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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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 Posted -
13/06/2005
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19:06
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I was asked today abbout books on the more esoteric side of WW2 and said I'd put some titles up.
Books on strange weapons and systems; 'The Small Back Room', 'The Secret War', and one on camouflage and deception, I can't remember the title. Best book on tanks is 'Tank', by Patrick White. New bbook by Frederick Taylor is 'Dresden' best book I have read on the raid of Feb 13th 1945. Read 'Slaughterhouse Five' by Kurt Vonnegut. Anthony Beever's two books, 'berlin' and 'Stalingrad' are magnificent but extremely depressing.
That's enough to be going on with..... Enjoy!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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frankwilk
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Posted - 09/12/2007 : 12:32
Hi Rossie
It's amazing how a thread on one subject can lead you off in another direction.
My Uncle Ted ( Edward Albert Crossman ) won his DSM whilst serving on HMS Kelly. When I was a boy we used to go to Wallsend for our holidays to my nanna's house.
Uncle Ted used to take me on the ferry from North Shield, across to the Hebburn Cemetery to see the Memorial to the men of HMS Kelly.
When I got older I signed on for the Royal Navy, my cousin Dianne joined the WRNS must have been Ted influence !!!!
I just checked ancestry and Ted Crossman married my Anuty Eveline in the 4th quarter 1941 Northumberland S. I remember my mother used to say when "Ted Crossman left the Tyne on the Kelly he had a mop of black hair, and when he returned it was completly white" It must haave been one hell of a trip for a Sonar Operator.
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy  |
frankwilk
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Posted - 09/12/2007 : 12:39
Hi Demo
Have you read any articles from this link, with your connection to the N Africa campaign ??
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/categories/c55239/
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
The Demo Man
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Posted - 09/12/2007 : 18:56
Thanks Frank I'll have a good trawl through that site, looks interesting.
I was meaning when I got five mins to update you on whats been happening regarding my relation. I've just laid my hands on a copy of the East Riding Regiments Official History during WW 2. Great info in there, has my relative listed as KIA in the back with date etc. I've briefly flicked through and discovered his battalion was involved in very heavy fighting around Mersa Matruh on the day he died.
My Dad has done even better. I printed him a copy of the War Grave Certificate with the details of his Uncle and it's really spurred him on.
He's been in touch with some cousins for the first time in many years and it turns out that his Uncle's Wife is still alive, one of these cousins corresponds with her occasionally. She's 85 now and Dad intends to get in touch with her, so all in all pretty fantastic. We've managed to come full circle really and it's all basically prompted from your posting, give yourself another large pat on the back Frank!
All the best
Titch |
frankwilk
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Posted - 09/12/2007 : 20:49
Hi Demo
It's Stanley and Doc who need the pat on the back. I find this site so educational it's how it kicks you off down different avenues.
This is a wonderful resource that works because of the nature of the people who post. I have had so much assistance when I have become stuck with a question, but I post it,and within hours it's either resolved or I have been pointed in the direction I need to travel.
Thank's go to everyone associated with OGFB
Edited by - frankwilk on 09/12/2007 10:24:52 PM
Frank Wilkinson Once Navy Always Navy |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 10/12/2007 : 07:24
Careful Frank...... you may be becoming a bit too effusive, bad for the ladies!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 10/12/2007 : 07:25
PS. The floggings will continue until morale and performance improves.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
The Demo Man
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Posted - 29/12/2007 : 16:41
Finished Anthony Beevors "Crete" over the festivities. I can recommend it to you, it was an interesting read all the way thorugh but be warned, it gets a bit bogged down towards the end in explaining the various political organisations who want to step into the breach once the war is over other than that though it's very good. The Cretan way of dealing with captured Germans and their collaborators was gruesome though, plenty of throat cutting and throwing people down pot holes so be warned if you're the sensitive type!
Currently reading "Somme : The Heroism and Horror of War" by Martin Gilbert. ISBN 0-7195-6863-3
Very good so far, amongst the best I've read. It takes you into the heart of the appaling events and humanises it through references to personnal letters and the thoughts and deeds of individuals involved.
As you might expect very tragic in parts too, such vast numbers of killed and injured in such short spaces of time. A very good read.
So, any of you get any books this Christmas?
Titch |
softsuvner
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Posted - 29/12/2007 : 18:39
Titch
No war books this year, though I did buy "Reconsidering Gallipoli" for Dad. Instead, my present to myself was something that has only recently become available.
For years the BBC has resisted issuing the famous 1964 documentary series "The Great War" in any form. Now it is available in a seven DVD Box Set. I've already watched one of the "bonus items" an hour-long documentary: "Voices from the Western Front", made using period material, but in the modern style, without narration, just recordings from veterans and old film.
Of course these are voices of the soldiers themselves recorded in the 1960's when many of them were only just retiring age. Very effective.I hope the series itself is as good as I remember it. We shall see.
malcolm
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Ribble Rouser
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Posted - 29/12/2007 : 22:23
What a terrific list of titles. I haven’t made my way through all the posts yet, so excuse me if I am repeating anything. I will certainly be following up many at this end when I do. I agree about Spike Milligan’s books. Unique, poignant and a soldiers view, with humour and sensitivity. Here are 4 of my recent favourites, ranging from the ‘where on earth am I going to get that one from’ to the readily available. Hope they fit the bill:
A Sailor’s Odyssey…The Autobiography of Admiral of the Fleet Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope; K.T. G.C.B. O.M. D.S.O. Hutchinson & Co; London 1951.
