War memoir reviews (1 Viewer)

"(he did not date much in the 90s)" It's a matter of quality not quantity I think.

Anyway, I have another review in the pipeline (a Brit one from Burma) and another few armoured corp books have just come in the post. WW2 Australian ones are hard to find. I've read two that I can think of, neither is a classic but I reviewed Smiles of Fortune as follows -

SMILES OF FORTUNE - A memoir of the war against Japan 1943 - 1945
by JOHN HOLMES

John volunteers and is sent to Africa where he waits as a replacement (I only learned recently that the 9th Div had 4,000 replacements available at the time of Alamain - hence it's leading roll in the battle - casualties could be replaced). Initially he is interested in a non-combat roll (after being warned off the infantry by a World War 1 veteran) but as he meets the veterans of the 9th Div he feels bound to put himself forward in a more heroic manner and he finds assignment to the 2/13th Battalion. He is with this unit when it and the rest of the 9th Division return to Australia for deployment in the Pacific war.

John sees combat in New Guinea on Scarlet Beach and Sattelburg and the associated actions. By this time he is a strecher bearer and a medic and he is in the forefront of the advance. Given the nature of the terrain, thick vegetation and narrow tracks, it is essentially a matter of patrolling along until the scout is shot. The Japanese camoflague is very good and is usually not seen until it's too late. At this point Holmes crawls forward to treat and try and remove the casualties. For a small book, there are quite a few and Holmes' sadness for his comraders is clear. Indeed his connection to his friends helps him go into scenarios that are fraught with danger. Following this campaign Holmes' division goes to Borneo but the action here is less intense.

This book is a short read. It is though a useful account of fighting in the jungles on the Pacific islands. Holmes does a good job in describing the nature of combat in this environment. In fact there don't seem to have been many that address the issues that he has raised. Recommended.


There is another that I have 'In the footsteps of Ghosts' I think??? It is about a South Australian who served in the 2/9th Battalion in New Guinea. It was ok but the author does not see a lot of action personally. I read it ages ago before I started writing reviews. For some reason accounts by Australians of WW2 are hard to find. There are some novels or novelised accounts by veterans, probably something to do with the ban on diaries and censored mail. A good example are the ones by Albert Piney (?) who was a Commando. His books were The Devils Gardens and The Barbarians - I think??? My focus has been WW1 with Australians so I haven't researched WW2 properly. There are some databases that would list them The National Library would have a fairly detailed list.

I'll write more later, I'm actually supposed to be teaching a class at this minute......
 
"This very detail led to my suspicions about authenticity". Several almost forensic studies have been done on Forgotten Soldier. Errors typically cited are his being in places/actions where his unit was not present, the wrong sleave for his unit patch and getting the details of weapons wrong (the 88 is called a 77 from memory?). He was a teenager at the time remember. The things that fascinate us (Tigers, 88s etc that we spent our childhoods building models of) were not of the same interest to him. Yet he also gets some very obscure details right, like the name of a ship in port alonside his troop ship. He himself says not to regard it as a history. This issue with his name is confusing. I'm not sure which name he was actually enlisted under for instance. It's also odd that none of his comrades ever seemed to have had anthing to say about it. Though I recall noted Eastern Front author Don Nash write that Hals moved to America.

As for the detail, the book was written in the 1950s so it wasn't too long after the war. I've not been in the Reserve for about that time and I can remember a fair bit - but some technical things not at all, so it rings reasonably true for me. The other thing is that the US airborne trooper Donald Burgett wrote four extremely detailed books about his time in Europe in WW2. Asked why he hadn't forgotten, he typically replies 'how can you forget!' I'm happy to accept Sajer as it stands. He doesn't make himself out to be a hero but I think it's made him a fair bit of money, so there is a motivation of sorts. A movie was all set to go, then the GFC hit and it was scrapped.
 
Years ago a book was published by Elvis' 'secret' girlfriend. So detailed were her memories that the question of authenticity was raised, naturally enough, given the financial implications. There was a view that given the terrible life she subsequently led, the earlier happier moments might well have been played over and over until they were very much part of her hard drive. Perhaps Sajer's experiences were similarly recalled with particular clarity. Perhaps the errors themselves are proof of authenticity - ie a fraud would have got those details correct.
 
larso said:
"(he did not date much in the 90s)" It's a matter of quality not quantity I think.


