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Four Hours of Fury: The Untold Story of World War II's Largest Airborne Invasion and the Final Push into Nazi Germany
In this viscerally exciting account, a paratrooper-turned-historian reveals the details of World War II’s largest airborne operation—one that dropped 17,000 Allied paratroopers deep into the heart of Nazi Germany.
On the morning of March 24, 1945, more than two thousand Allied aircraft droned through a cloudless sky toward Germany. Escorted by swarms of darting fighters, the armada of transport planes carried 17,000 troops to be dropped, via parachute and glider, on the far banks of the Rhine River. Four hours later, after what was the war’s largest airdrop, all major objectives had been seized. The invasion smashed Germany’s last line of defense and gutted Hitler’s war machine; the war in Europe ended less than two months later.
Four Hours of Fury follows the 17th Airborne Division as they prepare for Operation Varsity, a campaign that would rival Normandy in scale and become one of the most successful and important of the war. Even as the Third Reich began to implode, it was vital for Allied troops to have direct access into Germany to guarantee victory—the 17th Airborne secured that bridgehead over the River Rhine. And yet their story has until now been relegated to history’s footnotes.
Reminiscent of A Bridge Too Far and Masters of the Air, Four Hours of Fury does for the 17th Airborne what Band of Brothers did for the 101st. It is a captivating, action-packed tale of heroism and triumph spotlighting one of World War II’s most under-chronicled and dangerous operations.
On the morning of March 24, 1945, more than two thousand Allied aircraft droned through a cloudless sky toward Germany. Escorted by swarms of darting fighters, the armada of transport planes carried 17,000 troops to be dropped, via parachute and glider, on the far banks of the Rhine River. Four hours later, after what was the war’s largest airdrop, all major objectives had been seized. The invasion smashed Germany’s last line of defense and gutted Hitler’s war machine; the war in Europe ended less than two months later.
Four Hours of Fury follows the 17th Airborne Division as they prepare for Operation Varsity, a campaign that would rival Normandy in scale and become one of the most successful and important of the war. Even as the Third Reich began to implode, it was vital for Allied troops to have direct access into Germany to guarantee victory—the 17th Airborne secured that bridgehead over the River Rhine. And yet their story has until now been relegated to history’s footnotes.
Reminiscent of A Bridge Too Far and Masters of the Air, Four Hours of Fury does for the 17th Airborne what Band of Brothers did for the 101st. It is a captivating, action-packed tale of heroism and triumph spotlighting one of World War II’s most under-chronicled and dangerous operations.
425 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2019
124 people are currently reading
674 people want to read
About the author
James M. Fenelon
4 books23 followersJames Fenelon is the paratrooper-turned-author of "Four Hours of Fury," the story of the American 17th Airborne Division’s combat jump over Germany’s Rhine River in March 1945. His most recent book, "Angels Against the Sun," follows the 11th Airborne Division’s campaign through the Pacific and their eventual landing in Japan as the vanguard of the occupation forces.
As an author, Fenelon leverages his military service to provide readers with engaging accounts of average GIs swept up by events beyond their control. His desire to give readers a “boots on the ground” perspective is reflected in his narrative-driven writing style.
Fenelon’s study of WWII combat has taken him to numerous battlefields and historically-related sites, including those in France, Italy, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Egypt, Germany and Greece. He is a regular contributor to World War II magazine and has been previously published in FlyPast, Britain’s largest selling aviation magazine as well as ARMY and Military History. With his expertise in military history, he has consulted as a technical advisor for video games, screenplays and documentaries.
An alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, he lives with his wife in the Texas Hill Country.
Please visit www.jamesfenelon.com for more information.
As an author, Fenelon leverages his military service to provide readers with engaging accounts of average GIs swept up by events beyond their control. His desire to give readers a “boots on the ground” perspective is reflected in his narrative-driven writing style.
Fenelon’s study of WWII combat has taken him to numerous battlefields and historically-related sites, including those in France, Italy, Britain, Holland, Belgium, Egypt, Germany and Greece. He is a regular contributor to World War II magazine and has been previously published in FlyPast, Britain’s largest selling aviation magazine as well as ARMY and Military History. With his expertise in military history, he has consulted as a technical advisor for video games, screenplays and documentaries.
An alumnus of the University of Texas at Austin, he lives with his wife in the Texas Hill Country.
Please visit www.jamesfenelon.com for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
June 9, 2020
This is the type of military history book I like best. I prefer books that focus on a particular campaign or battle so that the author has time to drill down to numerous firsthand accounts from the men that did the actual fighting. This book is about the largest airborne assault in the history of modern warfare. It is about the 20,000 men of the US 17th Airborne and British 6th Airborne that jumped, rode or tugged a glider, or dropped supplies over the Rhine as part of Operation VARSITY. The purpose of the mission was to secure the heights on the east side of the Rhine and to capture 10 bridges over the Issel River and Issel canal to prevent German counter attacks. This was all to help Montgomery’s 21st Army to secure a crossing over the Rhine River into Germany in Operation PLUNDER. The operation was a success but what a bloodbath!
James M. Fenelon is a former paratrooper and 1st time author. He wrote a thrilling account of VARSITY based on ten years of painstaking research which included interviews, diaries, letters, after action reports, communication logs and combat interviews. I think the fact that Fenelon was a former paratrooper himself really helped him to tell the story. He had a good rapport with the interviewees and he took the time to tell their stories down to the nuanced details such as the evolution of the paratrooper’s uniform, the nomenclature, the rivalry with the tankers, as well as the evolution of equipment and tactics from D-Day to VARSITY.
