Zero Hour Z Day (Volume II) by Jonathan Porter

This huge volume (704x A4 pages) is the second in a series of works documenting the build-up, preparations, planning and attack on 1 July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.  The day in military terminology was known as Z Day.  The time of the infantry attack, 7.30 am, was Zero Hour, hence the main title of the series, Zero Hour Z Day.  Volume II studies then analyses the operations undertaken by XV Corps, comprising of 7th, 21st, and 17th Divisions. 

Under the command of Lt. Gen. Henry Sinclair Horne, XV Corps achieved virtually total success on Z Day, finishing the job the following morning.  In so doing, they drove the Germans from Fricourt Spur, the lower slopes of Montauban Ridge and captured the bastion villages of Mametz and Fricourt, killing many of the enemy and capturing over 2,000 prisoners.  Their achievements were at the opposite of what British folklore would have us believe regarding the supposedly futile and blundering events of 1 July 1916.

The book study’s in detail and in-depth XV Corps from its higher echelons to individual soldiers and formations from Corps to platoon, to analyse and tell their story. of the build-up, preparations, planning, intelligence, weapons, tactics, training, rehearsals, orders and the attack itself on that fateful day. 

·         704x A4 pages (colour throughout).                                      

·         1,138 Bios and images of the men.

·         70 Colour maps.                                                                                     

·         140 annotated colour and B&W aerial photographs.                        

·         20 panoramic photographs, 95 colour plans and sketches.                                                               

·         164 black and white photographs, 42 colour photographs.

Contents (Chapters)                              

 Ch1: General Allied Strategy.            

 Ch2: The Ground Mametz-Fricourt.       

Ch3: The Area Sept 1914-March 1916.  

Ch4: XV Corps (7th , 17th & 21st Divisions).

Ch5: Planning & Preparations.                

Ch6: Intelligence Patrols & Raids.           

Ch7: Heavy & Divisional Artillery.                  

Ch8: RFC & Kite Balloons.                         

Ch9: Divisional Trench Mortars.                      

Ch10: Brigade Machine Gun Companies.                

Ch11: Mining, Russian Saps & Special Bde.

Ch12: XV Corps Medical Evacuation Plan.

Ch13: Tactics, Training & Orders.              

Ch14: U Day (Saturday 24 June 1916).        

Ch15: V Day (Sunday 25 June 1916).            

Ch16: W Day (Monday 26 June 1916).      

Ch17: X Day (Tuesday 27 June 1916).   

Ch18: Y Day (Wednesday 28 June 1916).

Ch19: Y1 Day (Thursday 29 June 1916).        

Ch20: Y2 Day & Assembly (Friday 30 June).

Ch21: Z Day Final Hours & Bombardment.

Ch22: Zero Hour 91st Brigade.                   

Ch23: Zero Hour 20th Brigade.                  

Ch24: Zero Hour 50th Brigade (Fricourt). 

Ch25: Zero Hour 63rd Brigade.                 

Ch26: Zero Hour 64th Brigade.                      

Ch27: Hill 110 & Fricourt (Afternoon). 

Ch28: Reinforce & Support 62nd Brigade.  

Ch29: Consolidation.                                    

Ch30: Removing the Wounded.                        

Ch31: Clearing the Dead.                              

Ch32: XV Corps Analysis.