With Snow on Their Boots: The Tragic Odyssey of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France During World War I

This is a very interest, well researched work on a little known chapter on the First World War. I have on one occasion ran across a brief introduction to the Russian experience on the Western Front; little more than a passing comment. This book covers the entire experience of the Russian soldier from the opening negotiations between the French government and Imperial Russia through the training, combat experience, the revolution and ultimate repatriation of the troops well after the war ended. Very insightful and moving narative of the plight of the common Russian soldier sent away from the homeland to fight in a foreitn country. With the advent of the Russian Revolution, the soldiers did not know what this meant for them; how the early exit of Russia from the war would effect them; and how the final peace would relate to their returning to their homes and families. Ultimately, the soldiers become pawns between Revolutionary Russia and France. Anyone having an interest in the First World War will find this an interesting read.

During the years of World War I, the costly trench warfare in the Western Front was eating the manpower of France. On the other hand, their eastern ally Russia had a huge army but was inadequately provided with weapons and ammunition. So, someone got this splendid idea: Russia would send a couple of their seemingly endless armies to the west, and in exchange they would receive much needed ammunition from French factories. In the end, the Russians could spare only two brigades, approximately 20 000 men, which were shipped to France in 1916. For what they were worth, they performed pretty well in the battle, but obviously the bargain of exchanging human lives for ammunition had failed, and pretty soon the French high command regarded this Russian Expeditionary Force only as trouble. For various reasons however, they either wouldn't or couldn't send them back to Russia, and the situation became a real mess after the Russian revolution. Two Russian units, one "czarist" and one "bolshevik", actually fought a battle against each other while in France.This little-known story has been thoroughly told in Mr. Cockfield's excellent book. The author has an eye for tragi-comical nature of REF's odyssey and sad ultimate fate, but admirably this doesn't border to cynicism. On the contrary, despite the heavy research work, Mr. Cockfield approaches his subject with a very humane touch. The various people in this story - Czar and his advisors, French politicians and commanders, Russian officers and ordinary peasant-soldiers - come very much alive with all their faults and few virtues. The book isn't just about an obsucre military incident or war politics, it manages to tell a lot about certain era and the people living it.

I was not trying to find this book I was looking for someone with my name and this man Cockfield came up. I read the book it was a exciting book and I learn a lot form this man that has the same last name as I do. I could not belive it. When I ask my dad is there more sets of Cockfield's he would say only one. Maybe he is a relative of mine. I would love to learn more about this man and more Cockfield's from back in the day. thank you Tarsha Cockfield,

This book gives an incredibly detailed picture of the Russian Expeditionary Force in France during WWI. The frustrations of the situation are so well delineated that the reader begins to share the feelings of the involved parties. The vast amount of detail is well documented and reflects exhaustive research. This truly scholarly work is the definitive English langauge account of the REF in WWI.