The book is 338 pages long and the actual mission is launched on page 179. The drop and the landing took about four hours and the operation was wrapped up in about a day and a half. When I got to page 179 and part II of the book I couldn’t put it down. I finished the book in less time than it took the 17th and 6th Airborne to link up and secure their objectives. There is so much good information in this book. I loved it from start to finish.
If there is a criticism, I would say that there is almost nothing about the British 6th Airborne and there is also almost nothing about the link up with Monty’s 21st Army and the execution of Operation PLUNDER. However, there is so much about the incredibly complex airborne plan. Think about it: The air armada contained 1,500 powered aircraft and 1,300 gliders from 22 different air bases located in England and France. The 2,800 different aircraft all had to rendezvous in Belgium and continue onto Wesel Germany and arrive at different drop zones in the right order and at the right time. It is a miracle that they pulled it off. Also, There was so much detail about the men in the American Airborne such as the Thirteeners and Raff’s Ruffians, the B-24 supply drops, the glider pilots, the crews that tugged the gliders and dropped the airborne and the wall of flack they encountered that this is still a five star read. You really appreciate and understand the types of small unit engagements that the men had to fight and how these men accomplished their mission. The war was within six weeks of being over and yet, the Allies were still losing 10,000 a month or about as many as they were losing in the month of June of 1943.
The amazing thing is that I had never heard about operation VARSITY. How could this story go largely untold for so long? Why has Hollywood not made a movie about this? I read somewhere in the acknowledgments that Jim Hornfischer was the editor or publisher. This book reminds me of one of Hornfischer’s books about the Pacific. It was that good. What will Fenelon do for an encore? How about telling the British Airborne’s side of the story as well as the execution of PLUNDER? This is a good read.
James M. Fenelon is a former paratrooper and 1st time author. He wrote a thrilling account of VARSITY based on ten years of painstaking research which included interviews, diaries, letters, after action reports, communication logs and combat interviews. I think the fact that Fenelon was a former paratrooper himself really helped him to tell the story. He had a good rapport with the interviewees and he took the time to tell their stories down to the nuanced details such as the evolution of the paratrooper’s uniform, the nomenclature, the rivalry with the tankers, as well as the evolution of equipment and tactics from D-Day to VARSITY.
The book is 338 pages long and the actual mission is launched on page 179. The drop and the landing took about four hours and the operation was wrapped up in about a day and a half. When I got to page 179 and part II of the book I couldn’t put it down. I finished the book in less time than it took the 17th and 6th Airborne to link up and secure their objectives. There is so much good information in this book. I loved it from start to finish.
If there is a criticism, I would say that there is almost nothing about the British 6th Airborne and there is also almost nothing about the link up with Monty’s 21st Army and the execution of Operation PLUNDER. However, there is so much about the incredibly complex airborne plan. Think about it: The air armada contained 1,500 powered aircraft and 1,300 gliders from 22 different air bases located in England and France. The 2,800 different aircraft all had to rendezvous in Belgium and continue onto Wesel Germany and arrive at different drop zones in the right order and at the right time. It is a miracle that they pulled it off. Also, There was so much detail about the men in the American Airborne such as the Thirteeners and Raff’s Ruffians, the B-24 supply drops, the glider pilots, the crews that tugged the gliders and dropped the airborne and the wall of flack they encountered that this is still a five star read. You really appreciate and understand the types of small unit engagements that the men had to fight and how these men accomplished their mission. The war was within six weeks of being over and yet, the Allies were still losing 10,000 a month or about as many as they were losing in the month of June of 1943.
The amazing thing is that I had never heard about operation VARSITY. How could this story go largely untold for so long? Why has Hollywood not made a movie about this? I read somewhere in the acknowledgments that Jim Hornfischer was the editor or publisher. This book reminds me of one of Hornfischer’s books about the Pacific. It was that good. What will Fenelon do for an encore? How about telling the British Airborne’s side of the story as well as the execution of PLUNDER? This is a good read.
July 25, 2021
Oh, I wanted so hard to enjoy this. Books on Operation Varsity are scarce as hen's teeth, and sadly they're still not that common. So...
First up, although the text runs to some 341 pages, the Airborne don't actually arrive at the dropzones until page 197... there's an awful lot of filler in there, and some of the points are pretty ambiguous - at a fairly early point in the planning, General Ridgeway gets annoyed about something, but whether it was being under British command, or some point of plan not going his way, or whether he was in fact spitting out his dummy over not being allowed to stay near the front and play soldiers I never quite got to the bottom of.
Once the drop gets underway, things do pick up and the narrative does settle in, although there's an awful lot going on in a short space. For my money, the brief chapter on the low-level resupply mission by USAAF B-24's was the best part of the book - the aircraft ran in so low that they'd have qualified for membership of the RAF during the Cold War - but the battle narrative was overshadowed by the omissions - barely any mention of XII, XXX and XVI Corps, let alone 6 Airborne's struggles and no analysis of the operation and the aftermath was somewhat rushed. No Middlebrook style "The Months That Followed".
Hopefully Mr Fenlon will move on and provide some more books on airborne operations, building on this one, sadly the Untold Story of Plunder/Varsity is still untold, but maybe the next volume? Or an examination of Airborne ops in Korea (or even Junction City in Vietnam?) Here's hoping.
First up, although the text runs to some 341 pages, the Airborne don't actually arrive at the dropzones until page 197... there's an awful lot of filler in there, and some of the points are pretty ambiguous - at a fairly early point in the planning, General Ridgeway gets annoyed about something, but whether it was being under British command, or some point of plan not going his way, or whether he was in fact spitting out his dummy over not being allowed to stay near the front and play soldiers I never quite got to the bottom of.