There is another that I have 'In the footsteps of Ghosts' I think??? It is about a South Australian who served in the 2/9th Battalion in New Guinea. It was ok but the author does not see a lot of action personally. I read it ages ago before I started writing reviews. For some reason accounts by Australians of WW2 are hard to find. There are some novels or novelised accounts by veterans, probably something to do with the ban on diaries and censored mail. A good example are the ones by Albert Piney (?) who was a Commando. His books were The Devils Gardens and The Barbarians - I think??? My focus has been WW1 with Australians so I haven't researched WW2 properly. There are some databases that would list them The National Library would have a fairly detailed list.

I'll write more later, I'm actually supposed to be teaching a class at this minute......
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Thanks Larso,

I'll look forward to hearing of more Australian memoirs when you get a chance.
 
Actually there is another! I read in about 2 years ago, not long after it was published. It should still be around, perhaps even in council libraries?


'My War' by Brian Walpole

This was a very interesting book about the authors wartime experiences. As a very young man he manages to get himself into the 2/3rd Independent Company (later designated Commando). He serves in the New Guinea theatre and is involved in a lot of action. He gives some detail in describing a few of his patrols, including some mention of personal combat. He was involved in a lot of ambushes but he doesn't go into much detail on any of these. He uses a 'matter of fact' type of narration here. It is a little short on his personal thoughts and opinions about fighting and killing, a bit more restrained than I prefer but his hatred of the Japanese is made very clear. I thought the style of writing was similar to Facey's 'A Fortunate Life'.

The second part concerns his return to Australia on leave and throwing himself into the 'social' scene. You think of the 1940s as being fairly sedate and conservative with a fairly strict moral code - but not here! The author readily reveals the extent of his sexual escapades. They bobble the mind! (my mind at least). Several times he has at least four women on the go at once. Including different nurses in his hospital bed as he deals with Malaria. A lot of attractive young women were more than ready to go with him and many made the running. Some with help/encouragement from their mothers! Given my preconceptions of the morality of the time, this was quite eye opening for me. So an aspect of the war that is rarely touched on.

The final part of the book and the most compelling from my point of view is the authors time as a member of 'Z' Force on Borneo. He recruits a team of Dyaks and spends the second half of the book ambushing Japanese, killing them without mercy and watching them be beheaded by his Dyaks. The number of Japanese killed is astounding. Especially those caught in small boats on the rivers. The author's relationships with his Dyaks is fascinating. As is his sometimes abrasive relationships with his superiors and officious civilian administrators. He names names here - good to see.

This is a fresh account, very honest and very earthy at times - but all for the good. It provides a good perspective on the Australian war against Japan and of life in Australia at the time. I enjoyed it, as did my 70 year old father.


At my school we have veterans visit for an Anzac Day ceremony. One is a former Commando, who even brings his commando knife and a brass knuckle/knife combo for the kids to look at! Last year I mentioned this book to him and he wasn't a fan of the author! He seemed to think the fellow wasn't much of a gentleman and as such nothing written by him was worth reading. He didn't come this year, so he may have passed on.
 
Larso,

Thanks. Another book I'll look out for. Those men who served in the Independent Company's were certainly a special breed. I have started reading "The men who came out of the ground" by Paul Cleary and are finding it a very readable and interesting book. I have not read about Timor before and it explains the bonds these men formed with the Timorese.

"Independent Company" by B. Callinan and "The history of the 2nd Independent Company" by C . Doig are a further two memoirs by former soldiers mentioned in the authors notes.

Scott
 
Back to the British tankers....

'Flame Thrower' by Andrew Wilson

Bantam Books, 1984. Paperback, 189 pages.

Wilson first published his account in 1956. In this 1984 edition he writes an interesting reflection, where he reveals he is still reconciling the impact the war had. Accordingly, he chose to repeat his original decision to write in the Third person. This allowed him to have the necessary distance to be able to write his story at all. Generally I would not be keen on such a device but Wilson’s story is still quite powerful and in many passages, it reads as if it was First person anyway. Given he also uses the actual names of many comrades, I felt that I was getting as complete an account of his experiences as possible.

