Second World War Books

Book SynopsisThis book is a fascinating and gripping examination of birth, sex and abuse during the Nazi era. Dr Chalmers' unique lens on the Holocaust provides a stunning and controversial expose of the voices of both Jewish and non-Jewish women living under Nazi rule. Based on twelve years of study, the book takes an inter-disciplinary view incorporating women's history, Holocaust studies, social sciences and medicine, in a unique, cutting-edge examination of what women themselves said, thought and did.

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Book SynopsisA true story of a Halifax aircraft and seven airmen flying much needed supplies from their base in Italy to Poland to aid partisans fighting heroically during the Warsaw Uprising. It traces the lives of the aircrew and one special man, the father I never knew. It is a story of tragedy and loss, survival and discovery, of a plane shot down and Polish partisans coming to the aid of the survivors. It concludes with a long journey from California to Poland to meet families who also share a truly special connection with this aircraft.

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Book SynopsisThis History of one of the best-known Scottish regiments in the British Army covers the role of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the latter part of the Second World War. The Regiment formed part of the famous 51st Highland Division with the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 and suffered grievous casualties before escaping through the port of Le Havre. It remained in the 51st Highland Division for the rest of the war, taking part in the North African campaign, including the Battle of El Alamein in 1942, and the invasion and liberation of Sicily in 1943, before returning to take part in the many hard-fought battles following the 1944 D-day Normandy Landings and through to the Baltic. Well-illustrated with photographs and many maps, this is a fine record of a proud unit.

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Book SynopsisThis is the complete wartime translation by the U.S. Navy of the 1943 edition of the official handbook given to all U-boat commanders. The original handbook was compiled from combat reports and was regularly updated throughout the war. The handbook was an invaluable reference for every operational U-boat commander.Simply written and highly accessible for a wider audience, the U-boat handbook attempted to anticipate every possible situation and to advise on suitable tactics. This superb war-time primary source is enhanced by a rare series of photographs taken on an actual combat patrol and published during the time of the Third Reich in the book U-Boot Auf Feindfahrt.Together the handbook and these rare photographs provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of the U-boats from a first hand perspective, and is essential reading for anyone interested in World War II from primary sources.This book is part of the ''Hitler''s War Machine'' series, a new military history range compiled and edited by Emmy Award winning author and historian Bob Carruthers. The series draws on primary sources and contemporary documents toprovide a new insight into the true nature of Hitler''s Wehrmacht.The series consultant is David Mcwhinnie creator of the award winning PBS series ''Battlefield''.

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Book SynopsisUpon the outbreak of the Second World War, the 97th (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery was immediately mobilised - It moved immediately to France as part of the British Expeditionery Force and in 1940 was evacuated from Dunkirk with the rest of the British Army. In 1941 the regiment was sent to Iraq with the 10th Indian Division. The division went into the Western Desert, where it suffered badly in the retreat of Alam El Haifa, and the 7th Armoured Division at El Alemein. It remained in the desert until the capture of Tobruk and Adem. After garrison duty in Cyprus, Palestine and Syria the Kent Yeomanry moved to Italy in March 1944. They served in Italy for the remaining duration of the war advancing up the North West of Italy and ending in the Adriatic coast near Trieste.The Second Line regiment 143rd (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery spent the first two years of the war in Iceland. On it''s return to the UK in 1941 the regiment joined the 49th Division and served throughout France and particularly Normandy. The regiment gave support during the D Day landings at Caen, Le Havre and Turnhaut Canal. They spent the Winter of 1944-45 by the River Maas on the Dutch German border. Their final action was at Arnhem in April 1945.

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Book SynopsisHistory of 67th Forward Regiment and a battery of 81st Anti-Tank Regiment landed from amphibious Dukws with the first wave; the remainder of the Divisional Artillery followed in Landing Ship, Tank (LST). Very good account of artillery operations at Anzio 1944-45, complete with a roll of awards and a good diagram of the beach head.