Once the drop gets underway, things do pick up and the narrative does settle in, although there's an awful lot going on in a short space. For my money, the brief chapter on the low-level resupply mission by USAAF B-24's was the best part of the book - the aircraft ran in so low that they'd have qualified for membership of the RAF during the Cold War - but the battle narrative was overshadowed by the omissions - barely any mention of XII, XXX and XVI Corps, let alone 6 Airborne's struggles and no analysis of the operation and the aftermath was somewhat rushed. No Middlebrook style "The Months That Followed".
Hopefully Mr Fenlon will move on and provide some more books on airborne operations, building on this one, sadly the Untold Story of Plunder/Varsity is still untold, but maybe the next volume? Or an examination of Airborne ops in Korea (or even Junction City in Vietnam?) Here's hoping.
July 17, 2019
I love good military history, and so when I saw this title I requested and received a review copy, thanks to Net Galley and Scribner. It’s for sale now, but I can’t recommend it to you.
One of the first things I do when I read a new author in this genre is to check notes and sources. A first rate military historian will have multiple sources for each fact cited, and a reasonably good one will have a variety of sources, primary sources being most desirable.
Fenelon doesn’t do this. Much of his information hangs on a single source, and often it is not well integrated. This is the first time I have seen military history published by a major house, that uses Wikipedia as a source. All of the history teachers I know send their students back to do a rewrite if they hinge their citations on Wiki, and if teenagers aren’t allowed to do it, I cannot think why Scribner permitted it.
What drew me to the book is the paratroopers. There seems to be a spate of these coming out right now, and I find it fascinating subject material. There’s also a trend, of which this book is also an example, of embracing the brave German troops against whom American forces fought, and not unnecessarily, either. I could get behind this trend more easily were it more universal, but somehow U.S. historians are quick to recognize the shared humanity of former enemies that are Caucasian, and others, not so much. If I could see one, just ONE WWII history that recounts kind of brave actions on the part of the Japanese during this conflict, I would be a good deal less cranky.
Be that as it may, this book is inadequately researched and inadequately documented. It’s not professionally rendered, so if you want to read it, do so critically and evaluate as you read. Get it free or cheaply; don’t pay full price.
One of the first things I do when I read a new author in this genre is to check notes and sources. A first rate military historian will have multiple sources for each fact cited, and a reasonably good one will have a variety of sources, primary sources being most desirable.
Fenelon doesn’t do this. Much of his information hangs on a single source, and often it is not well integrated. This is the first time I have seen military history published by a major house, that uses Wikipedia as a source. All of the history teachers I know send their students back to do a rewrite if they hinge their citations on Wiki, and if teenagers aren’t allowed to do it, I cannot think why Scribner permitted it.
What drew me to the book is the paratroopers. There seems to be a spate of these coming out right now, and I find it fascinating subject material. There’s also a trend, of which this book is also an example, of embracing the brave German troops against whom American forces fought, and not unnecessarily, either. I could get behind this trend more easily were it more universal, but somehow U.S. historians are quick to recognize the shared humanity of former enemies that are Caucasian, and others, not so much. If I could see one, just ONE WWII history that recounts kind of brave actions on the part of the Japanese during this conflict, I would be a good deal less cranky.
Be that as it may, this book is inadequately researched and inadequately documented. It’s not professionally rendered, so if you want to read it, do so critically and evaluate as you read. Get it free or cheaply; don’t pay full price.
July 31, 2019
3.5 stars. This is excellent popular history, the untold story of the 17th Airborne Division during the largest airborne assault of World War II. It is based upon extensive research and in-depth interviews of many participants over a ten year period. The pace accelerates once the assault begins. Ordered chaos, initiative and indecision, heroism and cowardice, bravado and cruelty abound in combat. The author provides excellent maps that are easy to follow and a representative collection of photos. He provides an appropriate overview of the campaign, its key leaders and gathering of units. He provides explanations of slang and military terms. Finally he completes the story of the 17th Airborne, counts the price of victory, and brings individual participants to the present.
June 26, 2024
Do you feel you already know a lot about World War Two and still want to read a military history book on battles that are that not as well-known and where the book is filled with operational details? I recommend this book for you! Or if you just simply like a World War Two military history book to read I recommend this too. This book is about Operation Varsity, the largest airborne operation by the Allies. For some reason I always assume D-Day on Normandy was the largest combat airborne operation until I found this book. It is incredible to think of two thousand aircrafts and seventeen thousand airborne troops coming from the air to seize German land from the Nazis. This book tells their story.
I really like this book for its different angles. The biggest thing I was blown away from the book is the account of glider troops. I have never really read much about them. It seems during World War Two they were not thought of much by others too, since glider troops did not have combat pay nor jump pay. They also did not have special symbols like Paratroopers nor did they have extra parachutes like other troops in other planes. Yet the risks these men faced was high. Paratroopers then and now are glamorized but after reading this book I felt glider troops should be given their due respect.
The other thing I found fascinating is the book’s discussion about pilots. I learned that after a pilot land on the ground with their glider they have to head back to England but the military never gave them instructions or plans of how that is supposed to happen. It is amazing to read about pilots who did not want to go back to the rear right away and were fighting on the ground with the infantry. It takes also a special humility for pilots who are officers willing to submit to lower ranking ground soldiers in their fight against the Germans.
The book also describe airborne artillery and the challenges they face logistically and operationally. Its amazing they had to put together their guns when they are on the ground and that’s not an easy feat after an airborne landing. Yet these guys play a critical role in the operation.
The fight in Germany for the 17th Airborne Division was fierce and this book gives us a window into the battle once they got on the ground. The end of the book also defended the legacy and contribution of the 17th Airborne from early post-battle assessment that the jump was “needless” and didn’t contribute much operationally. I think the author defended the contribution of Operation Varsity well and it was contextually informed with the battle situation during that time.