Though one of many tanker memoirs, Wilson’s story stands out as he was a troop leader of Britain’s famous flame-throwing Churchill tanks, the Crocodile. Indeed, his unit, 141st Royal Armoured (one of several tank regiments converted from infantry battalions, in this case 7th Bn, The Buffs (3rd Foot)), is the only one operating this equipment in the whole army and as such its sub units are spread quite wide.

The particular role assigned to the Crocodiles was to clear enemy fortifications using the stream of fire they were capable of firing. Wilson explains well the capabilities of this weapon and I was surprised by the variety of circumstances it proved useful – devastatingly so. For a while it is a strange existence. He ‘flames’ a target and then lets the infantry take over. It is almost sterile and it is only in Holland that he finally goes to see what his ‘work’ has done. He never does it again.

Wilson first sees combat in Normandy, after spending a short time in ‘Reserve’ Sqn. Though well supported by other arms (the Crocodiles were very valuable!), his unit sees considerable casualties. These included execution upon capture. Wilson has a knack for conveying something distinctive about a man, and his death through accident, battle or murder hits that little bit harder. There are then a variety of operations in Holland and following his recovery from a wound, into Germany.

While quite worried he will miss out on the fight (he is after all not yet 20), the author has at times an almost cynical tone. He is aware he is living in difficult times but is amazed at some of the things he encounters. These include confronting experiences in training and encountering some archaic attitudes in his unit. They do though receive a new battle tested commander who prepares them suitably for modern warfare. Despite researching this genre at some length, I only recently learned of this memoir. I did find though that he has been quoted by the likes of Hastings and Ellis. The grim sit-rep he receives when assigned to the front line is related in the former’s ‘Overlord’ for instance.

This is a very good account (as it seems are all memoirs by British officers) of a very specialized form of armoured warfare. Indeed, Wilson’s war is virtually defined by his weapon. He faces many of the risks of other tankers, if not quite to the same degree and inflicts a substantial dose of destruction on the enemy, albeit often removed from the consequences. Overall though, it is very much an account of battle and from a unique perspective. Highly recommended : 4 ¼ stars.
 
How bout revuin some books wif pitures in them an stuf and not so much ritten.....just readin the revues maid me a hed ayche.
 
Phil said:
How bout revuin some books wif pitures in them an stuf and not so much ritten.....just readin the revues maid me a hed ayche.
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Good humour always has an element of truth. That is what makes this quite hilarious.
 
hey if you dont no your own limitations it will only lead you into trouble......BTW Wayne i no were you live!!!
 
Touche.....i've been coping that from Jack since Saturday i dont need it from you as well!!!{sm4......once again sorry Margret{sm2}
 
Tank Twins by Stephen Dyson

Subtitled: East End Brothers in Arms 1943-45
Leo Cooper, London, 1994. Hardcover, 207 pages

This WW2 memoir is slightly unusual in that it covers the service of the author, as well as that of his twin brother. They served together in 107th Royal Armd Corps (The Kings Own), operating Churchill tanks as part of 34th Armoured Brigade, fighting from Normandy to Germany. The account is written by Stephen Dyson with a clear focus on his personal experiences but he also includes news of his brother’s activities. This is just as well as Stephen’s story is the more compelling of the two. He is a ‘loader’ and sees front line action from the start, while his brother is a ‘reserve’ and has a less lucky run than his brother.

The twins were conscripted and started their war in the infantry but were able to transfer together to the armored corps. This was resisted on the grounds that they might more likely both be casualties but they felt they could look after each other. Originally the 151st RAC, their unit is re- designated the 107th and enters Normandy in this guise. Stephen, is with ‘B’ Sqn and first sees action in mid July on Hill 112.

The author’s perspective as a loader of the tanks main armament means he doesn’t always see a lot of what is going on. He does get a sobering pre-battle look at a knocked out Tiger and freely admits that when he first rolled into action, he prayed! They had ‘88’ phobia and were very conscious of their vulnerability. Following the break-out from Normandy the regiment is heavily engaged while crossing the Orne River. There is then a lengthy account of the long drive through Holland, the attack through the Siegfried Line and on into Germany. This later fighting meant that most actions were small scale ones. A German SPG or two would ambush them and then try and get away. Many engagements were in support of infantry attacking fixed positions. There were also many mines. It is a good insight into the relentless nature of the fighting. Always advancing but with a steady stream of casualties.

