Page 93 - History of War - Issue 29-16

REVIEWS
PA R A S

PARAS VOICES OF THE BRITISH

AIRBORNE FORCES IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Writer: Roger Payne OAM Publisher: Amberley Publishing
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THE LEGENDARY RED DEVILS’ BIRTH AND EARLY DAYS GETS A SOCIAL HISTORY
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A l t h o u g h p a r a c h u t i n g i n t o c o m b a t i s s t ill Market Garden, launched in September
Although parachuting into combat is still
seen as a valid deployment method by 1944, saw it encircled at Arnhem,
seen as a valid deployment method by
the British army, its Parachute Regiment
the British army, its Parachute Regiment Holland, 64 miles behind German lines.
hasn’t actually entered a con ict zone
hasn’t actually entered a con ict zone After nine days of ghting, it was left so
this way since the Suez Crisis of 1956.
this way since the Suez Crisis of 1956. badly mauled that it never regained its
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Reading Roger Payne’s book, Paras, eading Roger Payne’s book, full strength, and was disbanded only a
which explores the history of Britain’s
which explores the history of Britain’s year later.
two airborne divisions (the 1st and 6th) Payne’s highly readable book takes
two airborne divisions (the 1st and 6th)
during World War II, it’s not dif cult to
during World War II, it’s not dif cult to us through all of this and much more
see why.
see why. – from the formation of the Paras in
Leaping from a plane onto a battle eld 1940, through selection, training, early
Leaping from a plane onto a battle eld
seems like a suicidal tactic, and yet in operations in North Africa and Italy
seems like a suicidal tactic, and yet in
an age before combat helicopters, it was
an age before combat helicopters, it was before moving onto the more famous
deemed a necessary one to win a war.
deemed a necessary one to win a war. engagements in Western Europe. What
Indeed, it’s possible D-Day might have
Indeed, it’s possible D-Day might have makes it particularly refreshing is that
failed had vital inland targets not been
failed had vital inland targets not been he tells this story through a patchwork of
grabbed by the 6th Airborne Division the
grabbed by the 6th Airborne Division the voices belonging to the men who jumped
night before the invasion. Casualties,
night before the invasion. Casualties, and fought. The result is a compelling
though, were huge. By the time the 6th read that does much to get beyond the
though, were huge. By the time the 6th
limped back to England it had lost about almost mythic image of the Para, to
limped back to England it had lost about
half of its 10,000 men.
half of its 10,000 men.
reveal ordinary esh and blood men who
h a l f o f i t s 1 0 , 0 0 0 m e n. reveal ordinary esh and blood men who
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The 1st Division fared even worse. were called upon to perform acts of
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The 1st Division fared even worse.
were called upon to perform acts of
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extraordinarily courage.
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Montgomery’s disastrous Operation
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Montgomery’s disastrous Operation extraordinarily courage.
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Author: Kevin J McNamara Publisher: Public Affairs International
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HOW A BAND OF CZECHS AND SLOVAK FIGHTERS HELPED DESTROY AN EMPIRE, BEFORE
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ALMOST KILLING OFF THE NEWLY BORN SOVIET UNION
in return for a Czech-Slovak state, the
The full title of this book is Dreams Of A in return for a Czech-Slovak state, the
Tzar’s now independent Czech Legion
Great Small Nation – The Mutinous Army Tzar’s now independent Czech Legion
That Threatened A Revolution, Destroyed would join their ght on the Western
would join their ght on the Western
An Empire, Founded A Republic And Front. But how would they get the force
Front. But how would they get the force
Remade The Map Of Europe. It’s a bold to France? An epic journey then followed
to France? An epic journey then followed
sell, but this incredible story lives up to as the Legion took to the Trans-Siberian
as the Legion took to the Trans-Siberian
its billing. Perhaps the most remarkable Railway and made for Vladivostok.
Railway and made for Vladivostok.
thing about it, though, is that it’s a fable Somewhere in Siberia it was deemed
Somewhere in Siberia it was deemed
a suf cient enough threat to the
that’s remained largely untold. Until now. a suf cient enough threat to the
Set against the backdrop of WWI, Soviet leadership that Trotsky ordered
Soviet leadership that Trotsky ordered
this enthralling book tells the fate of its destruction. Thousands of miles
its destruction. Thousands of miles
thousands of Czech and Slovak soldiers from home, in a now-hostile country,
from home, in a now-hostile country,
the Czech Legion should have been
press-ganged into service by the Austro- the Czech Legion should have been
overcome. Instead, egged on by the
Hungarian Empire to ght Russia. These overcome. Instead, egged on by the
Allies and fuelled by patriotic ambition,
men, inspired by Czech independence Allies and fuelled by patriotic ambition,
the troops took the Red Army on,
campaigner Tomáš Masaryk, then the troops took the Red Army on,
deserted on mass to join the Tsar’s army capturing almost the entire railway, many
capturing almost the entire railway, many
cities along its route, and nearly toppling
in order to ght their former overlords. cities along its route, and nearly toppling
the Bolshevik regime in the process. A
In 1917, the Tzar was toppled by Lenin, the Bolshevik regime in the process. A
captivating tale, brilliantly told.
so Masaryk convinced the Allies that, captivating tale, brilliantly told.
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