Compelling and revealing story, especially about war in the Med, theatre strategy, tactics, relationships and quite intimate insights; a unique view of events from HMS Warspite’s bridge; from the horse’s mouth, arguably Britain’s greatest Admiral since Nelson; quite well written; very hard to get.
Fortress France; The Maginot Line and French Defences in World War II; J.E. Kaufmann and H.W. Kaufmann; Praeger Security International; Westport CT 2006.
Bit dry, this one, grand strategy to technical details; fascinating and very esoteric...even handed insight into the French military mind; not enough from the perspective of the men on in the ground…opportunity missed; available.
I was Graff Spee’s Prisoner; Captain Patrick Dove; Cherry Tree Books; Manchester 1940.
This is a gem. A really unusual first-hand account of one of the most famous naval engagements in history, from the perspective of the Merchant Navy Captain of the Africa Shell, held prisoner aboard Graff Spee; if you’ve seen the film Battle of the River Plate, you will recognise this as the source of much of the ‘human interest’ scenes; no nonsense narrative; very hard to get.
Bomber; Len Deighton; BBC Audiobooks Ltd; First Broadcast 18 February 1995.
Just brilliant; dramatised radio play with realistic sound effects; sit back or lie in bed eyes with closed and be taken on a harrowing night raid in a Lanc and hear from the other side as well; a unique experience; readily available on CD or MP3 download.
RR
Edited by - Ribble Rouser on 30/12/2007 13:52:20
it's bums that count 'ere; not 'ats |
Duckworth
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Posted - 30/12/2007 : 15:19
From Somewhere In England: The life and times of 8th AF bomber, fighter and ground crews in WWII. By D. Lande (a former Marine Corps aviator). A wonderful look back.
Barbara
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Duckworth
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Posted - 30/12/2007 : 19:56
Also From Young Boys to Fighting Men by Larry Valis. (http://doublegv.com/book.html).
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Rossie
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Posted - 12/04/2008 : 23:25
quote:
Rossie wrote:
quote:
The Demo Man wrote:
I'm currently reading Anthony Beevers,
"Crete : The Battle and the Resistance".
I would recommend on the WW II Resistance in Crete:-
The Cretan Runner, by George Psychoundakis, who was a Cretan guide and runner in the western mountains of Crete for British and commonwealth agents, carrying messages between towns and secret wirless stations in the mountains.
Ros
Following the above recommendation of Demo Man, I have recently read The Battle of Crete by Anthony Beevor and found it illuminating and absorbing.
It prompted me to re-read The Cretan Runner by George Psychoundakis (as I mentioned above), which is a fascinating read of the Cretan resistance but, unusually, written from the Cretan point of view. It is amazing that George Psychoundakis could have written such a book as he was born into an impoverished family in a small mountain village in Crete with only a basic education supplemented by books lent by the village priest and his shoolteacher. He penned his memories in 5 exercise books whilst working as a charcoal burner, building roads and living in a small cave after the war. His memoirs were translated into English by Patrick Leigh Fermor, an SOE officer during the war whose job had been to co-ordinate the Cretan resistance. I first read this book many years ago having bought it on a visit to Crete. Today, I got to wondering what had happened to George, so I googled him. He died just over two years ago and here is his obituary
http://home.freeuk.com/johndillon/george_obituary.htm
I would recommend George's book to anyone who has an interest in in WW11 resistance
Gill
Edited by - Rossie on 12/04/2008 11:38:43 PM
Kalh mera oi filoi mou
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 13/04/2008 : 08:36
Beevor is pretty good stuff no matter what he writes about. Stalingrad and Berlin rivetted me.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Rossie
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Posted - 14/04/2008 : 11:38
You are right Stanley - he is good but my personal favourite is his one on Crete as I am familiar with the places he talks about.
He uses George Psychoundakis a lot for his source material. Incredibly George, who was so indispensible to the British & Commonwealth SOE Officers, was imprisoned after the war - his paperwork was missing and he was presumed to be a deserter. This was followed by 2 years army service in Macedonia during which time all his sheep were stolen and the family was plunged into even deeper poverty. He received little reward for his wartime endeavours initially.
Gill
Kalh mera oi filoi mou
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Tizer
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Posted - 14/04/2008 : 12:27
Except for these last few posts this thread was all before I joined OGFB so excuse me if I repeat anything here. Perhaps it's a bit off the main line of this thread but I found "Four Days in June (Iain Gale) a marvellous account of the Battle of Waterloo. Written as semi-fiction but with such great detail about the real people and happenings. I felt as if I was there in 1815 with cannonballs whizzing past my ear. The background fascinated me most - such as the women and children accompanying the soldiers, the children playing among the cannon before the "event" started, the the officers wives staying in Brussels so they could see the action.
There are plenty of secondhand copies available through booksellers on Abebooks.
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War books
