"Fix Bayonets!" - John William Thomason

A career Marine who started off as a second lieutenant in WWI, Thomason used his own experiences in Europe and China to really bring this collection of short stories to life. It was a great escape after reading all the hard core non-fiction that has occupied my time lately. Despite being written over 80 years ago this book still stands up to anything being written today. Filled with Thomason’s own fantastic illustrations, this is one of those books I had a hard time putting down. It is going to be one of those books that I read over and over again. You really can’t go wrong with this one. I’m not sure if there is an addition still in print but I had no problem finding a used copy.

Adding to the Reference Library; WWI

I really didn't have much reference material for this period except for a number of Squadron Signal Aircraft Books from our days of playing Blue Max. There were a number of key needs to be filled by these purchases; some kind of guide that could be used for painting, another to provide some idea of how to model the trenches when I get to that part of the project and something to provide a general overall view of the Great War. Of course I was also distracted by the need for something specific to the USMC forces I am building up.

I already owned the following:
Osprey - Battle Orders - The American Expeditionary Forces in World War I
Osprey - Men at Arms - US Marine Corps in World War I 1917-18

And while looking for something else I discovered three more that I had forgot about from last year and I think there is even one more lurking in some dark forgotten corner.
The Somme, The Darkest Hour on the Western Front - Peter Hart
The United States Army Second Division Northwest of Chateau Thierry in World War I - John Thomason (I think I got this one because a friend in the Army claimed that the Marines attacked into Belleau Wood by mistake)
The First World War - John Keegan
1/20/2012 - Found the missing book last night in yet another stack of books in my room:
Miracle at Belleau Wood - Alan Axelrod

Currently on the way:
Osprey - Warrior - US Doughboy 1916 - 19 - Arrived 1/18/2012
Osprey - Fortifications - Fortifications on the Western Front 1914 - 18 - Arrived 1/23/2012
Osprey - Men at Arms - US Army of World War I - Arrived 1/13/2012
Trench; A History of Trench Warfare on the Western Front  by Stephen Bull - Arrived 1/18/2012
Fix Bayonets -by John A Thomason (Yes, I did spell that right) - Arrived 1/9/2012
The Devil Dogs of Bellea Wood; US Marines in WWI by Dick Camp - Arrived 1/9/2012
The Great War: Hell's Last Horror by Neil DeMarco - Arrived 1/10/2012

So a bunch of books actually arrived today including some titles that I forgot I ordered. My extensive collection of books has managed to grow again (and it is extensive I estimated that there are probably 500 books in my bedroom alone, and then there is the library in the basement).

So the unexpected arrivals are:
Osprey - Campaign - Chateau Thierry & Belleau Wood 1918
At Belleau Wood - Robert B Asprey
His Time in Hell; a Texas Marine in France - Warren R Jackson