I recommend this book.
I really like this book for its different angles. The biggest thing I was blown away from the book is the account of glider troops. I have never really read much about them. It seems during World War Two they were not thought of much by others too, since glider troops did not have combat pay nor jump pay. They also did not have special symbols like Paratroopers nor did they have extra parachutes like other troops in other planes. Yet the risks these men faced was high. Paratroopers then and now are glamorized but after reading this book I felt glider troops should be given their due respect.
The other thing I found fascinating is the book’s discussion about pilots. I learned that after a pilot land on the ground with their glider they have to head back to England but the military never gave them instructions or plans of how that is supposed to happen. It is amazing to read about pilots who did not want to go back to the rear right away and were fighting on the ground with the infantry. It takes also a special humility for pilots who are officers willing to submit to lower ranking ground soldiers in their fight against the Germans.
The book also describe airborne artillery and the challenges they face logistically and operationally. Its amazing they had to put together their guns when they are on the ground and that’s not an easy feat after an airborne landing. Yet these guys play a critical role in the operation.
The fight in Germany for the 17th Airborne Division was fierce and this book gives us a window into the battle once they got on the ground. The end of the book also defended the legacy and contribution of the 17th Airborne from early post-battle assessment that the jump was “needless” and didn’t contribute much operationally. I think the author defended the contribution of Operation Varsity well and it was contextually informed with the battle situation during that time.
I recommend this book.
July 2, 2019
I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book through NetGalley from Scribner Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Scribner, NetGalley, and of course James Fenelon for the honor to receive and read an ARC of this book!
4*
I really enjoyed reading Four Hours of Fury and about Operation Varsity (the largest Airborne assault of WW2) as I wasn’t as knowledgeable about the operation as many others during WW2. Mr. Fenelon does an excellent job of detailing the events of the operation for the reader. The number of sources used to write this book is impressive. I really appreciate the fact that the author also focused on the goal of a historian to ‘bring back the dead.’ Much respect for that and how he reached out to the soldiers individually.
The first half of the book talks about the operation planning, development, and short bio’s about the soldiers about to undertake the epic battle. The generals and leaders are focused upon a little extra. It’s unbelievable what all went into the operation! The reason I gave 4* and not 5* is because there was A LOT of information to digest and it was very difficult to follow many of soldier's stories throughout the whole book. I would’ve preferred character development with just a few of the men to make it more personal but that’s just me. I can understand that the author had garnered many of the stories from the soldiers in the book personally and probably felt it his duty to tell about each one.
The second half of the book focuses on the operation actually being carried out. It makes me proud as an American to read about the sacrifice and skill that went into each man carrying out his orders. It’s really humbling! The author also has the reader see how brave the Germans were. The author describes how they really had NO chance but fought hard anyways. There are also side stories involved in the operation where some soldiers earn the Medal of Honor. These stories were probably my favorite parts of the book.
Would I recommend this book? Yes! If you like WWII history (especially stories including Airborne operations) then you’ll be happy you read Four Hours of Fury!
Favorite quote/part: Story about George Peters
4*
I really enjoyed reading Four Hours of Fury and about Operation Varsity (the largest Airborne assault of WW2) as I wasn’t as knowledgeable about the operation as many others during WW2. Mr. Fenelon does an excellent job of detailing the events of the operation for the reader. The number of sources used to write this book is impressive. I really appreciate the fact that the author also focused on the goal of a historian to ‘bring back the dead.’ Much respect for that and how he reached out to the soldiers individually.
The first half of the book talks about the operation planning, development, and short bio’s about the soldiers about to undertake the epic battle. The generals and leaders are focused upon a little extra. It’s unbelievable what all went into the operation! The reason I gave 4* and not 5* is because there was A LOT of information to digest and it was very difficult to follow many of soldier's stories throughout the whole book. I would’ve preferred character development with just a few of the men to make it more personal but that’s just me. I can understand that the author had garnered many of the stories from the soldiers in the book personally and probably felt it his duty to tell about each one.
The second half of the book focuses on the operation actually being carried out. It makes me proud as an American to read about the sacrifice and skill that went into each man carrying out his orders. It’s really humbling! The author also has the reader see how brave the Germans were. The author describes how they really had NO chance but fought hard anyways. There are also side stories involved in the operation where some soldiers earn the Medal of Honor. These stories were probably my favorite parts of the book.
Would I recommend this book? Yes! If you like WWII history (especially stories including Airborne operations) then you’ll be happy you read Four Hours of Fury!
Favorite quote/part: Story about George Peters
March 3, 2020
Fantastic book. Really enjoyed it. Great detail, well organized, many detailed maps. Looking forward to his next book!
April 19, 2019
This book is well written and researched. I have read a great deal about World War II, but this is the first that I have read about the 117th Airborne Division and their role in the impending conclusion of World War II in Europe. The first half of the book details the events leading up to the four hours of fury and the various decisions (good and bad) that made it successful and not as successful as it could have been. The second half focus on the four hours and the heroic efforts of the men of the 117th to make it a success.
I recomend this book for those looking for more information on the events of World War II that have not been covered in detail elsewhere.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.
I recomend this book for those looking for more information on the events of World War II that have not been covered in detail elsewhere.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my fiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook and Twitter pages.
July 28, 2025
Historyczna opowieść o forsowaniu Renu przez wojska alianckie.
Oparta na wielu źródłach - czyta się to jak reportaż z placu boju, autor rekonstruuje krok po kroku przebieg największego desantu w historii wojskowości.
Oparta na wielu źródłach - czyta się to jak reportaż z placu boju, autor rekonstruuje krok po kroku przebieg największego desantu w historii wojskowości.
