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Tramp in Armour
May 1940, the German panzer divisions roll across Northern France and all seems lost. Only the British Force stands between the enemy and the coast. Can one British tank which is coming up behind the German lines destroy a whole German tank division? The author also wrote " Year of the Golden Ape" .
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1969
7 people are currently reading
171 people want to read
About the author
Colin Forbes
157 books117 followersRaymond Harold Sawkins was a British novelist, who mainly published under the pseudonym Colin Forbes, but also as Richard Raine, Jay Bernard and Harold English. He only published three of his first books under his own name.Sawkins wrote over 40 books, mostly as Colin Forbes. He was most famous for his long-running series of thriller novels in which the principal character is Tweed, Deputy Director of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Sawkins attended The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow, London. At the age of 16 he started work as a sub-editor with a magazine and book publishing company. He served with the British Army in North Africa and the Middle East during World War II. Before his demobilization he was attached to the Army Newspaper Unit in Rome. On his return to civilian life he joined a publishing and printing company, commuting to London for 20 years, until he became successful enough to be a full-time novelist.
Sawkins was married to a Scots-Canadian, Jane Robertson (born 31 March 1925, died 1993). Together they had one daughter, Janet.Sawkins died of a heart attack on August 23, 2006.
Sawkins was often quoted as personally visiting every location he features in his books to aid the authenticity of the writing. As a result, there is detailed description of the places where the action in his books takes place.
Fury (1995) was inspired by the courage of his wife before she died, and he set it apart from his other novels “because of the strong emotion and sense of loss that runs through it”.
Just one of Forbes' novels was made into a film: Avalanche Express, directed by Mark Robson and starring Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw, which was released in 1979 to generally poor reviews.
Sawkins attended The Lower School of John Lyon in Harrow, London. At the age of 16 he started work as a sub-editor with a magazine and book publishing company. He served with the British Army in North Africa and the Middle East during World War II. Before his demobilization he was attached to the Army Newspaper Unit in Rome. On his return to civilian life he joined a publishing and printing company, commuting to London for 20 years, until he became successful enough to be a full-time novelist.
Sawkins was married to a Scots-Canadian, Jane Robertson (born 31 March 1925, died 1993). Together they had one daughter, Janet.Sawkins died of a heart attack on August 23, 2006.
Sawkins was often quoted as personally visiting every location he features in his books to aid the authenticity of the writing. As a result, there is detailed description of the places where the action in his books takes place.
Fury (1995) was inspired by the courage of his wife before she died, and he set it apart from his other novels “because of the strong emotion and sense of loss that runs through it”.
Just one of Forbes' novels was made into a film: Avalanche Express, directed by Mark Robson and starring Lee Marvin and Robert Shaw, which was released in 1979 to generally poor reviews.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
March 3, 2022
This novel set during the German invasion of France in May 1940 follows the crew of a Matilda Infantry tank called "Bert", who when on a recon mission gets separated from their unit and then has to make their way back to British lines in the aftermath of the German panzer advance. The book highlights the confusion and brutality in the aftermath of the invasion, where there are fifth-columnists, vengeful looters, the marauding Luftwaffe strafing refugee lines and dodging panzer columns. The scene description during all this gets a bit much at times, but it is very well written.
The characters in the book are also well formed from the commander Sgt. Barnes and the downed RAF pilot Colson to the German fifth-columnists, some of them only being a small part of the novel, but all enriching the storyline.
Parallel to the story of Sgt. Barnes and Bert, you have the panzer division leader Gen. Storch who races across France to the coast and who does not like following his superiors' orders and want to capture Dunkirk and thus prevent the Allied evacuation there. In the end as you can guess these two story-lines converged for an explosive ending, albeit a rushed ending.
Good and solid old school war novel that I would recommend to readers into this genre.
The characters in the book are also well formed from the commander Sgt. Barnes and the downed RAF pilot Colson to the German fifth-columnists, some of them only being a small part of the novel, but all enriching the storyline.
Parallel to the story of Sgt. Barnes and Bert, you have the panzer division leader Gen. Storch who races across France to the coast and who does not like following his superiors' orders and want to capture Dunkirk and thus prevent the Allied evacuation there. In the end as you can guess these two story-lines converged for an explosive ending, albeit a rushed ending.
Good and solid old school war novel that I would recommend to readers into this genre.
October 15, 2014
”It was going to be another lovely day----for the Germans.”