Stephen Dyson has quite a story to tell. He has a few close shaves and sees some remarkable things, however his own contribution to the fighting does not involve personally firing on the enemy. This does not mean that this is not a grim account of combat though. He spells out what running over dead bodies with tank tracks means for instance. As the only tank memoir by a loader that I am aware of, this book offers a fairly interesting perspective. He also writes more than most on the broader tactical situation, describing, where relevant, the actions of neighbouring units. Dyson is a lively, earthy man who commendably writes openly of what it was like to be a young man in this time. There are girls and pranks and thankfully a sense of fun at times. Being a musician also helps lighten the tone at times. The author is very proud of his East End origins and gives some nice touches of what living there was like.

Recommended 3 ½ stars

PS – This account confirms that John Foley, whose memoir I reviewed below, was also a member of the 107th. This is the only British armoured regiment I know of that has spawned two memoirs.
 
Thank you! And yes! I am currently reading an account by an artilleryman of the 9th US Division.
 
That 9th Div one didn't turn out to be very interesting. Here's a better one -

Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic by Paul Fussell

This is Fussell's life memoir rather than one focused solely on war-time experiences but his time in the army had a marked impact on everything that came after and the exploration of this is engrossing.

Fussell served, very reluctantly, as a junior officer in F Co, 410th Infantry Regt, 103rd Infantry Division. He first sees the front in the Vosges and is stunned to find German dead who are clearly children. He is not impressed with his unit in general (it was `lazy' and rarely dug foxholes) and more specifically with the mediocre officers who issued unimaginative orders safely far from the front line. He wasn't so fortunate himself and he very much participates in battle, being attacked by 6th SS Mountain at one point. He does succeed in inflicting loss on the enemy before in turn becoming, in his view, an almost pre-ordained casualty himself. This episode is used to commence his narrative as well as introduce his ongoing theme that war was an utterly irredeemable tragedy. It also left him with considerable guilt regarding his personal conduct on the day.

To put Fussell's military element in perspective, Pearl Harbor happens on page 65. There is then the business of basic and then officer training, much of it sharply and deliciously ridiculed, with the irreverencies of soldiers highlighted. And he notes the irony that the hard training he despised, trimmed his considerable flab and made him feel physically fantastic. He is wounded on page 143 and is discharged on page 171, but with a hatred of the army so intense that he readily assisted later youths to avoid service in Vietnam. He reflects that there were many ways to be guilty in this period.

With his themes established, Fussell indulges himself by flashing-back to his childhood. It is quite a privileged one too, his family is not affected by The Depression and he receives a full and extensive education. Then follows adolescence and junior college, where he recounts his enthusiasms, ROTC, dating and so on. There are a few startling things to be found here, it is a book very much for adults. There are also some extremely funny passages too and this continues throughout. Fussell is adept at identifying the ironies in life and satirises them mercilessly. Some of this is confronting though and Fussell has viewpoints that some will find awkward.

Principally, Fussell loathed the army. He detested the way it treated human beings and as an extremely intelligent individual he saw ever so clearly that he himself was totally expendable. Regardless of his education, his background, his potential as a person, he was now simply fated to fight and statistically be a casualty in a war that no longer made sense. As time went on this savage cynicism develops and spreads. His politics are influenced accordingly and he grows to see other injustices and hypocrisies in American society. He was on many fronts a very angry young man.

He stays angry too. When he becomes a professor of English Literature, working in a number of esteemed institutions, he finds much to be critical of. He feels confronted by the same `institutional fraud' he encountered in the army and he rails against it. He is sometimes scorning of colleagues but he also goes on to describe himself as "impudent, insolent, sarcastic, and ostentatiously clever and supercilious". No arguments there (and it is intriguing to think what sort of person he might have been without his military service). He could easily be written off as a snob but the self depreciating humour mollifies this sufficiently for me (on the outbreak of war, "the Fussell family deplored having to black out the windows of the beach house.") His professional qualifications shine through with his prose. His vocabulary is formidable and he quotes extensively and while some points were over my head, it is a densely considered, powerfully delivered summation of his life's journey. But it is a journey that is always shadowed by the dread days of 1944-5. Fussell utterly refuses to let the `Good War' view gentle his rage. But when he can quote its impacts on innocents, like the horrendously burned little British boy (a story that haunts me) his point is powerfully made. It is war and the damage it does to people that he hates. The way he explores this is fascinating. Fussell sees similarities between the infantry and Labor in a Socialist sense but Nazi Germany forced the war on to the world and he was one of many who just had to `suck it up'. Yes the army and the society that produced it was imperfect. Yet people sometimes have to deal with the circumstances that confront them, not the circumstances they would prefer. He seems to ignore this and fails to sheet the responsibility to where it really belongs. Rather he rails against the organization that he participated through. It is a absorbing perspective. Perhaps he sees the first as making excuses and he sticks to his truth unflinchingly. This honesty is evident elsewhere, he is also quite hard on himself for various failings and mistakes.

