We Fought at Arnhem

by Mike Rossiter

Three soldiers tell the true story of the mission that became known as "a bridge too far".

Operation Market a plan to capture the bridge over the Rhine at Arnhem and outflank the German front.

In all thirty five thousand airborne troops were to land, either by parachute or glider, at three drop zones and move towards their objective. As the world now knows the mission was to be 'a bridge too far' for the British forces.

Mike Rossiter has interviewed three of the survivors of that fateful day, each involved in a different flank of the British attack, and in vivid detail reconstructs the events that lead up to this most famous of glorious defeats. It is at once a story of hubris and bad planning, but also of valiant sacrifice and inspirational courage.

Genres: World War II, Military History, Nonfiction, History

400 pages, Paperback

First published May 26, 2011

Reviews

[Michael Hilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although centred on 3 characters all in Arnhem within a few miles of each other, it does portray the vastly different time they endured with the only symbioses that binds the characters together being their shared time in captivity until the close of their wars. A gripping read throughout however I found it let down by the authors own statement at the start stating this is not a discussion on what let down and ultimately caused failure of Op. Market Garden, however, the final pages were indeed a discussion on the writers point of view (and previously well established reasons of failure) on why the operation ultimately failed.
A good read based on the characters, sadly let down by the last few pages.

[Laurence · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very detailed description of one of the most infamous campaigns in British history. The in depth accounts by the three soldiers allows the reader to garner a better idea of what conditions were like at Arnhem and also helps the reader emphasize with the soldiers. Even though most people will have some idea of the events of operation Market Garden the account fleshed out what happened from the troops perspective. I did enjoy the book but did find it slightly difficult to get through at times due to the listings of battalions and regiments which confused the points slightly. For me personally it was an enlightening read as my grandfather fought at Arnhem, however this did make me slightly disappointed as his unit (6th airborne) was barely mentioned even though they were in Arnhem two weeks before anyone else. If you are interested in modern history this book if for you.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was great its the standard story of operation market garden but it also follows 3 individuals so puts a very personal view on the whole battle. I can't recommend this highly enough I really enjoyed it. If you enjoyed the bridge too far then this is a must as it will bring it right home the trials tribulations and hardships that were suffered!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of this famous battle by cleverly following the personal stories of three soldiers involved in the operation. This provides a very detailed timeline of the battle as well as making you truly appreciate the bravery of the soldiers involved. The personal accounts of the three soldiers make this a truly gripping read.

[Darren Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!!!!...Heroes..Never forgotten...

[David Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth the read honestly

[Al Lock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books put together based on interviews of the survivors of a battle are always interesting if they are done well. This one is done pretty well.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 2 out of 5]

Published in 2012, We Fought at Arnhem tells the story Operation Market Garden in September 1944 through the eyes of three surviving veterans. In practice, this means that around half of the book looks at the specific experiences of these veterans, whilst the remainder gives a more general history of the battle. The book has irritating flaws - the authors technical knowledge is often dubious resulting in numerous errors in detail. Examples include referring to the Hotspur glider as being of flimsy fabric covered construction, when is skinned in plywood, the Panzer III medium tank referred to as a light tank, the Panther tank referred to as armed with an 88mm gun instead of 75mm, a Char B(bis) tank referred to as a Renault light tank amongst others. The text sometimes has an annoying 'dumbed-down' style, such as when it mentions the Luftwaffe before explaining that this refers to the German Air Force. As is often the case with unverified anecdotes, most of the German tanks are referred to as Tiger tanks and most of the German anti-tank guns, whether free standing or self-propelled, are referred to as 88mm guns. On the positive side, the text does tell you a lot about the operational issues involved in the battle, but honestly, other books on the subject do this so much better. Readable but flawed.

[Steve822 · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many books about Operation Market Garden and this is up there with the best. You get the background, how the battle unfolded and it's conclusion but what makes it different is the story of the three soldiers, which brought a personal touch and you imagine yourself in their shoes. I usually rate good books at 3 stars but this is a strong 4, partly because it tells the story of these unknown men, whose sacrifices we mustn't forget.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a very personal view of the battle at Arnhem from three extraordinary men. Made even more poignant due to my grandfather being one of the men's platoon commander so getting an insight into something which he never spoke about.

[David Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great account of three Arnhem veterans from The REME, and Parachute Battalions. The veterans accounts are great and provide a bespoke perspective of the battle. The author gives an overview of Market Garden Running parallel to the veterans stories. It’s a good read.

[Darren Hinton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a good read, goes a nice view from the three main paratroopers. The writing style is found slightly difficult to get into, this is just a personal preference.