What are you reading at the moment?

My wife had to do the ordering as mum-in-law doesn’t do the internet and I know it’s just arrived as I took it in. Not allowed to touch the parcel anymore though - so near and yet so far...

 

Looking through, rather than reading the book Wingate's Men, which is a pictorial history of the two Chindit campaigns. Many of the images used are familiar to me, but with the odd fresh one thrown in to enjoy. Sadly, the author has not worked very hard to explain some of the photographs employed and has simply made captions up to suit his timeline in the book. Rather disappointing.

 

Finally reading this book which I've seen referenced a lot.
Jason Gurney - Wikipedia

While Gurney fought in the International Brigades, he is very even handed in his writing and is not blind to the faults on the Republican side. Some great snapshots of noted historical figures from the era including an unflattering episode with Hemingway.

 

I have recently come into a stash of Chindit related books and other paperwork. I'm reading this little booklet at the moment:

 

Having a bit of a short rest from Tobruk books at the moment. Just read ‘Safety Last’ by Captain George Eyston. It was published in 1975, which made him 78 years old when it was released. He describes it as an autobiography but it really is a series of vignettes and character descriptions, along with an odd chapter towards the end describing the formation of MG Car Clubs in North America. Not a rewarding book to read and a lot of his career left out. Maybe he needed a hand writing the book by that stage of his life.

He describes quite a lot about his time in the Royal Artillery in WW1 but only briefly mentions his role as a Regional Controller at the Ministry of Production in WW2. The best section of the book is his description of taking the 100MPH in the Hour record in MG EX120 in the early 1930s. He took the record, crossed the finish line and the car burst into flames before he jumped out. He beat Austins though. The British motoring industry were well advanced in the development of small capacity engines at that time.

I should track down his earlier books.

Scott

 

For a forthcoming review on here. Pretty interesting stuff so far and a hugely impressive who's who of contributors from interviews conducted in mid to late 1945.

 

Just finished this one. A real lambs to the slaughter tale once the Germans got involved. The author has done a tremendous job collating the meagre first hand accounts and has managed to include Blenheims in Greek and Yugoslavian service as well as the RAF. A very thorough day by day log of the campaign by a historian who has perfected his craft over countless books.
My one niggle is the perception I formed that a first hand account seems to be trumped by any form of official report regardless of circumstances. As an example, three eyewitness accounts say they were attacked by five aircraft, however Italian records only show one aircraft flying that day, so it must be an exaggeration. Another raid claims fifteen enemy aircraft seen, but only five are shown in official papers. Similarly towards the end of the book a combat claim that was also verified by the Royal Navy is dismissed as it's not shown in German records. I don't think it's beyond the realms of possibility that Axis records can be incomplete at times.
All in all though a recommended book on a campaign that doesn't receive a lot of recognition despite the sacrifice made by so many crews.

 

Desperate Valour Triumph at Anzio by Flint Whitlock on Kindle. I wanted to broaden my knowledge of Anzio, this book addresses both the American and the British contributions to the conflict
Flint is one of the few authors that has responded to my emails and provided me with encouragement to carry on despite British publishers discounting WW2 as being of interest.
The Blue Devils in Italy by T /Sgt John P Delaney on Kindle. I wanted to find out how the British 1s Infantry Division came to inherit such a difficult feature to defend as Mont Grande.
Reading this story provided the most unexpected and shocking answer.
With the East Surreys in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy by Bryn Evans on Kindle. I was seeking and found the story of how 1st Div found themselves at Banana Ridge and why it was of such strategic interest to the Germans who launched Operation Fliederblute and in particular tried to take Djebel Djaffa.

 

I'm currently reading Hitler's Bandit Hunters by Philip W Blood which covers the doctrine, organisation and operations of the SS & Polizei in rear area security and hunting partisans throughout Europe and why the policy change from conducting 'Anti-Partisan' operations to 'Bandenbekämpfung' had big implications, not just for resistance groups but also Allied Commandos.
It is a fascinating read and gives a lot of insight on an area of policy and operations that tends to be skirted round elsewhere.

 

I'm halfway through this short book was released last month. Halifax/Mosquito pilot George Dunn is now 98 so this is a long overdue memoir by one of the stalwarts on the signing circuit! Fleshing out Georges account are the diary left by his flight engineer Ferris and also some extracts from his bomb aimer, who wrote his own memoir in the nineties. Quite a niche little book as you get experiences from three different view points at times which adds to the value of this book. George flew 50 operations from '43 onwards so this is a very worthwhile late addition to Bomber Command memoirs.

Copies ordered directly from the Fighting High website come signed by George, so I'd recommend that if anybody is interested in picking up a copy.

 

The Combat History of the 21st Panzer Division 1943-45

Republished as paperback and therefore easily available again from publisher (Helion) or any other good dealer.