The German Panzer IV
When the Germans invaded Poland in 1939 Britain sent the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) to defend France. May 10th of 1940 the Germans invade the Netherlands and Belgium and quickly drive through the Ardennes to attack France. Three German Panzer Corps quickly pushed the French, British, and the tattered remains of the Belgian Army to the coast of France. The Blitzkrieg tactics had worked to perfection
Everything hung in the balance.
The war, the world, the future.
The Panzer tanks were moving so fast that they were way ahead of their ground troops. They were unable to secure any of the territory they had so easily conquered. Adolf Hitler ordered a halt and that gave the Allies time to build defenses and perform The Miracle of Dunkirk. From Destroyers to pleasure craft to the most insignificant floating derelicts were all launched towards the coast of France. Civilians worked desperately along with the Royal Navy to save their boys. They pulled 338,226 troops off that deadly coast so that they would be able to fight another day.
This was one of the finest moments not only in British history, but in world history in my humble opinion.
If you ever want to see me tear up just mention one word...Dunkirk, but you will have to buy me a pint.
They went and got them by any floating means possible.
Churchill was under immense pressure to sue for peace by his cabinet. This is one of those times in history where one man did make a difference. One man refused to bend under the weight of a seemingly impossible situation. One man saved civilization as we know it. He refused thoughts of surrender and gave one of the most important speeches of his career. The we shall Fight on the Beaches speech. Linked below for those that may not have heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTw3...
That is a Matilda II Tank shown in front of a Valentine Tank in a demonstration in 1940.
Now Sergeant Barnes commander of a Matilda II tank has no idea all of this is going on. All he knows is that he, his crew, and his beloved tank (nicknamed affectionately Bert) are trapped after the Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht chased them into a railroad tunnel and bombed the opening closed. They dig their way out only to find that the world has changed. They aren’t sure what has happened, but their sole desire is to rejoin the B.E.F. and stay alive in the process. They soon find themselves in a cat and mouse game with German Panzers and doing their best to avoid a series of fortunately poorly manned roadblocks. They also have to contend with looters, French and German who are desperate and frankly despicable. They meet some wonderful French people who are willing to risk their lives to give these British soldiers a chance to return to the fight.
”If the generals had fought this war the way some of these people fight when they get a chance we’d be over the Rhine now.”
What he is alluding to of course is the disastrous command structure of the French Army. The top leadership was loaded with ancient, career officers most many decades removed from their peak mental and physical years. The young Frenchmen who volunteered to defend their country deserved much better.
Towns have been obliterated by the firepower of the Luftwaffe.
”Barnes ordered Reynolds to drive down the very centre of the rubble-littered highway as he anxiously watched the spectral walls of the bombed buildings they were passing, wondering whether they should turn back at once. It was by no means certain that the vibrations of the tank movement might not bring down one of those hanging walls. Some of them seemed to stay upright by a miracle of balance.”
Lives shattered by the passing hordes of armies. One, then another, then maybe the same one again.
Sergeant Barnes and his tank crew found bombed cities in the wake of the German invasion.
As they keep out of the clutches of the Germans, they often have to take Bert over terrain that tanks were not really meant to contend with. The descriptions that Colin Forbes A.K.A. Raymond Harold Sawkins shares of the formidable, but vulnerable aspects of the Matilda tank certainly provided me with more insight into the continual problems of tank warfare that still exist clear up to the present day.
They have to hide under bridges, in abandoned buildings, in tunnels of trees, in river beds and even in one real moment of desperation... a haystack. The eyes of the Germans are randomly circling overhead and spell doom for them if they are spotted. As they put two and two together and start to understand the extent of the German triumph. They decide they must do something to put a damper on the victory dancing.
I had been intending to read Colin Forbes spy series Tweed & Co., but this book just happened to fall into my hands. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a novel involving a tank of any kind from WW2. This is the first book that he wrote under the Forbes pseudonym. He was able to lend authenticity to his books by personally visiting the places utilized in all of his novels, due diligence that I appreciate. The book was published in 1969. The events of World War II was still fairly recent history for most of his audience in Britain so he did not include much of the background of what was happening (as I did at the beginning of this review) partly also because this tank crew was cut off from being able to communicate with their own command. The tank crew had to rely on the mostly sketchy information provided by the French people willing to offer them help.
