Monty's Iron Sides: From the Normandy Beaches to Bremen with the 3rd Division - Couverture rigide

Delaforce, Patrick

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0750907797 ISBN 13 : 9780750907798

Editeur : Sutton Publishing Ltd, 1995

Synopsis

Major-General Bernard Montgomery commanded the British 3rd Division in the Low Countries with skill and determination in the opening stages of World War II, culminating in the Allied evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940. The 3rd Division, which subsequently became known throughout the British Army as Monty's "Iron Sides", included in its ranks the general's beloved Royal Warwickshire Regiment of which he had been commanding officer. As the only division in the British Liberation Army to participate in the savage fighting from D-Day all the way through to VE-Day, the Iron Sides were frequently in the thick of the action, led by the popular ex-Desert Rat GOC, "Bolo" Whistler. The Iron Sides fought in the tough battle to take Caen, in Operation "Goodwood" at Troarn and Operation "Bluecoat" to take Vire. They helped force a crossing of the Escaut canal and participated in Operation "Aintree" to free the Dutch towns of Overloon and Venraij. Operation "Heather" saw them drive through the Siegried Line before finally "cracking around" in northern Germany in the hard fighting that ultimately led to VE-Day. In this divisional history, the author draws on contributions from the dozen fighting regiments of the 3rd Division who wore the sign of the black and red triangles, designed by Monty himself. They came from every corner of Great Britain and in this text, relate the stories of their battles in their own words.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

On 6 June 1944, Major-General Bernard Montgomery chose his 'Iron Sides', the famous British 3rd Division, to spearhead the Allied attack on the Normandy beaches on D-Day. As the only division in the British Liberation Army to participate in the savage fghting from D-Day all the way through to VE-Day, the Iron Sides' contribution to victory in Europe was immense. Their courageous efforts won them two Victoria Crosses, but the price in lives was high; the division suffered 15,000 casualties including 2,586 killed in action. The 3rd was probably the most 'British' of all the divisions fighting in North- West Europe. It included the King's Own Scottish Borderers, a Highland gunner regiment, the Royal Ulster Rifles, the two roses of East Yorkshire and South Lancashire, the East Anglians (Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolns) and the Midlands (Warwick and Shropshire), besides cockneys from the Middlesex Regiment and the Recce Regiment from Northumberland. Following the successful formula adopted in his other divisional histories, Patrick Delaforce draws on the personal experiences of privates, NCOs and young officers from the dozen fighting regiments of the 3rd Division - the words of the soldiers who fought at the sharp end of war.

Présentation de l'éditeur

Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, aka ‘Monty’, was Britain's most celebrated general during World War Two, leading the British Army to famous victories from Africa to NW Europe.

The 3rd British Infantry Division was commanded by `Monty’ in the 1940 campaign leading up to Dunkirk.

The title Iron Sides derived from its brilliance in adversity in the Great War. Predictably – a dangerous honour – Monty chose the division to spearhead the Normandy invasion by landing on Sword Beach on D-Day.

Attrition battles followed, from Operations Epsom and Goodwood to Market Garden, Veritable and finally the capture of Bremen. Monty designed their distinctive insignia of red and black triangles.

The men came from all over Britain: Norfolk, Suffolk, Warwickshire, Shropshire, Lincolnshire, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Middlesex, the Scottish Borders and Ulster – it was the most British of all the Army divisions.

The price of victory was appalling: 15,000 casualties including 2,588 killed in action, but two Victoria Crosses were won. It was a magnificent fighting record, led by the famous ex-Desert Rat, Major-General `Bolo’ Whistler.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Sutton Publishing Ltd
• Date d'édition: 1995
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0750907797
• ISBN 13: 9780750907798
• Reliure: Relié
• Numéro d'édition: 1
• Nombre de pages: 224
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible