Cambrai 1917

A fascinating insight by a military historian and serving soldier into a battle which was officially declared a stalemate, yet generated a host of war-winning tactics. This crucial study dispels many of the myths surrounding Cambrai 1917. Common perception classifies it as the 'world's first tank battle' but Alexander Turner shows us that the true importance of Cambrai was that it saw the first use of armour as an operational shock tactic. With this, the conduct of war was irrevocably changed. The battle also heralded the combined use of aircraft, armour and artillery, marking the birth of modern combined-arms techniques. Featuring maps and archive photography, this is a worthy exploration of one of the seminal events in military history.