This is certainly a man’s book, not in the graphic sex, graphic violence sense (if that is even a designation anymore), but simply because the only female character is a French wife, unable to speak English, who dresses their wounds and exits stage right. Now me, I would have had to add a character, an intelligent, extremely attractive female French resistance fighter who would provide some saucy repartee while firing off a few rounds in the direction of the German soldiers. :-)
This book fulfills a high quota for adventure as it was intended and a low quota for literary value also as it was intended. It is an entertainment, a page flipper, a Walter Mitty adventure for those whose most exciting moment of the day is shaking the pop machine so it will drop their Sierra Mist.
***Best read in a hammock with a glass of condensation beaded lemonade (cause you will be thirsty) attire should consist of aviator Ray-bans, cargo shorts, and a box of smokes (smoking them not recommended) rolled up in one sleeve of your short sleeve western style snap shirt. Also this is the proper attire to attract females who like their men with a dubious nature.
The German Panzer IV
When the Germans invaded Poland in 1939 Britain sent the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) to defend France. May 10th of 1940 the Germans invade the Netherlands and Belgium and quickly drive through the Ardennes to attack France. Three German Panzer Corps quickly pushed the French, British, and the tattered remains of the Belgian Army to the coast of France. The Blitzkrieg tactics had worked to perfection
Everything hung in the balance.
The war, the world, the future.
The Panzer tanks were moving so fast that they were way ahead of their ground troops. They were unable to secure any of the territory they had so easily conquered. Adolf Hitler ordered a halt and that gave the Allies time to build defenses and perform The Miracle of Dunkirk. From Destroyers to pleasure craft to the most insignificant floating derelicts were all launched towards the coast of France. Civilians worked desperately along with the Royal Navy to save their boys. They pulled 338,226 troops off that deadly coast so that they would be able to fight another day.
This was one of the finest moments not only in British history, but in world history in my humble opinion.
If you ever want to see me tear up just mention one word...Dunkirk, but you will have to buy me a pint.
They went and got them by any floating means possible.
Churchill was under immense pressure to sue for peace by his cabinet. This is one of those times in history where one man did make a difference. One man refused to bend under the weight of a seemingly impossible situation. One man saved civilization as we know it. He refused thoughts of surrender and gave one of the most important speeches of his career. The we shall Fight on the Beaches speech. Linked below for those that may not have heard it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkTw3...
That is a Matilda II Tank shown in front of a Valentine Tank in a demonstration in 1940.
Now Sergeant Barnes commander of a Matilda II tank has no idea all of this is going on. All he knows is that he, his crew, and his beloved tank (nicknamed affectionately Bert) are trapped after the Luftwaffe of the Wehrmacht chased them into a railroad tunnel and bombed the opening closed. They dig their way out only to find that the world has changed. They aren’t sure what has happened, but their sole desire is to rejoin the B.E.F. and stay alive in the process. They soon find themselves in a cat and mouse game with German Panzers and doing their best to avoid a series of fortunately poorly manned roadblocks. They also have to contend with looters, French and German who are desperate and frankly despicable. They meet some wonderful French people who are willing to risk their lives to give these British soldiers a chance to return to the fight.
”If the generals had fought this war the way some of these people fight when they get a chance we’d be over the Rhine now.”
What he is alluding to of course is the disastrous command structure of the French Army. The top leadership was loaded with ancient, career officers most many decades removed from their peak mental and physical years. The young Frenchmen who volunteered to defend their country deserved much better.
Towns have been obliterated by the firepower of the Luftwaffe.
”Barnes ordered Reynolds to drive down the very centre of the rubble-littered highway as he anxiously watched the spectral walls of the bombed buildings they were passing, wondering whether they should turn back at once. It was by no means certain that the vibrations of the tank movement might not bring down one of those hanging walls. Some of them seemed to stay upright by a miracle of balance.”
Lives shattered by the passing hordes of armies. One, then another, then maybe the same one again.
Sergeant Barnes and his tank crew found bombed cities in the wake of the German invasion.
As they keep out of the clutches of the Germans, they often have to take Bert over terrain that tanks were not really meant to contend with. The descriptions that Colin Forbes A.K.A. Raymond Harold Sawkins shares of the formidable, but vulnerable aspects of the Matilda tank certainly provided me with more insight into the continual problems of tank warfare that still exist clear up to the present day.