May 30, 2019
I received an advance ebook version of this book from NetGalley and Scribner Publishing in exchange for an honest review. The book details the events of Operation Varsity on March 24, 1945, the largest airborne operation of World War II. Over 17,000 allied paratroopers and glider troops were dropped in the middle of German lines to force a large-scale crossing of the Rhine River into the heart of Germany itself. The airborne troops involved were the U.S. 17th Airborne and the British 6th Airborne. The book documents the role of the 17th Airborne.
I was especially interested in this book because I had an uncle who was a paratrooper with the 513th Parachute Infantry regiment of the 17th Airborne. He was KIA during Operation Varsity.
The book is well written and documented. The number of sources used is astounding. I liked the author’s writing style and his frequent use of the words of first-person participants. The first part of the book details the planning and development of Varsity, the airborne portion, and Plunder, the ground portion of the Rhine crossing. It provides background on the 17th Airborne’s training and their first action during the Battle of the Bulge.
The second half of the book describes the events of Varsity itself, both the actions of the paratroopers and the glider riders. The author does a good job of describing step by step the actions during the battle of many different companies without bogging the reader down with needless detail or getting lost in complexity. Maps are included throughout to illustrate the action.
I am grateful to the author and the publisher for providing this excellent account of a major World War II battle that has been largely ignored. It deserves credit for documenting the outstanding record of the 17th Airborne Division who lost 1,382 men killed in action and another 4,713 wounded in this battle. They had four Metal of Honor winners. I was also very impressed by the German soldiers, who fought with great bravery even when it was clear that all was lost.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II history, especially in the airborne operations.
I was especially interested in this book because I had an uncle who was a paratrooper with the 513th Parachute Infantry regiment of the 17th Airborne. He was KIA during Operation Varsity.
The book is well written and documented. The number of sources used is astounding. I liked the author’s writing style and his frequent use of the words of first-person participants. The first part of the book details the planning and development of Varsity, the airborne portion, and Plunder, the ground portion of the Rhine crossing. It provides background on the 17th Airborne’s training and their first action during the Battle of the Bulge.
The second half of the book describes the events of Varsity itself, both the actions of the paratroopers and the glider riders. The author does a good job of describing step by step the actions during the battle of many different companies without bogging the reader down with needless detail or getting lost in complexity. Maps are included throughout to illustrate the action.
I am grateful to the author and the publisher for providing this excellent account of a major World War II battle that has been largely ignored. It deserves credit for documenting the outstanding record of the 17th Airborne Division who lost 1,382 men killed in action and another 4,713 wounded in this battle. They had four Metal of Honor winners. I was also very impressed by the German soldiers, who fought with great bravery even when it was clear that all was lost.
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in World War II history, especially in the airborne operations.
February 9, 2020
This WWII book is about Operation Varsity, an allied paratrooper assault which included the U.S. 17th Airborne and also the British 6th Airborne. It would be the largest paratrooper landing in WWII with the objective being the Northern part of the Rhine River with its bridges and towns forcing the Germans from the North and South especially after the Battle of the Bulge. The first part of the book goes into the planning and details of the mission. How Montgomery wanted Ridgeway to be the American commander and who Ridgeway fought not to but was ordered. Them how he would disagree with Montgomery on when the jump should take place and other items as well.
The second part of the book is about the jump into the different drop zones different battles that took place and the gallant and sometimes heroic effort to make sure that what was planned was succeeded. I found all of this book to be very informative especially since none of the information is ever covered in any other history books that I can think of. The efforts again of the troops go and show the dedication to each other and to the defeat of Germany and its war machine. Overall a very good book and worth the read for anyone who likes history. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
The second part of the book is about the jump into the different drop zones different battles that took place and the gallant and sometimes heroic effort to make sure that what was planned was succeeded. I found all of this book to be very informative especially since none of the information is ever covered in any other history books that I can think of. The efforts again of the troops go and show the dedication to each other and to the defeat of Germany and its war machine. Overall a very good book and worth the read for anyone who likes history. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 5 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com
July 16, 2019
An exciting read for a non-fiction account of the largest airborne assault of World War II, Operation Varsity. Its told with passion and is thoroughly researched. I was gripped from the first page and found I couldn't put the book down, so engrossed was I, in the courageous exploits of the various platoons and divisions and the sacrifice of the individuals involved. It is told from a very American viewpoint with the British and Canadian involvement very much underplayed and even at times quite insulting in its lack of respect for those troops as their sacrifice was no less important in the outcome of the overall battle. And this, I felt, was a real oversight by the author and did take away some of my enjoyment of the account - hence, only 4 stars, when it should have earned 5!
September 30, 2019
Really good book and was easy to read. I liked the details the author gave and all the research he did.
July 26, 2025
This book discusses the large-scale air invasion into Axis territory that occurred on March 24, 1945. This large number of planes carried some 17,000 troops to be dropped into Germany. This would be the largest air drop of the entire war. This invasion was ultimately successful, with the troops pushing deep into Nazi territory and destroying what little was left before Germany's surrender two months later.
This book was very well researched and engaging. I knew less about the war from the air, so this was really informative to me.
This book was very well researched and engaging. I knew less about the war from the air, so this was really informative to me.
April 12, 2022
A great retelling of a largely overlooked operation at the end of WW2. The Germans knew they were coming by air, but the 17th Airborne went anyway.
April 14, 2021
Here's what I liked about the book:
After the first roughly 100 pages, Fenelon settled in, and his writing became solid. His narrative description of the 17th Airborne Division in action was particularly good.
Fenelon gives us a very good understanding of the 17th Airborne Division, helping us understand the mindset of the gilder troops, glider pilots, and paratroopers. His numerous individual stories provide great insight. For instance, it wasn't just that the 17th went into rest after the Battle of the Bulge - Fenelon walks us through what this period was like and what many of the soldiers were thinking.
