binder001
Command Sergeant Major
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2005
- Messages
- 2,729
"Cracking Hitler's Atlantic Wall, The 1st Assault Brigade Royal Engineers on DDay", by Richard C. Anderson, Jr, Stackpole Books, 2010.
Over my years as a "tank nut" I have read several accounts of the use of specialized armored vehicles to support Operation Neptune, the invasion phase of Operation Overlord. This book sets a new standard. Well researched and well written. Anderson goes beyond the basic premise, he not only looks at the British development and use of specialized armor but puts the equipmenmt in context by looking at the assault plans, the German defenses and the rushed preparations for battle. The author also looks at the American use of specialized tanks and debunks the common belief that the US Army was too arrogant to use the British-designed equipment. Citing reports and looking at the tactical situation he points out that there 1) although the American leaders were interested, there were barely enough special vehicles to meet Commonwealth needs and 2) the terrain on Omaha Beach would have negated much of their use anyway. The book brings up a lot of new information, such as that the "British" Amoured Vehicle Royal Engineers was the brainchild of a Canadian officer, or that there were only six of the Crocodile flamethrower tanks deployed on DDay. This book will be of interest to the reader interested in DDay and to the historian interested in military vehicles. I'm glad I bought this one.
I got mine through Amazon.com. I have no connection to the author or to Amazon, I just tend to buy lots of my books through them.
Gary B.
Over my years as a "tank nut" I have read several accounts of the use of specialized armored vehicles to support Operation Neptune, the invasion phase of Operation Overlord. This book sets a new standard. Well researched and well written. Anderson goes beyond the basic premise, he not only looks at the British development and use of specialized armor but puts the equipmenmt in context by looking at the assault plans, the German defenses and the rushed preparations for battle. The author also looks at the American use of specialized tanks and debunks the common belief that the US Army was too arrogant to use the British-designed equipment. Citing reports and looking at the tactical situation he points out that there 1) although the American leaders were interested, there were barely enough special vehicles to meet Commonwealth needs and 2) the terrain on Omaha Beach would have negated much of their use anyway. The book brings up a lot of new information, such as that the "British" Amoured Vehicle Royal Engineers was the brainchild of a Canadian officer, or that there were only six of the Crocodile flamethrower tanks deployed on DDay. This book will be of interest to the reader interested in DDay and to the historian interested in military vehicles. I'm glad I bought this one.
I got mine through Amazon.com. I have no connection to the author or to Amazon, I just tend to buy lots of my books through them.
Gary B.