Interestingly, he strongly approved of the dropping of the atomic bombs (as a young officer , now with 45th Division, on his way to the Pacific for the invasion of Japan), noting caustically that those who decried this action, `while certainly demonstrating the fineness of their moral weave' also exposed their considerable personal distance from the infantry in the front line.

This is a remarkable book. It is insightful, extensive, exceedingly literate yet deliciously profane at times and as a memoir, approaches WW2 with a very different focus. Fussell has a clear point that he wants to make and he does so powerfully and relentlessly. He reveals with great clarity how the war impacted on his life and it is very valuable. As for his personal revelations of combat, these are sufficient to establish his credentials but they are less extensive than in the memoirs at the top of my list, so only three stars in that sense. Even so, his contribution to this topic is extraordinary and it is a five star book in all other respects. War can be hell in many ways and many days. Highly Recommended.
 
Fighting with the Filthy Thirteen by Jack Womer

Co-author Stephen C. Devito.
Casemate, 2012. Hardcover 312 pages.

Womer was drafted prior to America’s entry to the war. He was assigned to the 29th Infantry Division and went to England with it in 1942. While there, he volunteered for, and passed, the grueling training to become a Ranger with the 29th Provisional Ranger Battalion. Upon the disbandment of this unit, Womer gained entry to the 101st Airborne Division. He became a demolitionist with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment and fought in Normandy, Holland, the Ardennes and Germany.

Womer is certainly in combat. His description of the flight and jump into Normandy is compelling. So too is the confusion on the ground. Units are terribly mixed up and operating in unfamiliar territory in the dark led to many costly clashes with the Germans. Womer’s exploits are quite extraordinary and he puts his survival down to his intense Ranger training at the hands of battle-hardened British Commandoes. Strangely, the level of description here is not repeated for the latter battle of Carentan, or for the campaigns that followed. Womer does write of those battles and personal stories are certainly provided but not to the same level. The awful cost and nature of war is very evident though. Womer is toughened and brutalised by it too.

The book’s title makes reference to the Filthy Thirteen, which was a section in the 506th’s demolition platoon. Their job was to operate specialist equipment like flame-throwers and also to use explosives to attack and clear enemy emplacements. Being part of the 506th’s HQ, they were assigned to the regiments battalions as needed. The Filthy Thirteen was notorious for its hard living and fighting ways and was apparently an inspiration for the film the Dirty Dozen. There were however many casualties and replacements through the four campaigns it fought in, with only Jack Womer himself serving from start to finish. So while Womer served in a section of some note, it changed personal so much that I didn’t gain a great sense of it as a unit. While other members are mentioned, this is very much Womer’s story.

Womer is an intriguing man. He resented being drafted and hated the army. Bizarrely, he volunteered for the Rangers principally to get better food but found his calling in enduring the extremely tough training and he joined the airborne to continue serving with elite soldiers. He didn’t like the English (girlfriends excepted) and was generally a cynical character. He was also strong minded and gets into conflict with others, including some in the Filthy Thirteen. Indeed, he contradicts his former section leader’s account of things at times. So while it’s a memoir from the famous 506th PIR, it’s not another Band of Brothers. It’s starker and I think, a very valuable testament about what it was like to go to war.

It is pertinent to know that the book was actually written by Stephen Devito, an amateur historian. He interviewed Womer extensively and then put Womer’s stories into a first person narrative. It was all signed off on by Womer and his family and I have to say, it sounded very like a man of his generation recounting the deeds of his youth. The text was also proof-read by a historian of the 101st Airborne, so while a few stories stretch the imagination, I’m confident it has been vetted as fully authentic. All up, there is much to like. The story clips along at a good pace and truly keeps the readers interest.
Highly recommended. 4 stars.
 