They have to hide under bridges, in abandoned buildings, in tunnels of trees, in river beds and even in one real moment of desperation... a haystack. The eyes of the Germans are randomly circling overhead and spell doom for them if they are spotted. As they put two and two together and start to understand the extent of the German triumph. They decide they must do something to put a damper on the victory dancing.
I had been intending to read Colin Forbes spy series Tweed & Co., but this book just happened to fall into my hands. I don’t believe I’ve ever read a novel involving a tank of any kind from WW2. This is the first book that he wrote under the Forbes pseudonym. He was able to lend authenticity to his books by personally visiting the places utilized in all of his novels, due diligence that I appreciate. The book was published in 1969. The events of World War II was still fairly recent history for most of his audience in Britain so he did not include much of the background of what was happening (as I did at the beginning of this review) partly also because this tank crew was cut off from being able to communicate with their own command. The tank crew had to rely on the mostly sketchy information provided by the French people willing to offer them help.
This is certainly a man’s book, not in the graphic sex, graphic violence sense (if that is even a designation anymore), but simply because the only female character is a French wife, unable to speak English, who dresses their wounds and exits stage right. Now me, I would have had to add a character, an intelligent, extremely attractive female French resistance fighter who would provide some saucy repartee while firing off a few rounds in the direction of the German soldiers. :-)
This book fulfills a high quota for adventure as it was intended and a low quota for literary value also as it was intended. It is an entertainment, a page flipper, a Walter Mitty adventure for those whose most exciting moment of the day is shaking the pop machine so it will drop their Sierra Mist.
***Best read in a hammock with a glass of condensation beaded lemonade (cause you will be thirsty) attire should consist of aviator Ray-bans, cargo shorts, and a box of smokes (smoking them not recommended) rolled up in one sleeve of your short sleeve western style snap shirt. Also this is the proper attire to attract females who like their men with a dubious nature.
March 7, 2022
3⭐
Read this in the early '70's, if my (dim) memory serves. Thought it was a decent war story, with heroic 'everyman' type Brits, fighting their way back to their lines, in their faithful tank, during the Battle of France. I can still remember some of the passages, 50 years on, so it made an impression.
Read this in the early '70's, if my (dim) memory serves. Thought it was a decent war story, with heroic 'everyman' type Brits, fighting their way back to their lines, in their faithful tank, during the Battle of France. I can still remember some of the passages, 50 years on, so it made an impression.
December 5, 2008
I can't believe nobody has reviewed this yet!
This is the story of a tank named Bert and 'his' crew, who are separated from their own side during the chaos of the invasion of France. They find themselves far behind enemy lines, wandering in the empty gap between the oncoming Panzers and the BEF. At first their aim is to join up with the BEF, until they find a chance to put their full load of ammunition to really good use...
Hair-raising narrow scrapes, and bad luck follow. Forbes keeps the tension going non-stop. The story has a bare minimum of characters (obviously, since they're all alone) but those characters are nice and solid. The route can be followed along a map in the front of the book, which always gives a book a nice 3D feel, but a few times I had to pause and recollect "left turn then right turn, ok I know where we are."
This is the story of a tank named Bert and 'his' crew, who are separated from their own side during the chaos of the invasion of France. They find themselves far behind enemy lines, wandering in the empty gap between the oncoming Panzers and the BEF. At first their aim is to join up with the BEF, until they find a chance to put their full load of ammunition to really good use...
Hair-raising narrow scrapes, and bad luck follow. Forbes keeps the tension going non-stop. The story has a bare minimum of characters (obviously, since they're all alone) but those characters are nice and solid. The route can be followed along a map in the front of the book, which always gives a book a nice 3D feel, but a few times I had to pause and recollect "left turn then right turn, ok I know where we are."
April 13, 2024
A favourite of my Dads since he was a kid. Shame I took so long to read it as it was fantastic. Adept at building tension and would be great as a film.
April 29, 2013
In the seventies book clubs was very popular in Denmark. And my father was a member of one too. Thence our home had an ample supply of books (During the years it accumulated into many 'shelf meters')
And as my father – a history teacher with WWII as the era of interest – also was a school librarian I became 'environmental damaged' and read scores of books. Among those was 'Tramp in Armor'.
At the time I read it, it was as a good and thrilling story but I was only faintly able to see the big picture of the battles in France 1940. So I plan to read it again, could be interesting to see if it still hits home almost forty years later.
