Charlie Company: In service with C Company, 2nd Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders, 1940-44

by Peter. Cochrane

Of the many books about the last war, some offer the general's view of an entire battlefield, others have been individual experiences or divisional histories. "Charlie Company" is something original, the story of a rifle company of the Cameron Highlanders whose record of service in the Western Desert, Eritrea, and throughout the Italian campaign fully deserves this tribute to their courage and endurance. Peter Cochrane joined the company as a young platoon commander in 1940. He won an MC in their first action in Libya, and followed this with a DSO for his part in the grim assault on Keren. Badly wounded there, he missed the disaster at Tobruk, but was back as company commander at Monte Cassino and afterwards for the long haul up Italy. From his own experience he has told the remarkable story of a small group of soldiers of whom any country would be proud. The stresses and horrors of war are there, but so is the humour and the wonderful spirit of men whose morale was somehow sustained to the very end. It is a deeply moving book.

Genres: History, World War II

179 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[James Kemp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a history of C Company 2nd Bn Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in the western desert, Sudan & Eritrea, Keren and then in Italy. They were part of 4th Indian Division.

The author was an officer who did all his active service with the same infantry company and this covers his experiences and those of his company.

Of the many books about the last war, some offer the general's view of an entire battlefield, others have been individual experiences or divisional histories. "Charlie Company" is something original, the story of a rifle company of the Cameron Highlanders whose record of service in the Western Desert, Eritrea, and throughout the Italian campaign fully deserves this tribute to their courage and endurance.

Peter Cochrane joined the company as a young platoon commander in 1940. He won an MC in their first action in Libya, and followed this with a DSO for his part in the grim assault on Keren. Badly wounded there, he missed the disaster at Tobruk, but was back as company commander at Monte Cassino and afterwards for the long haul up Italy. From his own experience he has told the remarkable story of a small group of soldiers of whom any country would be proud. The stresses and horrors of war are there, but so is the humour and the wonderful spirit of men whose morale was somehow sustained to the very end. It is a deeply moving book.

[Nadir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this history of a British infantryman assigned to a Scottish battalion which in turn was assigned to the 4th Indian Division during World War II. The reader gains some insight both into the individual's roles and reactions in combat as well as when the unit is out of the line. The interlude of the author's trip to the US during the war was a bit distracting, but brought to light a rarely discussed side of the war (home-front PR programs).