A previously ordered book arrived today, titled 'Cambrai 1917, The Birth of Armoured Combat' which contains pictures and paintings of the battle as well as detailed maps of troop movements. This is vital for me - to actually 'see' the battle as well as read about it.
It's an extraordinary vision, and though Gilbert's story is essentially human in scale, there will be opportunities for staggeringly beautiful, terrifying and epic scenes. Doing justice to this material is going to be very hard work, but also very rewarding.
I had an email tonight from an eminent French historian who specialises in this battle, and he's offered to help me envisage the battlefield of the day.
It's all coming together.
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