I also appreciated the firsthand insight that Fenelon was able to bring as a paratrooper himself.
Here's what I didn't like:
The first roughly 100 or so pages were not the best written - filled with cliches and caricatured portraits of WW2 figures - but it's worth it to work through this segment to get to the rest of the book.
Fenelon does a very good job, in my view of presenting the narrative of battle for the 17th Airborne - I would have appreciated analysis of the battle's results as opposed to a few pages in the epilogue. Fenelon makes the point about adjustments to Operation Varsity based on Operation Market Garden - what was the post-Varsity assessment? Were those adjustments effective and worthwhile? What lessons were learned from Varsity? How did Varsity shape airborne doctrine?
Finally, the most egregious omission in my view - Operation Varsity was the largest 1 day airborne operation of WW2. Two airborne divisions were dropped in one day. This book does a nice job telling the story of the 17th Airborne Division, but the 6th Airborne Division is only mentioned and not described even through the 6th Airborne provided roughly 1/2 the troops and 1/2 of the casualties.
This book is not about Operation Varsity - it is about the 17th Division's role in Operation Varsity. It's pretty good in that regard, but it's not a book on Operation Varsity, in my view, if it ignores half of the battle.
The book's title argues that the story of Operation Varsity is untold - unfortunately it appears the story remains untold.
After the first roughly 100 pages, Fenelon settled in, and his writing became solid. His narrative description of the 17th Airborne Division in action was particularly good.
Fenelon gives us a very good understanding of the 17th Airborne Division, helping us understand the mindset of the gilder troops, glider pilots, and paratroopers. His numerous individual stories provide great insight. For instance, it wasn't just that the 17th went into rest after the Battle of the Bulge - Fenelon walks us through what this period was like and what many of the soldiers were thinking.
I also appreciated the firsthand insight that Fenelon was able to bring as a paratrooper himself.
Here's what I didn't like:
The first roughly 100 or so pages were not the best written - filled with cliches and caricatured portraits of WW2 figures - but it's worth it to work through this segment to get to the rest of the book.
Fenelon does a very good job, in my view of presenting the narrative of battle for the 17th Airborne - I would have appreciated analysis of the battle's results as opposed to a few pages in the epilogue. Fenelon makes the point about adjustments to Operation Varsity based on Operation Market Garden - what was the post-Varsity assessment? Were those adjustments effective and worthwhile? What lessons were learned from Varsity? How did Varsity shape airborne doctrine?
Finally, the most egregious omission in my view - Operation Varsity was the largest 1 day airborne operation of WW2. Two airborne divisions were dropped in one day. This book does a nice job telling the story of the 17th Airborne Division, but the 6th Airborne Division is only mentioned and not described even through the 6th Airborne provided roughly 1/2 the troops and 1/2 of the casualties.
This book is not about Operation Varsity - it is about the 17th Division's role in Operation Varsity. It's pretty good in that regard, but it's not a book on Operation Varsity, in my view, if it ignores half of the battle.
The book's title argues that the story of Operation Varsity is untold - unfortunately it appears the story remains untold.
May 12, 2021
This book is written by a man who himself was a US Army Airborne Jumpmaster and Pathfinder! He understands well what the parachute infantry soldiers of the 17th Airborne Division had to do to prepare and jump into battle. I knew that there had been a mass airborne operation supporting Montgomery's crossing of the Rhine but I had never examined it. This book filled that gap. It is focused mainly on the 17th Airborne Division but it addresses the entire Operation Varsity, the supporting airborne mission in support of Operation Plunder, the crossing of the Rhine by Montgomery's 21st Army Group. Although the operation accomplished all of its goals, upon completion of the book, I'm not sure it was a necessary mission. The airborne units, the 6th British Parachute Division and the US 17th Airborne Division were dropped 3 miles from the river around the city of Wesel to capture bridges over the Issel river and Issel canal to prevent counterattacks against the river crossing. In Varsity, 1,596 transports were used, 1,348 gliders and, 240 B-24 bombers to drop supplies. The delivered 19,782 soldiers, 133 howitzers, and over 1,800 tons of supplies. The operation sustained 1,307 casualties in the 1t7th Airborne of which 430 were killed. The 6th Airborne had 347 dead and 731 wounded. The Air Force transport crews lost 41 killed, 316 wounded and 163 missing while the B-24's sustained 109 crewmen killed. The RAF had 23 dead. I think that the crossing could have been accomplished without sustaining these casualties. It is easy to be an armchair commander though. The facts are that the 6th Airborne and 17th Airborne Divisions accomplished their missions and fought courageously! I recommend this book to those interested in airborne operations in WWII and strategy and tactics in WWII.
November 22, 2021
Perhaps one of the most difficult tasks any military historian faces when writing about such a massive, complex undertaking as Operation Varsity is how to approach the subject and what his or her purpose is in studying such an event in the first place. What details should be included or left out? How broad or narrow should the focus be? Whose stories should be told? And what overall message should ultimately be conveyed to the reader?
James Fenelon’s approach in this, his first book, is twofold: to provide a general overview of the largest, though perhaps least known, airborne operation of World War Two; and to home in on the stories of many of the individual participants, particularly from the 17th Airborne Division but also the British 6th Airborne and on the German side as well. His purpose is to show the important contribution of this effort to the Allied drive to cross the Rhine and seize the Ruhr, thus depriving Germany of its industrial heartland. And in this he succeeds admirably.
