Churchill's Desert Rats in North-West Europe: the Final Push

Description

When Montgomery took command prior to D-Day he gathered around him commanders and formations he knew and trusted. Not surprisingly 7th Armoured Division was one of these and they were deployed from Italy to England. In this fine account the author who fought alongside the Desert Rats describes the Division's battles from the beaches, the breakout battles (Goodwood and Bluecoat), the liberation of Northern France and Belgium. After taking Ghent there were the long months fighting in the Peel country of the Netherlands before Operation BLACKCOCK, the Rhine Crossing and the final advance into Ger.;Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; Contents; INTRODUCTION; 1 The Old Soldiers; 2 Morale and Reputation; 3 An Armoured Division's Role in Battle; 4 Arrival -- 'We Knew it was War'; 5 Villers-Bocage -- Defeat, a Draw and Victory; 6 Bocage Fighting -- 'the Quick and the Dead'; 7 Operation Goodwood -- 'We're in the Wrong War'; 8 Operation Spring -- 'Shell Happy Now'; 9 Operation Bluecoat -- 'Step on the Gas for Vire'; 10 Break-out -- 'Push On and Don't Bugger About'; 11 The Great Swan -- 'Cracking Around'; 12 Belgium and the Liberation of Ghent -- 'an IncredibleWelcome'; 13 Unsung Heroes. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents INTRODUCTION 1 The Old Soldiers 2 Morale and Reputation 3 An Armoured Division's Role in Battle 4 Arrival -- 'We Knew it was War' 5 Villers-Bocage -- Defeat, a Draw and Victory 6 Bocage Fighting -- 'the Quick and the Dead' 7 Operation Goodwood -- 'We're in the Wrong War' 8 Operation Spring -- 'Shell Happy Now' 9 Operation Bluecoat -- 'Step on the Gas for Vire' 10 Break-out -- 'Push On and Don't Bugger About' 11 The Great Swan -- 'Cracking Around' 12 Belgium and the Liberation of Ghent -- 'an IncredibleWelcome' 13 Unsung Heroes. 14 Left Flanking: Operation Market Garden -September/October15 Operations Alan and Don -- Late October -- 'der Moffe Aweg' 16 Watch on the Maas in East Brabant and Limburg 17]anuary and Operation Blackcock 18 The Lull Before the Storm 19 Crossing the Rhine -- Operation Plunder 20 The Battle for the Ibbenbüren Ridge 21 Hot Pursuit 22 The Last Lap -- Relief of Fallingbostel POW Camp 23 The Surrender of Hamburg -- 'the Stink of Death' 24 Final Round-up and VE Day 25 Victory Parade in Berlin ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS INDEX OF PLACES AND NAMES.