With that most recent Airborne memoir just posted, I've decided to summarise the others that I consider to be of high caliber.

Seven Roads to Hell: A Screaming Eagle at Bastogne by Donald R. Burgett
5 Stars: This is combat at its rawest! Burgett is with ‘A’ Co, 506th PIR 101st Airborne and this is his account of his Bulge. He starts at Norville, in the path of 5th Pz Army - no other author here experienced tank attacks like these! From defence to the breakout back to Bastogne it’s unrelenting. He is honest about the blood & notably his own contribution to making it flow. Outstanding account!

Currahee!: A Screaming Eagle at Normandy by Donald R. Burgett
5 stars: This book covers Burgett’s training & first battle in Normandy. It is at times a lurid and visceral account. Burgett killed a lot of Germans. His training & hunting experience simply makes him a very deadly soldier indeed. There are quite a few jaw-drop moments too. Burgett descriptions are vivid and blunt & not for the faint hearted. A memoir of war indeed. Very highly recommended

The Road to Arnhem: A Screaming Eagle in Holland (World War II Library) by Donald R. Burgett
5 stars: Burgett in ‘Market Garden’. Much of what I have written about his other efforts apply again here though he is not quite as personally deadly. This said the battles are still bloody and there are many new situations too. His descriptions of battle are excellent, he has a great eye for detail & the reader is left in no doubt what combat is all about. Very Highly Recommended

Descending from the Clouds: A Memoir of Combat in the 505 Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division by Spencer F. Wurst
5 stars: Spencer served with 2/505th 82nd Airborne in Italy, Normandy, Holland & the Bulge. ***le is his niece. Spencer writes in some depth on Hedgerow fighting but his account of Nijmegen is intense. He writes of killing & the price he paid for it. It is well written, stark & honest. It is just the book to answer questions about the total experience of a WW2 soldier. Very Highly Recommended!

Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick Winters by Cole C. Kingseed
4½ stars: As is widely known, Winters served with Easy Company of the 506th PIR, 101st Airborne. He writes extensively of his actions & is surprisingly detailed regarding killing. He writes at length on his training, England and his thoughts on Sobel, Dike, Spiers & others. It is a valuable look at leadership in battle too. Though Easy is familiar there is a lot to interest. Highly Recommended

All the Way to Berlin: A Paratrooper at War in Europe by James Megellas
4½ stars: Up front I have to say that this book was extraordinary in one incredible respect, Megellas relished killing Germans! An officer with 3/504 PIR 82ndAirborne he served in Italy, Holland & the Bulge and there are some stunning combat accounts. As a book it’s a little uneven overall but Megellas’ openness about killing makes this an utterly compelling memoir of battle. Highly Recommended!

Fighting with the Screaming Eagles: With the 101st Airborne Division from Normandy to Bastogne (Greenhill Military Paperback) by Robert Bowen
3¾ stars: Bowen served with 401st Glider Regt, 101st Airborne Div, entering Normandy across the beach. His descriptions here are some of the best I have ever read. He also serves in Holland and the Bulge. He is in a fair bit of combat but doesn’t reveal too much about his personal deeds, he does though compellingly reveal the effects of the war on him and his unit. Recommended plus

Easy Company Soldier: The Legendary Battles of a Sergeant from World War II's "Band of Brothers" by Bob Welch
3½ stars: Malarky was one of the originals of Easy Co, he fought in all the campaigns, having more days in combat than anyone else. Despite Dick Winters referring to him as one of his ‘killers’ he writes sparingly of his own actions, his focus being on the men & he has a lot to say about the now famous personalities of Easy & how they were trialed by combat. A fascinating personal story.

There's another ten or so that I have read but those above are the ones I'd recommend first.
 
Hell in the Pacific by Jim McEnery

Co-authored by Bill Sloan. Simon & Schuster, NY, 2012. Hardcover, 305 pages.

McEnery volunteered for the Marines, because the Army depot was closed that day! He had had a tough time of it during The Depression but he felt the call of duty and duly served with the now famous K/3/5 Marines, of the 1st Marine Division. As such he was part of the American forces that fought on Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.

McEnery was part of the first wave onto Guadalcanal. He was involved in several incredible incidents, like finding the remains (literally) of the Goettge patrol and a bayonet charge. He does though miss the epic battles, like Edson’s Ridge, which he still describes in some detail. He is shelled and bombed and starves like all the others. He witnesses death very close up and has some very close calls (and malaria) himself.

