Book on 272nd VGD

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 6:07 am

After lengthy delays, my next book, "Victory was Beyond Their Grasp: With the 272nd Volks-Grenadier Division from the Huertgen Forest to the Heart of the Reich" has finally gone to the printers in Mercersburg. My publisher, The Aberjona Press, has informed me that it should be out in print around Christmas or by the end of the month. It is not listed on their website yet, however, so you if you are interested you ought to contact them directly at [email protected]. If you want to locate it elsewhere, the ISBNs are ISBN 10: 0-9777563-2-7 and ISBN 13: 978-0-9777563-2-2.
Thanks to all of you on this forum, Jason Pipes and Tom Houlihan especially, (as well as other online fora such as AHF and Panzer-Archiv) for the help and support you've provided over the past several years on this project. For those of you (including myself) in the "Romancer" and "Guru" community, there's probably something in there for everyone.
Cheers All,
Doug Nash

Jan-Hendrik · Post by **Jan-Hendrik** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:05 am

Congratulation, dear Doug

Jan-Hendrik

Uncle Joe · Post by **Uncle Joe** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 7:16 am

Please keep us updated when it has reached Aberjona´s stocks.

Post by **John P. Moore** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:29 am

I sincerely look forward to reading this book and I'm sure that I won't be disappointed knowing the amount of research that you put into the project. I'm especially interested in this topic after having explored the former battlefield many years ago accompanied by a copy of "The Siegfried Line Campaign" by Charles B. McDonald. I remember following the route of a German attack through the forest and finding all sorts of relics from the battle laying on top of the ground such as shrapnel, metal canteens, leather belts with ammo pouches and Y straps, rusted gas mask canisters, etc.

John

sniper1shot · Post by **sniper1shot** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:32 am

Been waiting for this one for awhile. Good job Doug.

What title falls between Romancer and Guru ?? HAHA

Richard Hargreaves · Post by **Richard Hargreaves** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:03 am

Very much looking forward to this one after Hell's Gate. My copy's on pre-order. God, I hate that phrase. It's simply on order.

Post by **John P. Moore** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 11:18 am

That's an interesting title for the book. I just completed a Google search under "Victory was Beyond Their Grasp", expecting to turn up more information about the new book. However, the first hit related to the disappointing record this season of the New York Giants football team! Later on I did find a listing under Dagwood Books in the UK claiming to have copies of the Aberjona book published last September in like new condition for 24 Pounds.

john

pzrmeyer2 · Post by **pzrmeyer2** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:03 pm

great stuff, Doug. Looking forward to another great read.

Marc Rikmenspoel · Post by **Marc Rikmenspoel** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 5:13 pm

From one guru to another, congratulations! Like the others, I look forward to reading it.

Tom Houlihan · Post by **Tom Houlihan** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:28 pm

sniper1shot wrote:What title falls between Romancer and Guru ?? HAHA

Acolyte?

Looking forward to seeing the finished product, Doug!

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:18 pm

Tom,
Hey, let's face facts - since you're a former Marine, you were automatically enrolled in the ranks of the Romancers the minute you graduated from Boot Camp! - you're only one or two levels below a Guru by this point!
Cheers,
Doug

phylo_roadking · Post by **phylo_roadking** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 7:30 pm

Acolyte? Is that not the stuff isotonic drinks put back???

KG voss · Post by **KG voss** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 2:36 pm

Mr Nash,

Sorry if it has been asked before but I'm wondering.

WHY the 272 VG Division ? and not any other inf. div.

Thanks

Doug Nash · Post by **Doug Nash** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 7:09 am

I selected that division because I was able to acquire the complete set of records - in effect, the entire Kompanie Schreibstube - of one of it's Fusilier companies - including the personal papers of over 482 soldiers - which practically begged to be made into a book. The initial plan was to write only about this particular company, but at the urging of the late Kit Bonn, Chief Editor and owner of the Aberjona Press, I changed it to write about the 272nd VGD in particular and about the VGDs in general. I learned a lot about this division that surprised me. Instead of VGDs being the stereotypical collection of old men and young boys as portrayed in the popular historical press, they were manned and equipped with the best material that the Reich still had to offer. So I hope I've written something that will generate some reader interest in a little understood type of German unit. Plus, I also wrote about the war from Nov. 44 until the end in Apr 45 from the perspective on an individual German infantry company in the West, something that I believe has not been done before (at least not for the Heer). Cheers & Merry Christmas everyone!

KG voss · Post by **KG voss** » Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:25 am

Thank you for your quick answer

I think it is really great for these soldiers that there personnal papers are being made into the book. I'm really looking forward reading your book ! and yes These VGD divisions deserve something more accurate than these old stereotyp wich prove to be more wrong than true..

I'm currently finishing reading Grier's book about Hitler & Donitz and this is an absolutely outstanding book. A lot of things make sense about Hitler's strategy during the final year of the war. The author bury a lot of myths and clearly show Hitler had a strategy(and not an insane one), it shows very well donitz influence and give Shorner it's due and that he was far from being hitler's lackey...another wrong popular belief. Very highly recommended..

Merry christmas

Feldgrau.net

Book on 272nd VGD

Book on 272nd VGD

Tom? Acolyte?

Why 272nd VGD?