Something in my mind tells me that Forbes was one of the authors I liked but I do not remember the details from the book very well hence the three stars is only an estimated guesswork.
And as my father – a history teacher with WWII as the era of interest – also was a school librarian I became 'environmental damaged' and read scores of books. Among those was 'Tramp in Armor'.
At the time I read it, it was as a good and thrilling story but I was only faintly able to see the big picture of the battles in France 1940. So I plan to read it again, could be interesting to see if it still hits home almost forty years later.
Something in my mind tells me that Forbes was one of the authors I liked but I do not remember the details from the book very well hence the three stars is only an estimated guesswork.
October 30, 2011
This was, in my opinion, the best novel I've read written by Colin Forbes. It follows the adventures of a tank crew as they are stranded behind enemy lines in World War 2 and have to find their way to safety. The highlights I recall are a very suspenseful scene where they have to hide from the Nazi's, disguising their tank as a hay bale, and a very exciting tank battle at the end. I loved this one.
August 8, 2016
Read this one as a child. It was glorious back then.
February 1, 2021
An excellent novel which shows the skill of Forbes as a story teller and that he can produce work that is not part of the Tweed & Co series. After being sent out for reconnaissance Sgt Barnes and his tank crew get separated from the main body of the British Expeditionary Force in the pre Dunkirk stage of WWII. What follows is the story of their struggles to stay alive as they try to re-join the BEF and make a contribution to the war effort.
The story moves at a good pace and Forbes provides one or two nice surprises along the way. Due to the nature of the story there are no large scale battles just the occasional skirmish, but all the action scenes are well written and believable.
The story moves at a good pace and Forbes provides one or two nice surprises along the way. Due to the nature of the story there are no large scale battles just the occasional skirmish, but all the action scenes are well written and believable.
August 16, 2019
Great WWII war story about a British Tank crew during the battle of Dunkirk.
February 24, 2013
I picked this book up for free when I was in hospital with a broken Ankle.
I really enjoyed his writing style and went on to read every one of his books.
I really enjoyed his writing style and went on to read every one of his books.
July 24, 2013
Really enjoyed this WW2 action romp
August 2, 2021
Cracking good action right from the start and never lets up. I was hooked in at once and thoroughly enjoyed it.
December 5, 2021
I'm pretty sure I read this as a senior in high school or perhaps my first year of college. It is another book featured on a Twitter thread of WW II novels that inspired readers to read more WW II history (fictional or otherwise). The author was a prolific writer and that usually means formulaic page turners. So, I decided to read this again to see if was any good - perhaps a diamond in the rough.
The verdict? Rip-roaring
It is May 1940 and the balloon has just gone up in NW Europe with the German attack on the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A British tank operating on the flank of the BEF becomes separated from the rest of the troop and finds itself isolated. The tank crew, let by the redoubtable Sgt. Barnes is determined to rejoin the BEF and along the way, perhaps do some damage to the German Army.
Now there is no doubt a lot of WW II fiction that has been written since 1971 that maybe covers the same genre - a small unit forced to fight its way out of a jam -- but I'm not familiar with those novels so I'm judging Tramp in Armor (or more properly, Tramp in Armour) solely on its own without any comparables.
What you get here is your basic, straight-up, action story that rarely lets up as the Mathilda II and crew have to deal with all sorts of challenges as they head towards the channel, operating behind the advancing Panzers and otherwise in the vacuum of territory abandoned by the Allies as they fell back to the coast.
And, what makes the book good is that the action is not all shoot-em-up but often involves combating geographic obstacles. In some ways, the book reminded me of Roy Scheider driving the truck full of nitroglycerine in the movie "The Sorcerer". Constant peril. There's a useful map to keep you oriented.
Because the novel is set in the days before Dunkirk, it has the impetus of a fixed time to hang the plot around.
The characters are taken straight out of pre-Vietnam War molds - the stoic tank driver, the chatty/jokey gunner, the Nazi-hating French kid, and of course, Sgt. Barnes - who has a Sgt. Rock-like quality about him - a good leader, ruthless against the Germans, and able to withstand pain.
And speaking of Germans, the main German characters are even more caricatured. But, they aren't featured too often and you are so caught up in the plot as it goes from danger to peril to menace to jeopardy chapter-by-chapter.
I can see myself thoroughly enjoying this book 40+ years ago and I enjoyed it again in 2021.