Although the narrative of the actual operation does not begin until page 179, the preceding sections provide a look at the tremendous effort of strategic planning and logistical preparation necessary to transport thousands of soldiers across the Rhine by air, along with their supplies, and to maximize their chances for success (based on the lessons learned the hard way in Operation Market Garden). The author’s focus after the attack of March 24 begins to unfold is on many different locations and units; although this does sometimes make the narrative seem a bit jumpy, it does convey the complexity of the massive undertaking and how, as in any military operation, events never go exactly according to plan and how a degree of improvisation is always necessary.
More attention could have been paid to the role of the 6th Airborne Army, and to the German units which offered such tenacious resistance; the coverage of them seems at times like an afterthought. This may have been due to the lack of survivors to interview (the book was, after all, published in 2019) or, in the case of the Germans, to the destruction of written source materials during the war’s final days.
What is unmistakable in this narrative is the tremendous courage displayed by those on both sides. Even though the war was winding down, there were still plenty of opportunities to die, especially descending via parachute or as a passenger in a defenseless glider, or facing an enemy attacking in overwhelming force while defending a cause unmistakably lost. On the German side, as always, there existed the dichotomy between those who were fanatically determined to fight on and those who decided it made more sense to surrender. From any angle, Operation Varsity made clear that the war effort had to be prosecuted with utmost intensity, without letup, until the final surrender document was signed. This is the closing message of this magnificent book.
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
James Fenelon’s approach in this, his first book, is twofold: to provide a general overview of the largest, though perhaps least known, airborne operation of World War Two; and to home in on the stories of many of the individual participants, particularly from the 17th Airborne Division but also the British 6th Airborne and on the German side as well. His purpose is to show the important contribution of this effort to the Allied drive to cross the Rhine and seize the Ruhr, thus depriving Germany of its industrial heartland. And in this he succeeds admirably.
Although the narrative of the actual operation does not begin until page 179, the preceding sections provide a look at the tremendous effort of strategic planning and logistical preparation necessary to transport thousands of soldiers across the Rhine by air, along with their supplies, and to maximize their chances for success (based on the lessons learned the hard way in Operation Market Garden). The author’s focus after the attack of March 24 begins to unfold is on many different locations and units; although this does sometimes make the narrative seem a bit jumpy, it does convey the complexity of the massive undertaking and how, as in any military operation, events never go exactly according to plan and how a degree of improvisation is always necessary.
More attention could have been paid to the role of the 6th Airborne Army, and to the German units which offered such tenacious resistance; the coverage of them seems at times like an afterthought. This may have been due to the lack of survivors to interview (the book was, after all, published in 2019) or, in the case of the Germans, to the destruction of written source materials during the war’s final days.
What is unmistakable in this narrative is the tremendous courage displayed by those on both sides. Even though the war was winding down, there were still plenty of opportunities to die, especially descending via parachute or as a passenger in a defenseless glider, or facing an enemy attacking in overwhelming force while defending a cause unmistakably lost. On the German side, as always, there existed the dichotomy between those who were fanatically determined to fight on and those who decided it made more sense to surrender. From any angle, Operation Varsity made clear that the war effort had to be prosecuted with utmost intensity, without letup, until the final surrender document was signed. This is the closing message of this magnificent book.
**** review by Chuck Graham ****
June 27, 2019
Operation VARSITY was the largest single-day airborne drop in history, and Four Hours of Fury tells the story. I've read about Pearl Harbor, D-Day, the Battle of the Bulge, and the war in the Pacific, but hadn't ever heard of this operation which was the first push into Nazi Germany, signalling the end of WWII. Fenelon does an amazing job; facts and maps abound, but the focus on the combatants (enlisted and officers on both sides of the battle) keeps the story humanized. He has an amazing knack to toss in a sentence that seems amusing or light-hearted at first, but after more thought is covering the horrors of war. "Instructors reminded them that on an actual jump, if they didn't feel the opening shock of their chute by 4,000, they had the rest of their lives to deploy their reserve." The last sentence is flat-out heart-wrenching, capturing what every wife must have felt when getting a death notice: "There would be no fifth wedding anniversary celebration." Well-written, informative, and hard to put down—not a combination of traits I often ascribe to a history book, but they apply to Four Hours of Fury in spades.
First Sentence:
Three months before they dropped into Germany, the troopers of the 17th Airborne entered combat for the first time in a manner entirely different from how they'd been trained.
December 20, 2021
a great book, but its a little stretched out. throughout the book it takes to around page 120 for the main battle to start. but in the defence of the book its a non-fiction history book and people can't re-write history, but you can leave out boring details which the author did limit but there's no way of knowing what he left out unless you are a historian. over all while it is ran out it is a history book if you're looking for a just action war book go with a fiction or realistic fiction.
overall the book is enjoyable it's plenty action and i like how there's occasional pictures so you can really picture what was happening and there plenty of sad parts like when the kid in the plane near the start around pg.30 gets killed by shrapnel in the plane. so this book is for people who like history don't mind warfare and death ?(wile reading) and is overall an enjoyable book
as for the plot it does not conform to regular plot structures but ill try in the beginning we meet the main character james fenelon and it jumps right into a small battle which we see the first death a young man killed by shrapnel in the plane then the battle ensues then after this it gets boring and we see little action sort of like the first chapter is a plot on it own then building up to the big battle is like another rising action then there is multiple climaxes during the main battle. then a falling action the ending of the battle then the end of the book
my favorite quote is " this is war he is my enimy i need to prove to myself i can destroy him" pg.3 said by lynn Aas after kiking a corps
overall the book is enjoyable it's plenty action and i like how there's occasional pictures so you can really picture what was happening and there plenty of sad parts like when the kid in the plane near the start around pg.30 gets killed by shrapnel in the plane. so this book is for people who like history don't mind warfare and death ?(wile reading) and is overall an enjoyable book
as for the plot it does not conform to regular plot structures but ill try in the beginning we meet the main character james fenelon and it jumps right into a small battle which we see the first death a young man killed by shrapnel in the plane then the battle ensues then after this it gets boring and we see little action sort of like the first chapter is a plot on it own then building up to the big battle is like another rising action then there is multiple climaxes during the main battle. then a falling action the ending of the battle then the end of the book
my favorite quote is " this is war he is my enimy i need to prove to myself i can destroy him" pg.3 said by lynn Aas after kiking a corps
January 31, 2020
"Four Hours of Fury: The Untold Story of World War II's Largest Airborne Invasion and the Final Push into Nazi Germany" eBook was published in 2019 and was written by James M. Fenelon (https://www.jamesfenelon.com). This is Mr. Fenelon’s first book.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. This is the story of the last and largest airborne operation of WWII.
