The Gambardier

The Gambardier: the Experiences of a Battery of Heavy Artillery on the Western Front During the First World War

The First World War with the big guns

Gambardier is a title-not completely complimentary-for a heavy or siege artilleryman. It was bestowed most usually by his comrade (but rival) of the field artillery. This is the story of a young officer-a Gambardier-from the outbreak of the Great War to its end on the Western Front. In this compelling and unusual book, we experience life on campaign, the tension and danger of Observation Posts (O. Ps), the brutality of counter barrages from the enemy-the German artillery, and the humour and incident of life amongst a small group of men thrown together in adversity. The big guns themselves are the real characters of this book, and the author provides a fascinating and compelling detail about their various types, their rate of fire, their ammunition, transportation and maintenance.