You see people reading some pretty rum stuff on trains and I wasn’t surprised when the guy opposite me did a double take when he saw this book because it does look like a graphic novel or possibly a lost title from a Tolkien book. If I’m being serious, which does happen occasionally, the title could be one from a feature in an After the Battle magazine; but one thing is for certain, snappy, it ain’t.
This is a pity because this is actually a fast paced and very detailed account of some of the key events of the Battle of the Bulge. The author has a long association with the Ardennes offensive and would be a great bloke to travel the battlefield with. His knowledge is obviously quite comprehensive and his access to first hand accounts and archive material offers up some really stunning photographs. I wish the book had been produced in a larger format, maybe up to A4 or even larger to get more from the photography. Otherwise, I have no complaints whatsoever. The text cracks along at a frantic pace, just like the battle itself and the drama of the events seem all too real.
The book takes us from the shocking moments of the German counter offensive on the 16th of December, 1944, and the American reaction as the 99th. 2nd and 1st Infantry Divisions fought to hold off huge numbers of Germans supported by tanks. We see the chaos of retreat and the heroics of defence and last stands. Along the way the book recounts the horrors of the murders of groups of prisoners by the Germans in addition to individual wounded men being finished off in the most callous of circumstances by a ruthless enemy. None of this is very pretty, but we know it went on and it cannot be ignored. The heroics of the American soldiers come in abundance as they fought not only the Germans but also the weather. These men, many “only” green replacements, fought like lions. Some of this stuff will take your breath away.
This book will have huge appeal to those with a strong interest in US operations in north-west Europe and to a general reader who appreciates strong personal accounts.
As said, it is a fast read and I’d say it is generally very satisfying but feel the format lets it down a tad. Maybe I’ve been spoilt by those After the Battle books, I don’t know. All the material is here, which is all that matters and the end product is definitely value for money.
Mark Barnes
THE BATTLE EAST OF ELSENBORN AND THE TWIN VILLAGES
By William CC Cavanagh
Published in soft back by Pen & Sword Military £12.99
ISBN: 978 1 84884 892 4