The book details the preparations for the attack as well as events on the day of the jump itself. The high-level strategy behind the jump is addressed and the heroic actions of many individuals are described. The book mentions many who were involved in this last major European battle of WWII.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5+ hours I spent reading this 449-page history. This is one of the best-written accounts of WWII that I have read. It is also a detailed account of a major operation that I had not really been aware of. I will certainly be on the lookout for more non-fiction from Mr. Fenelon. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
I received an ARC of this novel through https://www.netgalley.com in return for a fair and honest review. I categorize this novel as ‘R’ because it contains scenes of Violence and Mature Language. This is the story of the last and largest airborne operation of WWII.
The book details the preparations for the attack as well as events on the day of the jump itself. The high-level strategy behind the jump is addressed and the heroic actions of many individuals are described. The book mentions many who were involved in this last major European battle of WWII.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 11.5+ hours I spent reading this 449-page history. This is one of the best-written accounts of WWII that I have read. It is also a detailed account of a major operation that I had not really been aware of. I will certainly be on the lookout for more non-fiction from Mr. Fenelon. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.
Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/.
April 2, 2021
I found this book on the recommendation of a trusted reader who shares many of the same interests as I do. Fenelon does an excellent job of wording this 347 page book with military jargon, equipment descriptions and plenty of descriptions of personalities, American, British and German. The book is nicely supplemented with tactical field maps, and photo’s. I did not know about the detailed planning and execution that went into this key battle. When you read Fenelons’ book you are impressed with the magnitude of the Allied firepower and technology and logistics superiority. By this stage of the war we had become an unstoppable force.
Who would know that the beautiful river and countryside that my wife and I had river-cruised on over bottles of Pinot Noir were the same ones traversed under very unpleasant war conditions 70+ years earlier.
I highly recommend this book. I con’t imagine the shock and heroism that it took to participate in this battle for the Allies.
And I want to thank my friend who recommended this book through our mutual Goodreads membership.
Who would know that the beautiful river and countryside that my wife and I had river-cruised on over bottles of Pinot Noir were the same ones traversed under very unpleasant war conditions 70+ years earlier.
I highly recommend this book. I con’t imagine the shock and heroism that it took to participate in this battle for the Allies.
And I want to thank my friend who recommended this book through our mutual Goodreads membership.
June 16, 2025
Author James M. Fenelon has crafted one of the premiere histories of World War II. His subject is Operation Varsity which, although little discussed and even less written about, was the largest airborne operation of the entire war. Fenelon spent the better part of 25 years researching, interviewing survivors, traveling to battle sites and libraries and archives both here and in Europe. The result is an exquisitely written account that truly does justice to the subject and to the brave men who fought in that great battle. To me, it is a must read for anyone interested in World War II or airborne history. No debate, this book rates 5 stars.
November 13, 2020
AS again I find that more books about WWII that I read I find just that much more intell that was just forgotten in history. Can you imagine Operation Varsity 50,000 airmen being dropped over the Rhine River and securing an area just 6 miles wide, near the town wesel, was it worth the risk, I say no. Our poor troops were dumb founded as to why the German army and people kept on resisting to give up knowing that the end was very near. Not only that but they also directly targeted our medics and shot them till dead.I also agree with many others that General Eisenhower was the best General that the British ever had...Period!
July 8, 2020
Especially interesting to me, as this recounted the experiences of my father's WWII unit, the 17th Airborne. I was privileged to meet some of the troopers featured in the book and their families when I traveled with the 17th Scions organization to the European Theatre of Operations in 2015. Fenelon does a great job of weaving together the history, characters, drama, and bloody reality of the jump over the Rhine.
October 24, 2020
It took me awhile to get through this book so evidently I wasn't to enthused about it. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great. I wish it had more maps so troop movements could be easily reconciled in your head. I was really torn between 3 or 4 stars.
I too was a Paratrooper so I am personally vested in the history but it just seems to be lacking something.
I too was a Paratrooper so I am personally vested in the history but it just seems to be lacking something.
July 24, 2019
"Four Hours" starts by depicting the level of planning and logistics needed to successfully invade Germany by US and British Airborne troops. Having learned from the mistakes with Marketgardens, the US insisted on sufficient and immediate backup support.
December 3, 2019
A captivating read! I really enjoyed this one. It captures both the big tactical picture and the stories surrounding the individual soldiers. A terrific achievement. Fenelon has brought a relatively unknown event out into the open air by a mountain of research and first-rate storytelling.
June 5, 2020
A thorough account of the 17th Airborne’s historic invasion into Germany in March of 1945. Made extra special with references to Lyn Aas, who is the father of my good friend, Dan. Incredible coordination with limited communications. So many gliders, planes and parachutes!
September 20, 2020
I love history books. What I love even more are history books that are well-written. This is one of those. I was drawn into the battles and into the hearts and minds of those who fought in WW2. What an incredible battle! Highly recommend.
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