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Battalion: British Infantry Unit's Actions from El Alamein to the Elbe, 1942-45
I'm thinking of adding this to my collection, has anyone read it? The book contains accounts of small scale Infantry actions, I just wondered if these might make good wargame scenarios?
???
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Yes, it's a very good battalion history, being specifically about the 5th Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. The maps are ok and there's enough detail for lots of scenario ideas. I'd read it alongside Delaforce's 'Monty's Highlanders' (51 HD History).
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+1 really Harry.
It's very well written, an engaging story. There's an action in Sicily against a force of German paras holding a village which is told in considerable detail. A few times been tempted to turn that into a scenario. There's an action during the Tunisian campaign that might also be suitable.
EC
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Thanks chaps, absolutely spiffing!
:)
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Harry, another good book to read, especially for a
tanker's eye view of 8th Army, is 'From El Alamein
to Zem Zem' Don't remember the author's name
though.
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Harry, another good book to read, especially for a
tanker's eye view of 8th Army, is 'From El Alamein
to Zem Zem' Don't remember the author's name
though.
That’s by the poet Keith Douglas, who was killed in Normandy.
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That’s by the poet Keith Douglas, who was killed in Normandy.
Thanks for that Andrew.
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That’s by the poet Keith Douglas, who was killed in Normandy.
Funnily enough, I took Eclaireur (above) to the site of his death.
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EDIT: Ha found it on kindle
https://www.amazon.com.au/kindle-dbs/thankYouPage?_encoding=UTF8&a=A524B1WEJG9SV&action=&asin=B00R88T3NW&noDevicePurchaseAllowed=&subtype=FREE_CHAPTER&targetFiona=A524B1WEJG9SV
amazon has some interesting pricing on this one
Price
New from Used from
Hardcover
—
$768.57 $987.25
Paperback
—
$768.57 $768.57
Paperback, December 31, 2000
$5.00
— $5.00
and in UK
Amazon Price
New from Used from
Hardcover
£50.94
— £50.94
Paperback
—
— £60.99
Not available in Oz
So its Abebooks then?
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Mine's a hardback copy, fifteen quid off fleabay.
:)
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Mine's a hardback copy, fifteen quid off fleabay.
:)
Well you could sell it on Amazon for tidy sum one day!
Have bought the kindle edition (3 quid) and started to read it , cracking stuff.
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I read this book a long time ago (over 20 years). I recall that it is a great book. Some of the outstanding elements that I remember are the unit actions in North Africa, particularly when they got caught in an enfiladed position in a wadi. I also remember the part about morale in 1944/'45. They were, by that time, a veteran unit and part of the 7th Armoured but the attitude was that they had done their bit and now it was someone else's turn. Veterans; but unwilling to to undertake any further fighting.
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Book's just arrived, a nice read for the weekend.
:)
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The Battalion's reached Alamein. I can feel a desert game coming on already!
(https://www.thewargameswebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/hm_bbpui/135624/5jai8rm4parotg4jwh97da3negu88khr.jpg)
:)
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Another little tome has peaked my interest, I cannot find much information about it though. The book's called:-
Hell Will Not Wait by John Crawford
Can anyone help with a small review please?
???
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Just finished the book, very sobering read I found the final chapter deeply moving, nobody suffered quite like The PBI. I did not find anything in the book to support this statement made by Melnibonean...
'the attitude was that they had done their bit and now it was someone else's turn.'
???
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He may have been thinking of other books on similar subjects. For example, Mark Urban's book 'The Tank War' (and accompanying TV series 'Tankies'), which followed 5 RTR through WW2 from France to North Africa, back to the UK and then to Normandy and Germany included a lot of primary evidence regarding those attitudes, including diary entries made at the time, as well as interviews with the veterans. He also did a lot of research into disciplinary records, Courts Martial and medical stats re shell-shock to see if there was any difference in the mental state of Africa veterans in Normandy compared to the others.