Good afternoon, Firstly a very happy New Year to you. A New Year's Resolution is to read more and I am especially to keen to read accounts of single Army units of the Allies and their campaigns in Europe. Descriptions of actions and individuals lend the colour and detail to the broad brush descriptions and allow me to more fully appreciate the challenges and consider the immensity of the experience and sacrifice of these men and women. I also like to pour over modern day maps and Google earth to get a feel for things as well - perhaps one day I'll visit the ground where things happened. Band of Brothers has most notoriety perhaps. I've read Patrick Delaforce's Churchill's Desert Rats and am planning to purchase James Holland's Brothers in Arms. I'd like to cover different areas of Europe including Italy. So if I could perhaps ask for your expert opinion. If you were to advise your top 5 books of this ilk that will draw me in what would they be? With best wishes and thanks John
welcome to the forum More informed members than I will be along to advise on specific areas might be an idea to look through this to see the depth of book buying issues My book-buying "problem"
Thankyou for your welcome and your link. The experience of standing in front of the Military History section in Waterstones was much the same. With such a plethora of choices, this newby did a runner! So pointers from the pros would be so welcome
Perhaps it is tricky? As it depends a lot on whatever an individual's own interests are. Also a top 5 is a bit arbitrary ;-) Some unit histories perhaps are handy as references to dip into (with a good index) rather than front-to-back readthroughs albeit a thorough readthrough first is probably what makes the best sense.... ? Regimental-Histories_1936-1945 Bright_0001.jpg - 9th/12th Royal Lancers Museum Book Review - None Had Lances - The Story of the 24th Lancers - Leonard Willis The first and the last the story of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, 1939-1945 compiled from the regimental war diary, squadron diaries, personal narratives, and the unofficial "Actions of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in France" * Hard Fighting: A History of the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry 1900 - 1946 by Jonathan Hunt An Englishman at War: The Wartime Diaries of Stanley Christopherson DSO MC & Bar 1939-1945 Edit - re. Reprints... Out of stock - The First and the Last: The story of the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, 1939-1945 - RDG Museum
Not a book, but sounds like you might enjoy my website on the 8th Rifle Brigade: Home - 8th Rifle Brigade It contains the battalion's history, hundreds of photos and documents, personal accounts and some 65 maps showing their route from Normandy to the Baltic. New items get added every few days or weeks. I'm afraid for the book you'll need to wait another 5 or 10 years (not a joke!)...
Three books I would commend, all read over twenty years ago and kept: 1) Six Armies in Normandy by the late John Keegan, pub. in paperback 1984 2) With the Jocks: A soldiers struggle for Europe 1944-45 by Peter White, pub. in paperback 2002 3) Quartered Safe Out Here: A Recollection of the War In Burma by George MacDonald Fraser, pub. 1992 (Yes, not in Europe)
Voices from the Past The 16th Durham Light Infantry in Italy 1943-45 Peter Hart. Down to earth stories from men who were there. Ubique by A. M. Cheetham MC Part of British 1st Infantry Division 2nd Field Regiment Trainied in the UK. The Regiment prepared for war in Tunisia, North Africa. Followed by Anzio , Rome, Florence and the Gothic LIne. Down to earth story by an officer who spent much of his time in Forward Observation, directing the guns.
Posted elsewhere, so not my suggestion: From Jordan Baker in: VERITABLE 1945: the Canadian finale (Moyland Wood & Goch-Calcar road) It was published in 1979, in Canada and there appear to be none advertised for sale on the "usual suspects". In the UK only there is a copy at The British LIbrary, London & Boston. No reviews either.
"Your Top 5 Books that detail a Unit's war" - I thought I just add ;-) Not a reflection on those posting about one, but if you post about 5 in 5 different posts it gets a bit harder to read through... Edit: Either that or perhaps most simple just edit the title (CRF - "edit title" link at the top) to just read - Your Top Book or Books that detail a Unit's war
Try 'Battalion' by Alastair Borthwick. This book covers the 5th Seaforth Highlanders from before Alamein to the final victory in Germany and is outstanding for the sheer amount of frontline action it describes. The book was originally published as Sans Peur in 1946 but quickly sold out. The book was republished as Battalion in 1994 by Baton Wicks Publications, London, ISBN 1-898573-00-X. In Borthwick's words, the purpose of the book 'is to tell what it was like to live in a tightly-knit family and fight a war.' Time I re-read it!
