Also try...The Frontier Legion by Frank Leeson, Frontier Scouts by H.R.C. Pettigrew, Victory Point by Ed Darack, The Village by Bing West, and This Man's Army by Andrew Exum.
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Also try...The Frontier Legion by Frank Leeson, Frontier Scouts by H.R.C. Pettigrew, Victory Point by Ed Darack, The Village by Bing West, and This Man's Army by Andrew Exum.
If You Survive by George Wilson
Beyond Band of Brothers by Dick Winters
Doing Battle by Paul Fussell (the first part)
Company Commander by Charles B. McDonald
all of the above by U.S. WWII small unit commanders.
In Deadly Combat by Gottlieb H. Bidermann
he started as a landser in the beginning of the war, was promoted to Lt. and finished up in Courland.
With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledger
The Forgotten Soldier by Guy Sajer
both superb and a view of what good officers look like when viewed from below.
There is another one, very good, by a British platoon commander who fought in Abyssinia (and was captured by the Italians there) and Italy. I forgot the name and will keep searching. David, do know this one?
Carl & others,
No, these few clues don't help; although very few were captured in the Abyssinian campaign to my very limited knowledge.Quote:
There is another one, very good, by a British platoon commander who fought in Abyssinia (and was captured by the Italians there) and Italy. I forgot the name and will keep searching. David, do know this one?
davidbfpo
Carl PM'd me with the book title last year: Charlie Company by Peter Cochrane.
An excellent book. an interesting part was his account of the fighting in Ethiopia. the Italians could fight very hard if they wanted to.
Link to UK Amazon:http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1...MPBQQ1AVSKH2TP
It scores well there, alongside 'With the Jocks' which I have, so perhaps I'll find it next year.
Must start with part 1:
Bugles and a Tiger: My Life in the Gurkhas - John Masters which covers his training and early days.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...SH20_OU02_.jpg
The Road Past Mandalay - John Masters which covers his WW2 experiences.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...SH20_OU02_.jpg
Agree entirely. I first read Bugles and a Tiger in the late 1960s as a boy in India. I have read and re-read each many times. (As well his India based historical fiction. All great except for the tedious Ravi Lancers.) I can't recommend Masters too highly.
Also "Not a Good Day to Die." After studying Anaconda at War College, I had a chance to discuss it with some of the participants. It's a great example of how not to organize and structure a combat force and how highly motivated soldiers try to overcome imposed limitations. (Thanks Don Rumsfeld!)
I would recommend "Colder than Hell" by Joseph Owen. Found it to be a very interesting presentation of the Korean War.
Also, Ernst Juenger's memoir "Storm of Steel" about the author's experience in World War I is worth reading.
Lena
A great memoir--> "The Forgotten Soldier" by G. Sager
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Sajer
.