A Great Feat of Improvisation is a unique publication on a forgotten aspect of an important campaign for the British Army. A Great Feat of Improvisation redresses the long-standing lacuna in the historiography of the BEF: logistics. Wide ranging in reach, comprehensive in scope and meticulously researched, it lucidly demonstrates, through description and analysis, not only the importance of logistics to military operations during the campaign but provides fresh evidence and analysis on the deployment sustainment, operations and evacuation of the BEF in the period 1939-1940. A Great Feat of Improvisation examines how pre-war strategic, economic, political and defence dynamics influenced the plans to generate and deploy the BEF, before assessing how the logistic challenges were met. Many aspects of the BEF’s logistic operations are described and analysed, including the development of the BEF’s Wheeled Motor Transport capability, the establishment and expansion of the Base, the role of military and commercial railways to the BEF’s capability and the organisation and capability of logistics at divisional level. The BEF’s ammunition, supply and fuel distribution systems, together with the delivery of equipment spares, recovery and repairs, are examined in addition to the logistics under-pinning the BEF’s growing offensive Gas Warfare capability. Logistic support to the 1st Armoured Division is described from the division’s formation to its evacuation from France, whilst the logistic aspects of denial and recovery operations are explored. Also assessed is the planning and delivery of the Quartering requirement within the United Kingdom for the returning units of the BEF and support to the Soldier in France. AUTHOR: Clem Maginniss was born in Coventry and educated at Ratcliffe College Leicester and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, being awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Modern European History and International Relations in 1978 from the University of Warwick. He served for 42 years in the Regular Army, the Territorial Army and the Army Reserve, first in the Royal Corps of Transport and then the Royal Logistic Corps. A graduate of the Army Staff College Camberley, he has written extensively for the British Army Review and the Royal Logistic Corps Journal on logistic history, doctrine, operations and equipment. A Great Feat of Improvisation is his second book. His interests are Great and Second World War military and naval logistics, underwater exploration, ship-wreck research, defence archaeology, railway heritage, keeping fit and a range of outdoor pursuits. He lives in Norfolk with his wife Edwina.
14 colour maps, 6 colour diagrams, 80 tables, 40 b/w and 10 colour photographs