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Book SynopsisThe 6th Lincolnshire''s were in 138th Brigade, commanded by Brigadier G.P. Harding, in 46th Infantry Division which was commanded by Major-General J.L.I. Hawksworth during the Second World War''s Italian campaign..At the Salerno landings on 9 September 1943, 6th Lincs were involved in fierce fighting and completed the expulsion of the Germans from the strong-point of Magazzea. Later on the Herman Göring Panzer and Reconnaisance, and Grenadier Battalions vigourously engaged the 2nd and the Royal Marine Commandos, which were supported by the destroyer HMS Nubian. Towards evening 6th Lincs arrived, tipping the scales, and the action died down.On the night of 22nd/23rd September 46th Division cleared Cava di Terreni, but well sited enemy machine guns spoiled the attempt and neither Santa Croce nor La Molina were cleared, The 2nd/4th K.O.Y.L.I. was hit by friendly fire, as a result of which 6th Lincs on their immediate left, also fell short of their objective. The fierceness of these action can be judged by the casualties, on 23 September 2nd/4th K.O.Y.L.I. suffered 116 and 6th Lincolnshire''s 93.The next action in which they were engaged was the second battle of Monte Camino in the assault on the Bernhardt Line. This was in atrocious weather on 4/5 December 1943 with icy drizzle turning to torrential rain, and the Garigliano, the Peccia, and the Liri rivers in flood. They were in action on the precarious Garigliano bridgehead against heavy German counterattacks from 20 to 22 January 1944.On the night of 26th/27th January the 6th Lincs won a firm footing on the slopes of Monte Rotondo East, going on to capture it on the night of the 28th. In the fierce fighting that followed, on the night of 7th/8th February 6th Lincs twice reached Monte Faito and twice were pushed off it by immediate counterattacks which forced them back to Ornito. From 9 February the whole of the division went over to the defensive as the focal point of the struggle became Cassino and Anzio. On 10 September 6th Lincs were ordered to take Point 449 on the Gemmano Ridge and although badly cut up by shellfire, one company got up to the wooden cross at the top of the hill. Again and again the top of the hill changed hands. When the hill was finally taken by 2nd Cameron Highlanders "round the base of the great black crucifix at the top were the arms of a dead soldier of the 6th Lincoln''s" (quoted from R. Docherty, Eighth Army in Italy 1943-45, page 164).On 9 December the 6th Lincoln''s were again in the thick of it when 90th Panzer Division counterattacked 46 Division''s front at the Faenza bridgehead. 200th Panzer Grenadier Regiment using artillery, tanks, and infantry attacked apparently regardless of casualties, and struck 138th Brigade''s front with the brunt of the fighting falling upon 6th Lincs and a squadron of the Bays. The three companies of the Lincolnshire''s were all under strength due to previous heavy losses, but they held their ground from 7 am to just before midday when the Germans fell back. A second attack was launched at 2 pm but also failed. A third attack, made in conjunction with 305th Infantry Division was also repulsed. But 46th Division had suffered heavy casualties, had reached the end of its fighting fitness and had to be relieved.22 year old Captain John H.C. Brunt of the Sherwood Forresters attached to 6th Lincoln''s as c/o Carrier Platoon, was killed winning the VC on the bridgehead over the Lamone River on 9 December 1944, holding a vital sector of the line at Faenza facing the full fury of the above attack.This fine history covers the Tunisian as well as the Italian campaigns and comes complete with Roll of Honour, awards and the Order of Battle at the end of the war in Europe.

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Book SynopsisTHE TELEPHONE AND AUXILIARY BOOK NEWS FOR THE TROOPS AND THE TROOPS NEWS Associations: WITH M.-G. 34 LM AS-G., THE MACHINE GUN 38 AND 40 OF THE AUTOMOTIVE IND TRAINING

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Book SynopsisThe Home Guard, familiar to us all from the antics of Dad''s Army on the TV, in fact performed a deadly serious role - guarding infrastructure and communications, and releasing the regular Army for more front-line work. This is one of the Home Guard''s Unit histories, giving a detailed account of their history - from the Government''s first appeal for volunteers onwards. The Home Guard''s history stretched from the early anxious days in the summer of 1940 when a German invasion was hourly expected to the preparations for D-Day when the boot was on the Allied foot. It is a story of amateurism transformed into increasing sophistication and better weaponry; and a professional and patriotic dedication to often humdrum duty that united Great War veterans with youths awaiting the call-up to the regular forces. When they were finally disbanded in November 1944 the Home Guard deserved the thanks of a grateful nation that they had truly served and helped to save.

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Book SynopsisA fascinating ''what might have been'' account of a fictitious defence of an English village by the Home Guard in the Second World War. Published by the Home Guard late in 1940 when the invasion scare was at its height, the booklet, illustrated with maps, presents a narrative of a war game that might have become all too real. Used in Home Guard training to provides ideas and strategies, the publication gives a unique glimpse into British defences against Operation Sealion.

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Book SynopsisWritten and published when the heat of battle had barely cooled in 1941, this brief history of the 2nd Royal Fusiliers (City of London) regiment tells the story of a unit that was in the thick of the fighting during the BEF"s retreat to Dunkirk. This concise history contains a chart with the rolls of battalion officers & NCOs and a map showing the Battalion''s field of operations.

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Book SynopsisCovering in good detail the activities of the Battalion from reformation after the evacuation of France till it was disbanded in August 1944. The 7th Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment was a 2nd line Territorial Army unit formed on the outbreak of war in 1939. Originally part of the famous 51st (Highland) Infantry Division it served with them in France in 1940 stationed on the Maginot Line, thus escaping encirclement, and Dunkirk. But the reprieve was only temporary. The Battalion suffered heavy casualties when the 51st Division was surrounded and forced to surrender on 12th June. Just 31 members of the Battalion managed to escape to Britain. The battalion was re-formed in 1941 and transferred to the 176th Infantry Brigade, part of the 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division. It took part in the Normandy campaign after D-Day. On 7/8th August the battalion''s Captain David Jamieson of D Company was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic leadership in beating off enemy night attacks. Due to an acute shortage of infantrymen, the battalion was disbanded in late August and its men replaced losses in other British divisions of the 21st Army Group, who had suffered heavy losses in Normandy.

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