Retreat (Hardcover)

Charles R. Benstead

ISBN 10: 0413778096 / ISBN 13: 9780413778093

Published by Methuen Publishing Ltd, London, 2018

About this Item

Hardcover. Retreat, A Story of 1918 by Charles R. Benstead was first published by Methuen in 1930, as First World War fiction was moving from positive accounts of combat heroism towards narratives of disillusionment and loss. Retreat spans both phases through its tragic portrayal of an army chaplain driven to madness when his Christian values hold no sway against the bloody realities of war and through its heartening vision of how devotion to duty can fortify soldiers' sense of purpose and self-worth in the absence of spiritual faith. Retreat is based on the author's combat experiences as a Fifth Army artillery officer during the massive German advance in March 1918, adding historical depth to the literary value of the novel. The book centres heavily on the British retreat as experienced by Padre Elliot Warne, an egotistical churchman ill suited to the bitter realities of combat at the front. Warne shepherds a flock whose lack of interest in religion undermines his sense of significance to the war effort; and in the shadow of the overwhelming German army, he finds his faith gives way to fear. In Retreat, Benstead captures the cruel injustices of war as he knew it and demonstrates the inadequacies of religion as a balm to the harsh realities of war. In the introduction to this edition, war historian Hugh Cecil provides historical context for the novel's plot, a biography of the author and a survey of the book's critical and controversial reception. Charles R. Benstead (1896-1980) served with distinction as an artillery officer in the First World War and as a naval training officer in the Second World War. He wrote twelve books in all on topics ranging from naval combat to Cambridge history but none achieved the same critical success as Retreat. Hugh Cecil is an honorary lecturer at Leeds University and co-founder of the Second World War Experience Centre in Leeds. His many publications include The Flower of Battle; How Britain Wrote the Great War; Facing Armageddon: The First World War Experienced, and At the Eleventh Hour with Peter H. Liddle. Retreat, A Story of 1918 by Charles R. Benstead was first published by Methuen in 1930, when First World War fiction was moving from positive accounts of combat heroism towards narratives of disillusionment and loss. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780413778093

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Retreat (Hardcover)
• Publisher: Methuen Publishing Ltd, London
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0413778096
• ISBN 13: 9780413778093
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

This is a fictional account of a British army chaplain under fire in World War I."Retreat, a Story of 1918" by Charles R. Benstead was first published in England in 1930, as the genre of Great War fiction was shifting from positive accounts of combat heroism toward narratives of disillusionment and loss. Benstead's novel spans both phases through its tragic portrayal of an army chaplain driven to madness when his orthodox values hold no sway against the bloody realities of war and through its heartening vision of how devotion to duty can fortify soldiers' sense of purpose and self-worth in the absence of spiritual faith."Retreat" is based on the author's combat experiences as a British Fifth Army artillery officer during the massive German advance in March 1918, adding historical depth to the literary value of the novel. The book centers heavily on the British retreat as experienced by Padre Warne, an egotistical churchman ill suited to the bitter realities of combat at the front. Warne shepherds a flock whose lack of interest in religion undermines his sense of significance to the war effort; and in the shadow of the overwhelming German army, he finds his faith gives way to fear, rendering him useless and removing even his personal significance to the soldiers.Juxtaposed against Warne is Captain Cheyne, a battle-fatigued soldier who maintains his courage in the face of insurmountable odds through an empowering sense of national duty. In this theater of battle, Benstead captures the cruel injustices of the war as he knew it and the inadequacies of religion to address the harsh circumstances on the front.In the new introduction to this edition, war historian Hugh Cecil provides historical context for the novel's plot, a biography of its author, and a survey of the book's critical and controversial reception.