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Reviewed By: |
Military Illustrated Magazine |
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Date: |
02/02/2006 |
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Reader Rating: |
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Review:
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This is an extremely useful book. There is a surprising lack of information on some very basic matters concerning the British Army of World War Two. One has been, until now, biographical details of British generals. While Montgomery, Slim, Wavell, Auchinleck and few others have received a fair amount of attention, others have been neglected. These include such senior soldiers as Anderson (commander of First Army in Tunisia) and Dempsey (Second Army in Normandy). Most others, divisional commanders and staff officers, are almost completely obscure. Nick Smart’s primary achievement is to provide information on individuals such as Major General GN Russell (Deputy QMG, India, 1944-45) and Major General G.C. Kemp, who ‘presided over various selection boards’. It is entries such as these, rather than those on the likes of Montgomery or Wavell, that give this book its value.
Smart provides an interesting and thought-provoking introduction to the subject, and throughout the book he offers some trenchant opinions. He is, for instance, harsh on Alan Brooke. Conversely, he lets ‘Boy’ Browning off lightly for his role in the Arnhem debacle. There are some annoying errors: Adam’s Christian name was Ronald, not Robert; and the institution where Smart examined the Army List is the Joint Services Command and Staff College, not either of the variants that appear in his text. There are some surprising omissions in his bibliography, including William Buckingham’s work on Arnhem and (amazingly) Alex Danchev’s book on Dill. For all that, this is a book of very great value that will prove indispensable for those with a serious interest in World War Two.
Gary Sheffield
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Displaying results 1 to 4 of 4
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