Pillars of fire - Ian Passingham

"Gentlemen, we may not make history tomorrow, but we shall certainly change the geography." So said General Plumer before 600 tons of explosives were detonated under the German positions on Messines Ridge in 1917. First published in 1998 and featuring first-hand accounts from the combatants of both sides, Pillars of Fire looks at the action from all levels and re-assesses the reasons for Plumer's success on the day, the implications of Haig's failure to exploit it and the legacy of the battle for the maturing of the BEF in 1918.