For years, one of the most essential sources for study of the Normandy invasion was known only to a select few and nearly unobtainable even to those who knew of its existence. It has never before been translated. None of the major English language histories of the Normandy Invasion refer to it, even though it is the history of the only German armored division that was in place in the Caen area at the moment of the invasion. It reveals key facts that are missing elsewhere. At long last, Werner Kortenhaus' history of the 21st Panzer Division has been published in English. Kortenhaus's account of the division's subsequent commitment, in the Lorraine - Saar Region - Alsace area provides intriguing detail on this little known sector as the southern wing of Patton's 3rd Army strove for the Upper Rhine area of Germany. The last section follows the division after its hasty transfer to the Oder Front, facing the final Russian onslaught on Berlin. In revising and updating his account, originally released in two massive typed volumes, Die Schlalcht um Caen, 1944, Caumont, Falaise Seine, der Einsatz der 21. Panzer Division'' in 1989 and ''Lothringen Elsaß, der Ostfront, der Einsatz der 21. Panzer Division'' in 1990, Werner Kortenhaus has exhaustively researched all available sources in German, French and English to supplement his own experiences and those of his fellows and the many individuals whom he interviewed. The result is a seamless account of the Normandy invasion in the British sector from the German viewpoint that sheds new light on many controversial issues. The account continues, following the division and surrounding events during the retreat to the Seine and the division's later commitment in Alsace - Lorraine and, finally, on the Oder Front against the Soviet Union, and its eventual demise in the horrors of the Halbe pocket. The account is not restricted to the history of the 21st Panzer Division, but includes detailed analysis and exposition of actions of adjoining divisions and of the larger picture, from the German viewpoint. Elements of the 21st Panzer Division were committed separately prior to the Normandy invasion on both sides of the River Orne, in the vicinity of Caen. Although the 21st Panzer Division was the only German armored division stationed in the Caen area, it stood by in frustration with engines running for hours awaiting orders for action. Even then it was handicapped by its prior dispersed commitment. Elements of the 21st Panzer Division fought against the British airborne force at Pegasus Bridge, while other elements launched a counterattack that almost reached Sword Beach. The division's Kampfgruppe von Luck was a major part of the German defense east of the Orne. North of Caen, to the west of the Orne, along with the 12th SS-Hitler Jugend Panzer Division the 21st Panzer Division blocked the unrelenting British frontal attacks on Caen that culminated in ''Operation Charnwood. The division subsequently played a major role in halting the British assault east of Caen, ''Operation Goodwood'', short of its final objectives. The division was then shifted westward where remnants of the division then defended against Montgomery's ''Operation Bluecoat'' that resulted in the final British Breakthrough on their western flank as the Americans broke through to Avranche and beyond. As the German counterattack at Mortain failed and allied forces moved toward encircling the German Fifth Panzer Army and Seventh Army , the 21st Panzer Division was shifted again and attached to the I SS-Panzer Korps. Its two combat groups were separated by the advance of the II Canadian Corps, Kampfgruppe Rauch and elements of Panzer Aufklärungs Abteilung 21 ending up inside the Falaise Pocket, Kampfgruppe von Luck on the outside. Following the retreat to the Seine, the reconstituted, but much depleted, 21st Panzer Division then fought in Lorraine against Patton's 3rd Army. As one of the few armored divisions not included in Hitler's build up of forces for the impending Ardennes Offensive, the division became a ''fire brigade'', shifted from one hot spot to another, constantly counter attacking as the German front was forced back from Lorraine into the Saar region and then into Alsace. Kortenhaus presents an unusual and detailed insight into the ''poor man''s war'' against the southern arm of Patton's thrust through the Saar region to the upper Rhine, as a few hard-pressed remnant formations tried to ''hold the line'' while the bulk of the remaining German forces were massed and reconstituted for Hitler's last great offensive in the Ardennes. As the Ardennes operation failed, the 21st Panzer Division took part in ''Operation Nordwind'' and fought on in Alsace, until the Russian assault over the Vistula shattered the frail German Eastern Front. Within a matter of weeks the Russian forces reached the Oder and broke into East Prussia and Silesia. On 31 January 1945 Hitler ordered that the 21st Panzer Division be pulled out of Alsace and dispatched in extreme haste to the Eastern Front in the Küstrin area. A mere shadow of even what it was when it entered the fighting in Lorraine, the division established contact with the garrison of ''Fortress Küstrin'' before it was, again, hastily shifted south into northern Silesia in the Sagan - Bunzlau area on the Lausitzer Neiße River. After initial eventful fighting the division fell back to the west bank of the Lausitzer Neiße River, where it dug in. As the Russian offensive focused on other sectors, the defensive line along the Lausitzer Neiße River was successfully held by the 4th Panzer Armee until mid-February 1945. / While the Russians concentrated forces for their last offensive, the ''Battle of Berlin'', the Oder Front remained relatively quiet, except on the boundary between the 4th Panzer Armee and 17th Armee, where the ''Battle for Lauban'' developed as the last major offensive of the German Army. A combat group and command staff from the 21st Panzer Division took part in the offensive, which, while successful, faded into insignificance in comparison with the magnitude of Russian forces. Faced with the concentration of the Soviet forces for the final offensive on Berlin , the German Supreme Command repositioned forces, transferring the 21st Panzer Division to the Weißwasser - Spremberg area, on the left wing of the 4th Panzer Armee, of Heeresgruppe Mitte, initially as Armee reserve. The division was ordered to dig in in the ''Mathilda'' Position, in the German second line of defense. Marshal Koniev's 1st Ukrainian Front launched its final offensive as the last elements of the division arrived. The division was quickly drawn into the fighting. Fighting in desperate defense, the division fell back on Cottbus. The Russian breakthrough in the area between Spremberg and Cottbus split the German V Armee Korps , including the 21st Panzer Division, off from the left wing of the 4th Panzer Armee/Heeresgruppe Mitte , forcing it to the north, into the sector of Heeresgruppe Weichsel, where it was attached to the German 9th Armee. The division met its end as the 9th Armee was cut off and destroyed in the Halbe Pocket, while Russian forces fought within the city of Berlin.Helion's English edition includes a significant number of rare photographs and many maps. Werner Kortenhaus' study represents a significant contribution to English language material available regarding a Heer panzer division, besides its extensive coverage of German armoured operations in Normandy, Lorraine, Alsace and elsewhere.