Quibbles?
A few --
1) The author refuses to identify the German tanks by their type -- all tanks were called "heavy" tanks even though true heavy tanks like the Tiger and Panther didn't arrive on the scene until 1943.
2) As the story takes place on, in , and about a single Mathilda II tank, the author seems to have missed a golden chance to make the reader feel more at one with the tank. Sure, many details are used to describe the tank but these seem gleaned from secondary sources. As the story is mostly told from Barnes' viewpoint, it lacks about 20% verisimilitude from what a real tank commander would feel and express.
3) The tank is remarkably reliable throughout the story. Only a few setbacks which the crew can handle. The real tank was painfully slow (15 mph) but in the book you sense it can go faster.
But never mind these quibbles - pick this up for a good 2-3 day escapist read that doesn't stop.
The verdict? Rip-roaring
It is May 1940 and the balloon has just gone up in NW Europe with the German attack on the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A British tank operating on the flank of the BEF becomes separated from the rest of the troop and finds itself isolated. The tank crew, let by the redoubtable Sgt. Barnes is determined to rejoin the BEF and along the way, perhaps do some damage to the German Army.
Now there is no doubt a lot of WW II fiction that has been written since 1971 that maybe covers the same genre - a small unit forced to fight its way out of a jam -- but I'm not familiar with those novels so I'm judging Tramp in Armor (or more properly, Tramp in Armour) solely on its own without any comparables.
What you get here is your basic, straight-up, action story that rarely lets up as the Mathilda II and crew have to deal with all sorts of challenges as they head towards the channel, operating behind the advancing Panzers and otherwise in the vacuum of territory abandoned by the Allies as they fell back to the coast.
And, what makes the book good is that the action is not all shoot-em-up but often involves combating geographic obstacles. In some ways, the book reminded me of Roy Scheider driving the truck full of nitroglycerine in the movie "The Sorcerer". Constant peril. There's a useful map to keep you oriented.
Because the novel is set in the days before Dunkirk, it has the impetus of a fixed time to hang the plot around.
The characters are taken straight out of pre-Vietnam War molds - the stoic tank driver, the chatty/jokey gunner, the Nazi-hating French kid, and of course, Sgt. Barnes - who has a Sgt. Rock-like quality about him - a good leader, ruthless against the Germans, and able to withstand pain.
And speaking of Germans, the main German characters are even more caricatured. But, they aren't featured too often and you are so caught up in the plot as it goes from danger to peril to menace to jeopardy chapter-by-chapter.
I can see myself thoroughly enjoying this book 40+ years ago and I enjoyed it again in 2021.
Quibbles?
A few --
1) The author refuses to identify the German tanks by their type -- all tanks were called "heavy" tanks even though true heavy tanks like the Tiger and Panther didn't arrive on the scene until 1943.
2) As the story takes place on, in , and about a single Mathilda II tank, the author seems to have missed a golden chance to make the reader feel more at one with the tank. Sure, many details are used to describe the tank but these seem gleaned from secondary sources. As the story is mostly told from Barnes' viewpoint, it lacks about 20% verisimilitude from what a real tank commander would feel and express.
3) The tank is remarkably reliable throughout the story. Only a few setbacks which the crew can handle. The real tank was painfully slow (15 mph) but in the book you sense it can go faster.
But never mind these quibbles - pick this up for a good 2-3 day escapist read that doesn't stop.
October 7, 2021
In May 1940, a British tank is trapped in a railway tunnel in Belgium for several days right after the Germans attack. When they dig themselves out, they find themselves many miles behind enemy lines.
This is the basic premise of Tramp in Armour, an unlikely plot made possible because the German tanks blitzing across France have outrun the infantry and there are few occupation troops between the "Bert" (the British tank) and the front lines near Dunkirk. Still, getting back to the Allied lines is not without danger. A series of mini-adventures keep the tension high and present us with a number of truly edge-of-your-seat action scenes. The tank has to hide under a bridge while a German armored column drives right over them; they have to deal with a "helpful" Belgium civilian who may not be who he claims to be; French looters take a potshot at them; a wounded crewman needs a doctor, and so on.
It's great stuff, with the non-stop prose going fast enough to hide most of the more unrealistic parts. The main character--Sgt. Barnes--is an excellent soldier able to improvise constantly, but he's also very human, subject to exhaustion and mistakes.
