On My Way to the Somme

On My Way to the Somme examines New Zealand's role in the Somme battles of 1916.

In telling the story of New Zealand soldiers who took part in the bloody offensive Andrew Macdonald has used a wide range of primary and secondary resources, most of them hitherto unpublished. The book is written through the eyes of those who were there, but it is more than a narrative. At every turn Macdonald has endeavoured to explain how and why certain events unfolded, both at a micro and macro level. He has been careful to assess the strengths and weakness of the Division's performance on the Somme and the military lessons it drew from fighting there.

His book includes studies of command, training, discipline, morale, environment, and tactics of the day. It also looks at the role of Maori in the Somme offensive, and finishes with a chapter looking at the legacy of the 1916 offensive. In short, this is the story of New Zealand's involvement in the Somme. It is a story of human endurance, growth and suffering in the context of a WW1 battle and afterwards. Yet, it is also a military history written within a conventional framework. On My Way to the Somme is very much part of the New Zealand story and is a key to understanding who we are as a people today.