Superlative Battalion History By David McIntyre - 17 Jun 2013 Amazon Verified PurchaseMr. Woolhouse has written one of the most outstanding battalion histories I have had the pleasure of reading in many years. Having had a long interest with WW2 Airborne related publications - and in particular the 13th Parachute Battalion with whom my ancestor served - I have collated a large library of books relating to the British Parachute and Glider-borne forces of WW2. Amongst these, " 13 - Lucky For Some" must rate as one of the very best ; exceptionally well researched, drawing extensively from official records and a plethora of eye-witness accounts to put the reader in amongst the heat of battle. The author has produced a tour-de-force of military publications that inform the reader exactly what it was like for these young volunteers to the newly formed and elite 6th Airborne Division, their training and subsequent baptism of fire on D-day when they liberated the first town in France (Ranville) and the subsequent fight for Normandy. There followed their little known involvement in the Battle of the Bulge and the bloody fight for the village of Bure in Belgium followed by a holding action in Holland. Shortly, after their return home they once again parachuted into action - this time into the German heartland - and then fought a rapid series of actions across Germany to meet up with Russian forces near Wismar. This is a 600 page book of superlative research presented in an extremely accessible format that honours the sacrifice and achievement of this under-recorded Parachute Battalion. I was under the impression that I knew pretty much all there was to know about the battalion with whom my great-uncle served and died with but this author has delved deep and provided a much fuller picture of the 13th than I ever thought possible - including a photograph of my relative that I had searched 20 years for. Wonderful stuff Mr. Woolhouse - a must read for anyone interested in Para history or indeed to know just what it was like for a soldier in the toughest of actions during WW2 .
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 20:28:32 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015