After a very enjoyable Melbourne leave, he fights in the division’s next action on Cape Gloucester, New Britain. In my now extensive reading of memoirs from this theatre, I can say that McEnery writes in more detail about this campaign than anyone else (though Leckie is also quite good) and this is with missing several key actions due to injury. He is at Suicide Creek and writes of killing with his bayonet, something else that is rarely written about.

The outstanding campaign, in terms of the extent McEnery is in combat, is Peleliu. It is just a place of carnage! The images are available to us thanks to the TV series and it is still astonishing to think the 1st Marine Division was expended so needlessly here. It is also incredible that men like McEnery lived through it, essentially without a scratch. This can’t be said for the majority of his comrades of course, or the Japanese, and McEnery contributes mightily to their slaughter. This is particularly the case on the neighbouring island of Ngesebus, where McEnery performs incredible deeds in face to face combat.

This book is very much at the top end of combat accounts from The Pacific theatre. Sledge and Overton still hold the lead because of the unremitting detailed nature of their revelations and perspectives. Leckie and especially Manchester, are great writers but McEnery’s account stacks up well against them all. His story flows smoothly and he is a front line soldier in some of the fiercest battles of the war. He also probably directly killed more Japanese than all of those others named put together. The combat he experienced is just relentless. McEnery also writes about the now famous personalities of his company, including Sledge and the revered Captain Haldane. He doesn’t hold back on the criticism of those who he holds responsible for the Peleliu catastrophe either. If you are interested in accounts from the Pacific Theatre, this is a must. It is vivid, unsanitised and jammed with combat action and it leaves you in no doubt that fighting in the Pacific was Hell!

Very Highly Recommended 4 ¾ stars
 
'Red Blood, Black Sand' by Chuck Tatum

Berkley Publishing Group, 2012. Hardcover, 358 pages.

Tatum is another of the men represented in the TV series ‘The Pacific’. While his depiction there is quite limited, he was part of the small group of men that Medal of Honor winner John Basilone commandeered to force a way off the beach when the landing on Iwo Jima had stalled. His story here covers his Iwo Jima experiences in considerable detail as a member of B/1/27 of the 5th Marine Division.

The author was a very keen volunteer for the Marines, joining up in the middle of 1943. He writes in great detail of his training and the other experiences he had as a young man venturing into a dangerous world. He likes the Marines and Basilone is his hero and he is extremely excited when he is posted to the newly forming 5th Marine Division and finds that Basilone will be in his regiment. He meets him early on and writes in some detail of Basilone’s attention to detail and professionalism as a fighter. He then goes into great detail on the landing on Iwo Jima and his part in Basilone’s fighting group. He then witnesses Basilone's death and writes quite a bit about the impact this had on himself and others. This section gives a lot of information for those interested in this marine hero.

The bulk of the book then covers Tatum’s extensive combat on Iwo Jima. He is a machine-gunner and is in the front line – such as that existed. Japanese shelling was intense and Tatum was in a constant state of action and tension. He fires on the enemy and is very much at the sharp end. This continues for fourteen days until Tatum is sent back with exhaustion. Tatum writes a day by day account of his experiences and it is very detailed. There is a lot on the awfulness of the fighting but also a lot on his comrades. Tatum was a bit of a prankster in training and he had a mixed relationship with quite a few of his fellows. It humanizes him and them, and the relentless grind of battle is all the starker for it.

There is much to like about Tatum’s account. He is very candid about what he saw and did. His regard for Basilone is evident, he records his admiration at length and then provides an eyewitness account of the man’s last action and in my opinion does not unduly exploit his connection. I learned a lot about the formation of the 5th Division and how important it was that it received a solid leavening of experienced marines, including many former marine paratroopers. There is a lot on the awful conditions on the ground, the poor supply and sanitation and of course the intense scale of the combat. Tatum gives figures for the casualties at various points and it is chilling reading. There are also fascinating things about the campaign like the use of sniffer dogs. There is then very informative information about the evacuation procedure and thankfully a few chuckles. Tatum also gives some thoughts on the making of the TV series and the post-war lives of those of his comrades who survived. It is in the end quite a full account of being a combat Marine in WW2.
 
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