Summary from bol.com | The Combat History of the 21st Panzer Division 1943-45, Werner Kortenhaus |...

 

One of my Christmas books:

Tim

 

Off-topic, but I'm an engineer by trade, and this is my Xmas reading:

 

Looks very interesting.

My current reading is also not WW2 related.


The Diaries is a dip into read a bit book and the Irish perspectives is a series of papers from Irish historians collected together so also a read a bit. I start teaching again next week so short and sweet will be the order of the day for the next couple of months.

 

The Impossible Victory by Brian Harpur. Not at all what I expected having found it on a link in an American WW2 Magazine depicting the 85th Mountain Regt in a photo taken in the Apennines.
It has however become an informative read not only providing stories of events leading to the Battle of the River Po but some fascinating meetings and interviews with the men who Commanded the Armies involved. A chance meeting with General Alexander, a pub meeting with journalist work colleagues who had served at Casino, since writing about it and the determination to meet and question Gen Mark Clark regarding his change of direction to take Rome, followed some time later with interviews with Sir Richard McCreery and General Wladyslaw Anders.
This adds to my understanding of what took place after the British 1st Infantry Division were sent to Palestine to rebuild their battalions, missing the opportunity to return and be part of the victory.

 

I read that one a couple of months ago, enjoyed it and interesting to read about his chat with Clark - the bit about the Poles being convinced to stick with it was also interesting

 

Had not read anything on Sicily since the late Carlo D’Este’s ‘Bitter Victory’. Thoroughly enjoying it. A more nuanced contribution.
Len

 

I finished my third read of Blazing Chariots (Bob Crisp). This time around I was a little more critical and noted that Crisp got himself stranded TWICE due to running out of fuel. In one case he observed an enemy convoy for several hours (at least so it seemed) and only discovered he was out of fuel when two enemy tanks were approaching, then had to be rescued under cover of darkness by another tank. A more conscientious officer might perhaps have checked how much fuel they had.

Now on to reading Eighth Army Versus Rommel (James Colvin) for pleasure since I don't have to do any proofreading this time

 

I am not reading much which is WWII connected lately, but I have dipped into Mark Zuehlke's book about Dieppe. It makes me want to know more about the subject, so I read Stacey's account in the official Canadian Army history. I also re-read a bit of Cecil B. Currey's Follow Me and Die, a really horrifying account of the destruction of the 28th Infantry Division in the Hurtgen Forest. Currey is essential reading if you want to understand that battle. I also re-read John Buckley's account of Market-Garden in Monty's Men. It's the most succinct and fair-minded appraisal of the operation I've ever read.

 

I'm a good bit into Always a Patricia by C S Frost, I'm really enjoying it, a decent sized book but so far not a great deal of it relates to time on the frontline which would normally disappoint me but as he says a lot of a soldiers time is in training, moving and in his case treatment and recuperation which is all well dealt with, his time in hospital in Africa is very enlightening. Unless something goes massively astray in the bit I've got to read I'd highly recommend it.