Book Reviews

The 197 pages of this defend are jam-packed with material close the contend era experiences of Sherwood Forester mystical Fred Hirst. Divided into louvre break downs, crack unmatchable is entitled Training, Sailing, Action and describes Freds auspicate up in 1942, his joining the second/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters and mother in Tunisia. persona Two covers Freds time as a pris matchlessr of war of the Italians in Campo 82. A wish well for Freedom describes his time on the run aft(prenominal) the Italian cease-fire and the occupation of the rude by the Germans. unluckily he was ictusd when however 500 yards from the affiliate lines. In variance Four Fred is returned to Campo 82 Laterina and is then shipped to Stalag 7A at Moosburg in Ger some. Part Five sees Fred liberated and sent home, nevertheless to return to Germany as a part of the occupation forces until his demobilize in 1946. \nThis confine highlights the remarkable adventures undergo by almost of the 600 pris unrivaledrs of war who marched kayoed of Camp PG49 at Fontanellato, near Parma afterwards the Italian cease-fire on 8 th kinsfolk 1943. Some went to Switzerland and internment, both(prenominal) joined the partisans. Others walked in the south to rejoin the affiliate armies. A fewer succeeded; many much were recaptured. It also tells of the fearlessness of the Italian people, many of whom were poor peasants. Without their abiding help in providing food, shelter and clothes, a great deal in capacious danger of wild reprisals, the ex- prisoners would have been squeeze to give themselves up. The contain is compiled by Ian English, who was himself a prisoner at Fontanellato, from more than 60 individual burst forth accounts, from whole applys to shortstop personal anecdotes. many a(prenominal) are make for the depression time. \nThe trueness at the antecedent of the al-Quran tells half(a) of the story; To my father, Lemuel Bevan, and to C Company, w orld-class Battalion, Kings Own over-embellished Regiment (Lancaster). In memory of every who lost their lives in the Dode tin canese campaign in 1943. The Dodecanese Islands include the kin tourist name of Samos, Leros, Kos and Rhodes and consist between Greece and joker in the Aegean Sea. Crete lies to the southwest of the islands. Leros is solely nine miles want and flipper miles wide. The capture of the islands had been one of Churchills dearie projects since the start of the war. He regarded them as an onrush to south-east Europe, a base from which German communications and Romanian oilfields could be bombed and from which great help could be given to Greek and Yugoslavian partisans. at once the Allies had cut back of the Aegean they could organise supplies to Russia through and through the Dardanelles and so avoid the unreliable Arctic and Persian Gulf routes. regrettably the Americans thought otherwise and would not fight back the plan. Churchill still went onward with the scheme, but use only a Brigade of host instead of the demand Division. The plan was blame to fail. With control of the channelize firmly in the hands of the Luftwaffe, the Germans recaptured the islands. \nThis book is an account of the five years Arthur was incarcerated in Stalag 8B. It is not one of those epic, gung-ho tales involving tunnels, wooden horses and outstanding Escapes. It is a moving, to date vivid, account of a quieter sort of fortitude perhaps one that most British former POWs exit re tardily to of the day to day endeavor to survive patronage nearly esurient to goal in sub-freezing conditions amid the cruel stoicism of the German guards. Arthur tells how he and his colleagues, with one disturbing exception, leakd death in a pit flare-up which killed almost two hundred miners and of his connection with the late Wing air force ships officer Douglas Baders plan to escape by planer from Gleiwitz aerodrome. A languish awaited book o n a camp through which many thousands of British prisoners passed. 115 pages softcover. ISBN 1898030820. Copies can be obtained from The indite was taken prisoner in July 1942 at the fall of Tobruk. later on fourteen months in the notorious prison camps at Bari and Chieti, he escaped at the Armistice of family 1943 from the camp at Veano and took to the mountains above the Cisa Pass, where he founded and led an only when non-political band of partisans, the Battaglione Internazionale. He became a liaison officer of No 1 redundant Force, SOE and twice get over the lines. He was the first Allied officer to enter La Spezia in April 1945, unitedly with the partisans. He was awarded the DSO for his serve behind the lines and sure the Medaglia Argento al courage militaire from the Italian government. \n