Book review: Walking the Retreat: the March to the Marne,Terry Cudbird

Walking the Retreat. The March to the Marne: 1914 Revisited
Terry Cudbird, Signal Books, £12.99

A specialist in French history, Cudbird’s other passion is walking. Here, he retraces the footsteps of the French and British Armies who in 1914 were forced into a long retreat from Belgium to the Marne. Over a million soldiers marched 20 miles a day in sweltering heat, lacking food, water and rest. Cudbird evokes the troops’ endurance by putting his research into context, following the path of one particular soldier, André Benoit. The result is dense and dry, with a lot of historical fact to wade through. Great if you’re a history buff, but not recommended for light bedtime reading. ★★

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