The British Official Histories of the Great War

This is a list of the original histories. Virtually all have been reprinted, some on many occasions. Some are now also available in paperback versions.

The war on land

France and Belgium

1914

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1914: [Vol. 1] Mons, the Retreat to the Seine, the Marne and the Aisne, August-October 1914 compiled and edited by Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1933; 2nd edn., 1925; 3rd edn., 1934). [Addenda and Corrigenda were issued with ‘1918’ Volume II. Text volume only reprinted by Shearer Publications, Woking, 1984.]

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1914: [Vol. II] Antwerp, La Bassée, Armentières, Messines, and Ypres, October-November 1914 compiled and edited by Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1925), accompanying map case. [Addenda and Corrigenda issued with ‘1915’ Vol. I and ‘1915’ Vol. II.]

1915

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1915: [Vol.1] Winter 1914-15, Battle of Neuve Chapelle, Battle of Ypres compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds and Captain G.C. Wynne (London: Macmillan, 1927), accompanying map case. [Addenda and Corrigenda issued with ‘1915’ Vol. II and ‘1916’ Vol. I, ‘1918’ Vols. I and II.]

1916

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1916: [Vol. I] Sir Douglas Haig’s Command to 1 July; Battle of the Somme compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1932)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1916: [Vol. I] Sir Douglas Haig’s Command to 1 July; Battle of the Somme. Appendices compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1932)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1916: [Vol. II] 2 July 1916 until the end of the Battle of the Somme compiled by Captain Wilfrid Miles with a preface by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1938) [Addenda and Corrigenda to ‘1916’ Vol. 1 issued with ‘1918’ Vol. II.]

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1916: [Vol. II] 2 July 1916 until the end of the Battle of the Somme. Appendices compiled by Captain Wilfrid Miles (London: Macmillan, 1938)

1917

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1917: [Vol. I] The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Arras compiled by Captain Cyril Falls, with a Preface by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1940)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1917: [Vol. I] The German Retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Arras. Appendices compiled by Captain Cyril Falls (London: Macmillan, 1940)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1917: [Vol. II] Messines and Third Ypres (Passchendaele) 7 June – 10 November compiled and edited by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: HMSO, 1948)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1917: [Vol. III] The Battle of Cambrai compiled by Captain Wilfrid Miles, with a Preface by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: HMSO, 1948)

1918

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1918: [Vol. I] The German March offensive and its preliminaries compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: Macmillan, 1935; London and Nashville: Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books and the Battery Press, 1995), xxx, 569 pp, 23 cm. [Addenda and Corrigenda ‘1918’ Vol. I issued with Vol. II.]

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1918: [Vol. II] March-April: Continuation of the German Offensive: Maps (London: Macmillan, 1937; London and Nashville, Tenn.;: Imperial War Museum Department of Printed Books and the Battery Press,1995), xxviii, 550 pp., ill, 23 cm, accompanying map case. [Special addendum to ‘1918’ Vol. II. Further Addenda and Corrigenda issued with ‘1917’ Vol. I and ‘1918’ Vol. III.]

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1918 [Vol. IV] 8 August-26 September: the Franco-British Offensive compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London HMSO, 1947)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. France and Belgium, 1918: [Vol. V] 26 September-11 November: the Advance to Victory compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds and R. Maxwell-Hyslop (London: HMSO, 1947)

Gallipoli

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Gallipoli: Vol. I: Inception of the Campaign to May 1915 compiled by Brigadier-General C.F. Aspinall-Oglander (London, William Heinemann: 1929)

History of the Great War based on official documents by di

rection of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Gallipoli: Vol. I: Inception of the Campaign to May 1915. Appendices compiled by Brigadier-General C.F. Aspinall-Oglander (London, William Heinemann: 1929)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Gallipoli: Vol. II: May 1915 to the Evacuation compiled by C.F. Aspinall-Oglander (London: William Heinemann, 1932)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Gallipoli: Vol. II: May 1915 to the Evacuation. Appendices compiled by C.F. Aspinall-Oglander (London: William Heinemann, 1932)

Egypt and Palestine

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Egypt and Palestine: [Vol. I] From the outbreak of War with Germany to June 1917 compiled by Lieutenant-General Sir George Macmunn and Captain Cyril Falls (London: Macmillan, 1928), accompanying map case

History of the Great War: based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Egypt and Palestine: [Vol. II] From June 1917 to the end of the war Parts I and II compiled by Captain Cyril Falls (London: macmillan, 1930), accompanying map case

Italy

History of the Great War: based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Italy, 1915-19 compiled by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds and H.R. Davies (London: HMSO, 1949)

Salonika

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Macedonia [Vol. I] From the outbreak of war to the Spring of 1917 compiled by Captain Cyril Falls (London: HMSO, 1935), accompanying map case

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Macedonia [Vol. II] From the Spring of 1917 to the end of the war compiled by Captain Cyril Falls (London: HMSO, 1935), accompanying map case

Mesopotamia

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Campaign in Mesopotamia, 1914-1918, Vol. 1 compiled by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London, HMSO, 1923)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Campaign in Mesopotamia, 1914-1918, Vol. II compiled by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London: HMSO, 1924)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Campaign in Mesopotamia, 1914-1918. Vol. III compiled by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London: HMSO, 1925)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The Campaign in Mesopotamia, 1914-1918. Vol. IV: compiled by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London: HMSO, 1927)

