Search results for ""Author Neil Barber""

Pegasus Bridge is a legendary part of the D-Day story but myths and misunderstandings abound. The 6th Airborne Division was to begin landing in this area during the early hours of D-Day with a mission to protect the eastern flank of the seaborne landings, commencing a few hours later. For the British and Canadians, this was just beyond Ouistreham, on the beaches codenamed SWORD, JUNO and GOLD. The very first operation of D-Day was to be the capture of the Caen Canal Bridge (Pegasus Bridge) and the River Orne Bridge (Horsa Bridge) a little further up the road. These were the only two bridges between the sea and Caen and so were vital for the linking of the seaborne and airborne forces and also the resupply of the Airborne Division and evacuation of its wounded. For the Germans, possession of the bridges was equally vital, as it would provide them with the opportunity to attack the seaborne forces in their most vulnerable area; the flank This comprehensive pocket guide is designed for anyone visiting the site but is equally useful for anyone wanting an accurate understanding of exactly what went on and where. Neil Barber has written a number of comprehensive guides to the Normandy Campaign including an in-depth look at Pegasus Bridge. Here he uses photographs and first-hand accounts to simply explain what happened in those first few vital hours of D-Day.

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Pegasus Bridge - D-Day - WW2. The depth of detail sheds a totally new light on the events. From the actual capture of the bridges, the iconic arrival of the Commandos of Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Brigade, through to the relief in the evening by the 2nd Warwickshire Battalion, everything is covered in unique detail.

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Fighting Hitler From Dunkirk to D-Day is the compelling story of a man belonging to a group of which there are now very few survivors. Jeff Haward MM is a pre-war Territorial Army soldier who enlisted merely for something to do in the evenings. Consequently, he fought throughout the entirety of the Second World War. Jeff is a Die Hard, the historic name given to men of the famous Middlesex Regiment. He joined the 1/7th Battalion, a machine-gun battalion, equipped with the British Armys iconic Vickers medium machine gun. Following evacuation from Dunkirk, the 1/7th, while refitting and re-equipping, carried out coastal defence duties in preparation for the German invasion. So desperate was the situation that on sentry duty, the one rifle per section had to be handed to the next sentry, along with the only ammunition available three rounds! In 1941, they were attached to the famous 51st Highland Division. The less than enthusiastic welcome from the Jocks gradually evolved into respect following the Middlesexs performance at El Alamein and the subsequent campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Normandy and North West Europe. Following the Reichswald battle, in March 1945, Jeff was surprised to hear that he had been awarded the Military Medal for bravery and was subsequently awarded the ribbon by none other than Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery. Jeff Hawards experiences, those of a normal soldier, make fascinating reading and throw new light on the use of such Vickers gun battalions during the war.

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Parachute Doctor is the story of Captain David Tibbs RAMC MC who as a member of 225 (Parachute) Field Ambulance and the 13th Parachute Battalion served with the 5th Parachute Brigade of the famous 6th Airborne Division. His fascinating recollections feature jumping into Normandy on D-Day and the subsequent intense battle to defend the Airborne perimeter; assisting the Americans in repulsing the Ardennes offensive, the massive Airborne drop across the Rhine and the rapid advance to the Baltic to prevent the Russians moving into Denmark. Following the end of the European war, the Brigade was shipped to the Far East for a proposed invasion of Singapore. However, the Japanese surrendered beforehand, and the Paras ended up being involved in a little known episode, fighting alongside the Japanese in defence of Dutch civilians against violent rebels on the island of Java.

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