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As the last major campaign fought exclusively by British and Commonwealth forces, the Western Desert continues to exert a special fascination - from Wavell's offensive against the Italians in 1940, through the battles with Rommel's Afrika Corps to the great British success at Alamein.
The experiences of the troops involved were vivid and wide-ranging: the noise and smoke of battle; the many vagaries of desert life; rest and recreation in Cairo and Alexandria; the development of the Long Range Desert Group and the SAS; Rommel and the Afrika Corps; and the role of Commonwealth forces in the ultimate Allied victory. Through extracts from memoirs, diaries, letters and taped interviews we hear the authentic voice of men at war. Also included here are the vital contributions made by the Air Force and the Navy.
Over 100 photographs, drawings and paintings provide a closely integrated pictorial commentary to the text.
book reviews
- Philip Warner, Daily Telegraph
Lucid narrative of operations ... superb illustrations. - Soldier Magazine
Excellent ... including a wealth of hitherto unpublished material. - M.R.D. Foot, Good Book Guide
By now a familiar story, re-told from a series of new angles ... much fresh, illuminating detail. - Sunday Times
The book is culled from the diaries, letters, reports and recollections of the people who fought the war. A vivid, vital history.
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