British 21st Infantry Division on the Western Front 1914 - 1918: A Case Study in Tactical Evolution

Snowden, Kathryn Louise (2001). British 21st Infantry Division on the Western Front 1914 - 1918: A Case Study in Tactical Evolution. University of Birmingham. M.Phil.

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Abstract

This MPhil thesis is a case study of the British 21st Infantry Division on the Western Front during the First World War. It examines the progress of the division, analysing the learning curve of tactical evolution that some historians maintain was experienced by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). 21st Division was a New Army division, typical of those raised after the declaration of war, and its performance throughout the war may be regarded as indicative of the progress or otherwise of these units within the BEF. The conclusions are drawn through an assessment of 21st Division in four battles during the war. The achievements of the division are analysed using a series of performance indicators, taking into account variables such as the weather, the terrain, and the enemy. The relative successes and failures of 21st Division at each of these battles demonstrates the extent of tactical evolution and the smoothness or otherwise of the learning curve both during and by the end of the war.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Masters by Research > M.Phil.)

Award Type:

Masters by Research > M.Phil.

Supervisor(s):