the publishers. There will be a second looking at the US Beaches and landing grounds.
I have a digital copy of Shelford Bidwell, Artillery Tactics 1939-1945 (Almark Publishing Co. 1976) if it's any help. It's only seventy pages and heavily illustrated, but it gets straight down to business.
I do have Gunfire. Stig Mobert's Gunfire is a fair summary of RA methods, illuminated by an interview with JBA Bailey. He does have a lot of detail sought by enthusiasts such as detailed organisations - but it is not always clear when exactly in the war these applied. I don't think the author really understands the RA methods, nor the evolution of artillery organisation and tactics during the war. His book doesn't really get the concepts the Gunners used. Bidwell and Graham are far better- as is Pemberton. A useful if derivative addition to the library. Oh and The Guns of War by George Blackburn tells you a lot about the artillery experience and how it all, worked in practice. Mike Target Mike Target Mike Target...