There are a series of coincidences near the end that might stretch credulity too far. First, they kill an officer in a staff car that just happens to carry vital information with him (though, to be fair, the author footnotes that something similar happened in real life.) Second, the crew is joined by a downed RAF pilot who happens to be an explosive expert. Third, they just happened to find some abandoned explosives.
But, since this leads to a fantastic final battle in which Barnes rigs the tank to become a bomb aimed at a vital German ammunition dump, I'm forgiving of this. Also, by this time, the crew has gone through so much and accomplished so much by the skin of their teeth, that (dramatically speaking) they have earned a little good luck.
This is the basic premise of Tramp in Armour, an unlikely plot made possible because the German tanks blitzing across France have outrun the infantry and there are few occupation troops between the "Bert" (the British tank) and the front lines near Dunkirk. Still, getting back to the Allied lines is not without danger. A series of mini-adventures keep the tension high and present us with a number of truly edge-of-your-seat action scenes. The tank has to hide under a bridge while a German armored column drives right over them; they have to deal with a "helpful" Belgium civilian who may not be who he claims to be; French looters take a potshot at them; a wounded crewman needs a doctor, and so on.
It's great stuff, with the non-stop prose going fast enough to hide most of the more unrealistic parts. The main character--Sgt. Barnes--is an excellent soldier able to improvise constantly, but he's also very human, subject to exhaustion and mistakes.
There are a series of coincidences near the end that might stretch credulity too far. First, they kill an officer in a staff car that just happens to carry vital information with him (though, to be fair, the author footnotes that something similar happened in real life.) Second, the crew is joined by a downed RAF pilot who happens to be an explosive expert. Third, they just happened to find some abandoned explosives.
But, since this leads to a fantastic final battle in which Barnes rigs the tank to become a bomb aimed at a vital German ammunition dump, I'm forgiving of this. Also, by this time, the crew has gone through so much and accomplished so much by the skin of their teeth, that (dramatically speaking) they have earned a little good luck.
July 26, 2019
I have started to re-read some of the novels I've read when I was a teenager. Naturally mostly those I remember I have liked back then. This is one belonging to this "summer project".
When I started I had a vague memory that this novel I hadn't liked a lot. Probably that notion was correct as I didn't like this very much this time either. One should trust his intuitions.
As quite many World War II novels also this felt like this was written by a young boy too much influenced by comic books where brave Britons beat the living daylights out of nasty Nazis. Quite adolescent I would say.
The hero was naturally unselfish brave superman which could have perhaps been defeated by using cryptonite or nuclear weapons. Neither was available so the Nazis were helpless.
The plot was as unbelievable as the main character's endurance. A slow, poorly armed, undermanned infantry tank behind enemy lines doing damage and surviving by a miracle after another. And even getting proper help literally from the skies above. If the story requires a demolition man, you have to get him somewhere :-)
With a proper attitude one can live with this kind of very light adventure story. But this was written so solemnly with a stiff upper lip, that regardless of the never ending action the entity was a bit boring and uninteresting. Alistair McLean did this so much better. Many times.
There were some (unintentional) funny bits also. The Germans never wore just a helmet. It was always "a pudding shaped" helmet. Always, not once or twice or three times.
Obviously many have enjoyed this, so read and make your own judgement.
Aavepanssari
TAMMI 1970
When I started I had a vague memory that this novel I hadn't liked a lot. Probably that notion was correct as I didn't like this very much this time either. One should trust his intuitions.
As quite many World War II novels also this felt like this was written by a young boy too much influenced by comic books where brave Britons beat the living daylights out of nasty Nazis. Quite adolescent I would say.
The hero was naturally unselfish brave superman which could have perhaps been defeated by using cryptonite or nuclear weapons. Neither was available so the Nazis were helpless.
The plot was as unbelievable as the main character's endurance. A slow, poorly armed, undermanned infantry tank behind enemy lines doing damage and surviving by a miracle after another. And even getting proper help literally from the skies above. If the story requires a demolition man, you have to get him somewhere :-)
With a proper attitude one can live with this kind of very light adventure story. But this was written so solemnly with a stiff upper lip, that regardless of the never ending action the entity was a bit boring and uninteresting. Alistair McLean did this so much better. Many times.
There were some (unintentional) funny bits also. The Germans never wore just a helmet. It was always "a pudding shaped" helmet. Always, not once or twice or three times.
