The authors have researched the Salonika Campaign in every detail, from the arrival of the first British troops in 1915 to final victory. During this period large numbers of British and allied troops were tied up in strategically vital Balkans. Salonika was converted into a vast military base and over 70 miles of defensive works were created. We learn the disappointments of the British XII Corps offensive in April/May 1917 (The first Battle of Doiran) and the more successful aggressive raiding on the Struma Valley. Using first hand accounts a vivid picture of life for the British Army is painted, with the roles of the Royal Flying Corps/RAF and RNAS well covered. The campaign drew to a victorious conclusion with the defeat of the Bulgarians in 1918 but the British Salonika Army remained in place until 1921. The effect of this slow demobilization is also covered. AUTHOR: Alan Wakefield has degrees at Reading University, King's College London and University College London. He is a curator at the IWM. SELLING POINTS: ? A new and overdue definitive study of the British involvement in the (largely ignored) Salonika Campaign from the military angle ? Focuses on the personal experiences of those involved and draws on their own accounts found in museums and archives ? Interest in Great War campaigns away from the Western Front is intense and growing ? Ties the events of the Campaign into the wider context ILLUSTRATIONS: 16 pages b/w plates *
