Zero Hour Z Day. 1st July 1916. XIII Corps Operations Between Maricourt and Mametz

This is an astonishing book. First, it is self published by the author, who has clearly made a minute study of his subject. Next, it is an enormous book, A4 size, 500 pages long, and beautifully produced, with endless maps and images. The book is about XIII Corps, part of Rawlinson's Fourth Army, and is limited to its actions on 1st July 1916. This Corps occupied the only sector on the Somme battlefield where the first day targets were attained. The Divisions in the Corps were the 30th, 18th, and 9th. The author looks at both sides of the wire, and it seems that nothing is left out. This is a magnificent book, really useful for a student of the Somme battlefield, it is a researcher's dream, and the stunning maps and diagrams are worth a book of their own.