Obviously many have enjoyed this, so read and make your own judgement.
Aavepanssari
TAMMI 1970
June 27, 2024
A classic. I first read this book as a teenager in the mid-70's, and it has aged well. Is it realistic? No, but then neither is Star Wars, that is not its purpose. This is an adventure story, a real page turner. Non stop action, with Sgt. Barnes and his crew battling to strike a blow against the Germans after being caught behind enemy lines during the Battle of France in 1940. We meet looters, 5th columnists, cruel Nazis, endearing French farm folk, all the while rooting for the underdog, Bert the Matilda tank and her crew of unlikely heroes.
A Ripping Yarn, as an English schoolboy of a certain era might say - great fun I say.
A Ripping Yarn, as an English schoolboy of a certain era might say - great fun I say.
March 6, 2022
Not a bad story. The story focused on a British tank crew of a Matilda tank in the spring of 1940.
They became separated from their main group and it was the job of Sgt Barnes to get his crew back to friendly lines, but also creating as much havoc along the way while heading to Dunkirk/Calais.
They met people that would help them but they also met those that would soon turn them in to the Germans.
They became separated from their main group and it was the job of Sgt Barnes to get his crew back to friendly lines, but also creating as much havoc along the way while heading to Dunkirk/Calais.
They met people that would help them but they also met those that would soon turn them in to the Germans.
December 7, 2020
Fint spændende fortælling. Det fungerer rigtig godt, og man bliver grebet af historien. Det er dog ikke en bog, der fordyber sig, og den er nok hurtigt "forbrændt".
Der er ingen tvivl om, at forfatteren ved hvad han taler om, da han er tidligere soldat i den britiske hær, så det virker meget autentisk.
Der er ingen tvivl om, at forfatteren ved hvad han taler om, da han er tidligere soldat i den britiske hær, så det virker meget autentisk.
July 17, 2023
Fuld blæs på soldater-vrum-vrum og eksorbitante nazi-nedmejninger med maskinpistol fra før man fik traumer af at være i krig med kampvogn bag fjendens linjer. Velskrevet, letlæst og bedre end forventet.
December 6, 2018
Spændende og letlæst. For unge og gamle.
February 27, 2022
Probably 4.5 but rounding up.
With it's structure, this novel would make a great miniseries for, say, the BBC. It is a shame that someone has not put it in the hands of someone like Tom Hanks.
With it's structure, this novel would make a great miniseries for, say, the BBC. It is a shame that someone has not put it in the hands of someone like Tom Hanks.
March 20, 2024
A cracking 'blood and thunder' story with lots of exciting twists and turns.
April 6, 2024
One of the best books I've read and couldn't put down, got me back into reading again and own about 3 copies and best ww2 book
August 4, 2025
Pretty good especially for it's time.
Surprised this has not been made a movie, it feels like an easy manuscript to write.
However I guess the problem would be the expense of using a rare antique tank, and the fact that the crew is British isn't appealing to Hollywood.
Surprised this has not been made a movie, it feels like an easy manuscript to write.
However I guess the problem would be the expense of using a rare antique tank, and the fact that the crew is British isn't appealing to Hollywood.
May 22, 2013
Well, this here story is Murphey`s law in a book. The premise is a British tank is left behind in the German attack in the opening stages of WW2 and it`s struggle to get back to their own lines before being destroyed by said German armor columns. What can go wrong ? Well , just about everything. Besides having an endless supply of petrol ( they only fill up once in the story ), one by one , the members of the crew are either killed or incapacitated one by one until the last part of the story. And the ending is naturally the destruction of a complete German armor column that if it had really occured, could have changed the course of the war ! But, fear not, someone makes it ...... Who ? I had to re-read the end of this story to remember how it ended because a few days after I finished , I drew a blank. You can pass on this one.
October 7, 2012
A British Matilda tank and her crew, cut off during the Blitzkrieg in France 1940, attempt to make their way back to Allied lines. It sounds good, but the plot is ruined by implausible action and stereotyped characters -- the book fails miserably.
December 19, 2015
This was absolutely fabulous. One of those rare action adventures that also serves as brain food.Forbes' prose was spot on - neither dragging, yet very nicely prosed. Saving Private Ryan meets Mission Impossible!!
Read
July 25, 2014(Read during High School)
January 8, 2020
This is a good story and good information on the battles before Dunkirk... Laughter and sorrow within the story...
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