East Africa

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. East Africa. Vol.1: August 1914 – September 1916 compiled by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Hordern (London: HMSO, 1941)

Togoland and the Cameroons

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Military Operations. Togoland and the Cameroons 1914-1916 compiled by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London: HMSO, 1931)

Persia

Operations in Persia, 1914-1919 by Brigadier-General F.J. Moberly (London: HMSO, in association with the Imperial War Museum, 1987) [Facsimile of edition published under restricted circulation, London, HMSO, 1929]

Germany (after the war)

The Occupation of the Rhineland, 1918-1929 by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds ([Confidential edition] London: HMSO, 1944; Public edition, with an Introduction by Dr G. Bayliss, London: HMSO, in association with the Imperial War Museum, 1987)

Orders of Battle

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle of Divisions Part I: The Regular British Divisions by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1935)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2A: The Territorial Force Mounted Divisions and the 1st-Line Territorial Force Divisions (42-56) by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1936)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 2B: The 2nd-Line Territorial Force Divisions (57th-69th) with the Home Service Divisions (71st-73rd) and 74th and 75th Divisions compiled by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1937)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3A: New Army Divisions (9-26) compiled by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1938)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle of Divisions Part 3B: New Army Divisions (30-41) and 63rd (R.N.) Division compiled by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1945)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Order of Battle. Part 4 The Army Council, G.H.Q.s, Armies, and Corps, 1914-1918 compiled by Major A.F. Becke (London: HMSO, 1945)

Other volumes

Principal Events 1914-1918 compiled by the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence (London: HMSO, 1922)

Transportation on the Western Front History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Transportation on the Western Front 1914-1918 by Colonel A.M. Henniker, with an Introduction by Brigadier-General Sir James E. Edmonds (London: HMSO, 1937), with an accompanying map case

The war at sea

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Naval Operations Vol 1 by Sir Julian S. Corbett (London: Longmans, Green, 1920) There is also a separate map volume.

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Naval Operations Vol 2 by Sir Julian S. Corbett (London: Longmans, Green, 1921)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Naval Operations Vol 3 by Sir Julian S. Corbett (London: Longmans, Green, 1923)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Naval Operations Naval Operations Vol 4 by Henry Newbolt.

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Naval Operations Naval Operations Vol 5 by Henry Newbolt.

[Maps and charts 1-18 to Vol. 1, 1-46 to Vol. 3, and 1-11 and 14 to Vol. 4, 1-31 to Vol. 5 in separate cases. Plans 1-5 to Vol. 2 in pocket.]

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Seaborne Trade Vol. 1. The Cruiser Period by C. Ernest Fayle (London: John Murray, 1920)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Seaborne Trade Vol. 1. From the Opening of the Submarine Campaign to the Appointment of the Shipping Controller by C. Ernest Fayle (London: John Murray, 1923)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: Seaborne Trade Vol. 2. The Period of Unrestricted Submarine Warfare by C. Ernest Fayle (London: John Murray, 1924)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: A History of the Blockade of Germany and the Countries Associated with her in the Great War, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and Turkey, 1914-1918 by A.C. Bell (London: HMSO, 1961)

History of the Great War, based on Official Documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence: The Merchant Navy by Archibald Hurd (London: John Murray, date unknown)

The war in the air

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The War in the Air: Being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Vol. 1 by Walter Raleigh (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1922)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The War in the Air: being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Vol. II by H.A. Jones (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1928)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The War in the Air: being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Vol. III by H. A. Jones (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1931)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The War in the Air: being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Vol. V by H.A. Jones (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1935)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. The War in the Air: being the story of the part played in the Great War by the Royal Air Force. Appendices by H.A. Jones (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1937)

Medical and Veterinary

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: General History Vol. 1 Sir W.G. Macpherson (London: Macmillan, 1921)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: General History Vol. 2 Sir W.G. Macpherson (London: Macmillan, 1923)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: General History Vol. 3: Medical Services during the operations on the Western Front in 1916, 1917 and 1918; in Italy; and in Egypt and Palestine by Sir W.G. Macpherson (London: HMSO, 1924)

Medical Services General History: Vol IV: Medical Services During the Operations on the Gallipoli Peninsula; in Macedonia; in Mesopotamia and North-West Persia; in East Africa; in the Aden Protectorate, and in North Russia. Ambulance Transport during the War by W.G. Macpherson & T.J. Mitchell (London: HMSO, 1924)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Casualties and Medical Statistics of the Great War by T.J. Mitchell & G.M. Smith (London: HMSO, 1931)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Pathology edited by Sir W.G. Macpherson, W.M. Leishman & S.L. Cummins (London: HMSO, 1923)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Diseases of the War 2v. edited by Sir W.G. Macpherson (London: Macmillan, 1922-23)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Hygiene of the War 2v. edited by Sir W.G. Macpherson (London: Macmillan, 1923)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Surgery of the War Vol.1: edited by Sir W.G. Macpherson, Sir A.A. Bowlby, Sir Cuthbert Wallace and Sir Crisp English (London: HMSO, 1922)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Medical Services: Surgery of the War Vol.2: edited by Sir W.G. Macpherson et al (London: HMSO, 1922)

History of the Great War based on official documents by direction of the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence. Veterinary Services: Casualties and Medical Statistics of the Great War edited by Sir L.J. Blenkinsop and J.W. Rainey (London: HMSO, 1925)

The war on land

The war at sea

The war in the air

Medical and Veterinary

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