Fighting for The Butcher

The Marne, summer 1918: A great German offensive aimed at Paris is in full swing. Called upon by the Allied Generalissimo Ferdinand Foch, the under-prepared 34th (New Army) Division of Lieutenant General Sir Alexander Godley’s XXII Corps was rushed by rail through the French countryside to support the projected Franco-American counter-offensive to strike back against the Boche invader.

Ruthless General Charles Mangin, a hero of Verdun, had twice been sacked and twice reinstated, most recently in June 1918, by Premier Georges Clemenceau and Foch. Both recognised his unique military talents would be perfectly suited to lead the planned counter-offensive intended to sever the Marne salient. Taking command of the French Xe Armée, Mangin was charged with executing the primary thrust and, driving his forces rapidly eastwards, planned to sever the enemy’s jugular vein and close the neck of the ‘poche’ thereby cutting the enemy escape route. To accomplish this, the 34th Division was temporarily placed under his command.

"There are not many untold stories of the Western Front left to tell, but Richard Willis has unearthed one of them and has told it in impressive, forensic detail. Like many people, I hadn’t realised that British troops fought as part of a French army, least of all for the notorious General Mangin.....Overall, Fighting for the Butcher is an excellent book that makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Second Battle of the Marne. Willis's writing is clear and concise, and he does a good job of explaining the complex military operations involved in the battle." Stand To! No 132, Oct 2023

"...Overall, this is a fascinating study of a battle that the author describes as ‘the’ pivotal moment of the war rather than the 8th of August, German’s ‘Black Day’. The frequent footnotes, numerous statistical tables, a detailed bibliography and a decent index are all positives. ...this is an interesting and worthy study of a phase of the Great War many of us may be unfamiliar with.​" Great War Group Magazine

“…the book delivers a nice, concise recap and analysis of an overlooked offensive. Well done.” Historical Miniatures Gaming Society