Overall, this is a timely, refreshing and engrossing account of the Battle of the Somme and.- in turn - a valuable addition this story; however well covered it already is. The author puts forward the view that in 1916-17 terms, a British victory was won on the Somme. Although it was not one to be greeted with ‘bell ringing and bunting’, it was a victory with hindsight.  Equally, the determination and resolve of the soldier of the British soldier had not been broken. 

Poignantly he adds at the end that 'a British victory was won on the Somme, not one to be greeted with bell-ringing and bunting..indeed one more approriately honoured by the draperies of mourning, but a victory neverthless'. Liddle further adds that the resolve of the British soldier was not broken by the Somme concluding quite rightly, ‘It his surely time for the 1916 Battle of the Somme to be reconsidered”.

Jon Sandison, Freelance

As featured in

Living North Magazine

With its broad conclusions and judgements made by Liddle, 'Somme Reconsidered' is probably the best approached as part of wider reading about the battle, rather than as an initial introduction (you could start with his original book). Personally I enjoyed this swift take on the battle and its aspects- and welcomed the author's refreshing and challenging opinions. Recommended reading for WFA members.

Western Front Association, D. Williams

As featured in

Ripon Gazette

Peter Liddle has long been one of the most respected historians of the first world war, if not the most widely known.......and his much admired 1992 'The Somme; A Reappraisal' has been republished with considerable revision as 'The Somme Reconsidered'. He recounts the four and a half months' battle in digestible form, from a humane but unsentimental perspective and at times very lyrically. Peter Liddle's book is a constant reminder of context, not least of the times. And he is adamant:'In 1916-17 terms, a British victory was won on the Somme.

The Spectator July 2016

This is a reprint of an older book Peter Liddle did in the 1980s. Liddle was then working on forming an archive of WW1 material which is today with the University of Leeds. The book gives a good overview of the battle and includes material which was part of the archives, so many rare and previously unseen accounts and photographs. The ‘reconsidered’ part of the book is as Liddle examines the battle and considers it a victory, which in the 1980s was not a popular view – although he concedes it was certainly a costly victory. A good book and it is good to see it back in print.

Somme 1916, Paul Reed