Best books about Allied soldiers?

Ironman · Post by **Ironman** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 12:15 pm

I like anything by Ambrose. "Another river, another town" is an excellent choice. "Footsoldier" is also very good, sorry, but the authors names escape me.

Lipton · Post by **Lipton** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 5:40 am

My favorite ones are Band of Brothers and Citizen Soldiers.

Jexter · Post by **Jexter** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 12:58 pm

S. Heym "Crusaders" :) don't be confused about the name of the book... :) A very good book... recomended to everyone :)

mikerock · Post by **mikerock** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:45 pm

"With the Jocks" by Peter White

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 8:48 pm

There are so many of them:
"Devil In Baggy Pants - Ross Carter
"Company Commander"- Charles McDonald - a classic
Donald Burgetts - 3 tities on his time in the 101st from Bening to the Alps
"Road to Huertgen" by Boesch
"Helmet for my Pillow" by Leckie

The list just goes on. I could give 50 titles on just common GI stories plus a couple of good Canadian and British titles.

Wiking5th

mikerock · Post by **mikerock** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:22 pm

Wiking, I'd like to hear about those Canadian titles if you don't mind.

Marc Rikmenspoel · Post by **Marc Rikmenspoel** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:22 pm

I really like Ken Tout's books on the British Army in Normandy and beyond, such as A Fine Night For Tanks (Totalize), The Bloody Battle For Tilly, and In the Shadow of Arnhem (I still need to get Raods to Falaise).

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:01 pm

Mike, There us a triology called "With The Guns" by George G. Blackburn
Guns of Victory, Guns of Normanday, Where the Hell Are The Guns

WWI - "Ghosts Have WarM Hands by Will F. Bird - very good

Hope you find some of these to your liking,
Wiking5th

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 2:01 pm

Mike, There us a triology called "With The Guns" by George G. Blackburn
Guns of Victory, Guns of Normanday, Where the Hell Are The Guns

WWI - "Ghosts Have WarM Hands by Will F. Bird - very good

Hope you find some of these to your liking,
Wiking5th

mikerock · Post by **mikerock** » Sun Feb 13, 2005 11:55 pm

Thanks Wiking5th

Reb · Post by **Reb** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:42 am

Wiking - I'd certainly agree with your calls - Ross Carter's book is a long time favorite and McDonald of course is great.

I haven't seen "Helmet for my Pillow" in years but loved it as a kid.

My own additions:

"Brazen Chariots" (a south african officer in 4th Brit Armd Bde - Crusader)

"The Bloody Battle of Tilly" by Ken Tout

And as always - "Caen: Anvil of Victory" by Alex McKee. Very good first person stuff from Brit and Cnd (as well as German) soldiers.

There is a minor classic called "The Beardless Warriors" about young US conscripts that I can highly reccomend as well.

cheers
Reb

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:12 pm

Reb, I agree with how good Ross Carter's book is. I have kept my paperback1960's version as a treasure. Had to threaten my oldest son with bodly harm when he wanted to read it if he messed up one page. (I had Devils Inferno I & II about the "Waffen SS' in Viet Nam - he destoryed both of them he read them so many times. I have seen those on Ebay going for over $200 a piece!!) Anyway, I treated myself to a new copy when it was repinted in hard back last year.

Tell me more on "Anvil..." I have looked at it several times, but can't make my mind up about it. Also, what about "Beardless Warriors" - not run across that one before?

Thanks,
Wiking5th

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:12 pm

Reb, I agree with how good Ross Carter's book is. I have kept my paperback1960's version as a treasure. Had to threaten my oldest son with bodly harm when he wanted to read it if he messed up one page. (I had Devils Inferno I & II about the "Waffen SS' in Viet Nam - he destoryed both of them he read them so many times. I have seen those on Ebay going for over $200 a piece!!) Anyway, I treated myself to a new copy when it was repinted in hard back last year.

Tell me more on "Anvil..." I have looked at it several times, but can't make my mind up about it. Also, what about "Beardless Warriors" - not run across that one before?

Thanks,
Wiking5th

Wiking5th · Post by **Wiking5th** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:13 pm

Darn that double post. Don't know how I keep doing that. My apologizies.
Wiking5th

Reb · Post by **Reb** » Sat Feb 26, 2005 12:07 am

Wiking

"Caen: Anvil of Victory" is the one must have book about Normandy. Told mostly through first person accounts of Brit, Cnd and German soldiers by a guy was there it contains some of the best battle narrative I've ever read. Remarkably balanced. McKee's account of Le Mesnil - Patry has a classic line: "The regimental history notes primly that 'touch with the squadron was lost' It wasn't the 'touch' that was lost - it was the squadron..."

His account of a pzJager (pak40) platoon at Caumont fighting tanks and getting hammered by typhoons is something - he certainly doesn't glorify war but damn sure can tell a story. Most of that episode is told by a young German NCO from 2nd Pz Div. Some of the stuff about 502 SS sPz Abt was quoted later in Will Fey's "SS Armour Battles" and is by a young German Tiger crewman - first rate stuff about Hill 112.

First book I ever read that plainly spoke of allied war crimes. My copy fell apart and was secured by a rubber band until I found another copy recently. Also released as "Last Round Against Rommel."

If you buy it and read it you'll thank me I assure you! I just sent my frazzeled old copy to my brother who is very glad I did!

"Beardless Warriors" is a minor classic of fiction - telling of an 18 year recruit who is totally clueless and finds himself in battle - apparently about the time and place of Nordwind. Its quite compelling - very good charactierizations and the combat scenes speak of confusion, fear and the lost feeling of a new replacement finding his way in war. Everybody is cold, tired and scared - the enemy are terrifying and they have no idea what the battle is about - only that they are to attack or retreat and people are trying to kill them all the time. (which I guess - is what war is about)

We all read that Devil's Guard thing when I was in the army - often wondered how much of it was true - having met a number legionaires I have to give it the benefit of the doubt. It was at a party with some of those guys that I learned to sing "Wir Salen Gegen Engeland!"

cheers
Reb