New Book for Christmas

[Gibbs505]

"It Never Snows in September"
By Robert J. Kershaw.

ISBN: 0 7110 3062 6 or 978 0 7110 3062 6

http://www.milsurps.com/imagehosting/10247715b69e2eff.jpg

This book arrived for me a couple of weeks ago but I was not allowed to open the parcel until this morning! Gosh darnit!

The book is the german view of the operation "Market-Garden" and the Battle of Arnhem. It has copious photo's and, very interesting, eight colour plates of maps! The appendices inculde copies of the orders to thje IISS Pz Corps detailed German Order of Battle, inculding temperory units, for the period of the battle.

No, I have not been able to read the book from cover to cover, yet! But I am looking forward to it.

Of interest, the title comes from a german officer, Lt Joseph Enthammer, who was a Wehrmacht artillery officer based in Arnhem. He looked up to the clear skies, looking at white 'snowflakes' that appeared to be hanging in the sky; thinking "That cannot be' it never snows in September! They must be parachutists!"

A full review will follow but I have to read it first! I promise!

[Gibbs505]

Just finished this book. I highly recommend it!

There is much in this book that is new for me. The view point of the regular soldier is extremly intresting. A number of soldier and officers complained about many things but a common complaint was about, to them, pointless marching and counter-marching. It was truley a 'snails-view' war for many of the SS and Wehrmacht line soldier's. Most of whom had no idea about the fighting at the Arnhem Bridge when they were fighting the rest of the Para Brigade, and vica-versa! Generally, all they knew about was the fighting directly in front of them. And that was meriless enough.

There are many photo's in the book that I have never seen before, again because of the German view point of the book.

One other thing that intriged me was the lack of personal animosity between the british and the german soldier, inculding the SS! No matter how hard or ruthless was the fighting with the paratroops, they seemed to deal with the fighting as between professionals. This did not extend to the germans v/s the poles, americians or french however! The locals who took up arms with the soldiers also got short shift as well!