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03-07-2008, 10:05 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Very Senior Member   Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Looking for a Landing Zone
Posts: 1,263
 | Arnhem I'm off to Arnhem for a few days in September, so can anyone recommend any good books, in particular I'm after personal accounts. Thanks in advance.
__________________ 52nd Airborne. Remembering the fallen from the 5th Hampshire Regiment and The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. |
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03-07-2008, 10:13 PM
| #2 (permalink) |
| Ubique   Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: UK/France
Posts: 2,853
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__________________ The WW2 Society: Remembering those from Britain & The Commonwealth who served 1939-45 - http://www.battlefieldsww2.50megs.com/ww2_society.htm |
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04-07-2008, 07:15 AM
| #3 (permalink) |
| Senior Member   Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bury, Lancashire, England
Posts: 276
| I would particularly recommend the guidebook by Colonel John Waddy. He kindly gave me valuable advice when planning my 2003 school tour. The three best overall accounts, in my view, are 'The Devil's Birthday' by Geoffrey Powell, 'Arnhem: The Airborne Battle' by Martin Middlebrook and the ground-breaking 'It Never Snows in September' by Robert Kershaw. All of these books contain extensive quotations from personal accounts, those in the John Waddy book being keyed to the particular sites on the battlefield tours he describes. I must confess that I haven't read the recent Lloyd Clark book and I found the William Buckingham study entertaining but splenetic. It has more than a whiff of Allan Clark's 'The Donkeys' about it. 'Boy' Browning really gets it in the neck! A very atmospheric fictionalized memoir is 'Men at Arnhem' by 'Tom Angus' (AKA Major Geoffrey Powell). We read his moving account of the heroic resupply attempts at the Air Dispatchers' Memorial at Oosterbeek.
__________________ In memory of Corporal Jack Hone (1923-2004), proud 14th Army 'Steelback'. Last edited by Mark Hone; 04-07-2008 at 07:30 AM. |
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04-07-2008, 07:43 AM
| #4 (permalink) |
| Top Moose  Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Under the stairs
Posts: 8,595
| Lyndon, I've a copy of Arnhem Spearhead by James Sims sat on my bookshelf that I bought at a church jumble sale for 50p a few years ago. If you would like to read it PM me your address & I'll post it to you. |
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04-07-2008, 09:12 AM
| #5 (permalink) |
| Very Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Looking for a Landing Zone
Posts: 1,263
| Many thanks for your input guys. I didn't realise I had read so many books on Arnhem. I think I'll take a look at the Devils Birthday as it seems I haven't read that one. Also does anyone have a copy of Martin Middlebrooks book on Arnhem, I have it somewhere but I can't find it. I'm sure there is a reference to a company from the Ox & Bucks being at Arnhem - Can anyone confirm this for me.
__________________ 52nd Airborne. Remembering the fallen from the 5th Hampshire Regiment and The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. |
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04-07-2008, 10:53 AM
| #6 (permalink) | |
| Senior Member  Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 156
| Quote:
Personal accounts...loads in the Middlebrook book, otherwise there are a few personal stories from Arnhem like the already mentioned Arnhem Spearhead, then there is A Sapper at Arnhem, Arnhem Lift, Diary of a Red Devil and a Fragment of a Life..... Then there have been numerous 'unit accounts' full of personal accounts like Off at Last 7th KOSB When Dragons Flew 1st Borders Leading the Way 21st Ind Company With Spanners Descending REME B Company Arrived 2nd Parachute Battalion and by no means last Red Berets and Red Crosses RAMC I could mention others and will if you suggest what unit you're after.... I'm not a fan of the Clark book as it it full of inaccuracies...... As to a company of the Ox and Bucks at Arnhem.....not a company but the defence platoon for 1st AB Div HQ was formed from men of that unit when they were part of it in NA in 1943 and stayed behind when the rest went to 6th Airlanding Brigade. 3 or 4 died at Arnhem..... Hope this helps but lots of things on Arnhem..... | |
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04-07-2008, 11:37 AM
| #7 (permalink) | |
| Very Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Looking for a Landing Zone
Posts: 1,263
| Quote:
Once again my fellow posters many thanks!
__________________ 52nd Airborne. Remembering the fallen from the 5th Hampshire Regiment and The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. | |
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04-07-2008, 12:23 PM
| #8 (permalink) |
| Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Lancashire
Posts: 156
| If you have John Hey's roll of honour he lists the 4 or so Ox and Bucks casualties....when are you in Arnhem? I'm going in September to help with a small BFT...... Not sure if the defence platoon ran their own war diary...... |
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