Battle Normandy 1944: Life and Death in the Heat of Combat

by Kenneth John Macksey

What really happens during battle is told by one of the men who saw combat in WWII. It is Normandy, July 28, 1944 and the Americans have broken through the German defenses.In order to show the reader the true nature of combat, Ken Macksey has selected a real engagement in which he took part, and has related authentic incidents played out by participants who have remained fictitious to protect the memory of the living and dead.

Genres: History

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

British author and historian who specialized in military history and military biography, particularly of the Second World War. Macksey was commissioned in the Royal Armoured Corps and served during the Second World War (earning the Military Cross under the command of Percy Hobart). Macksey later wrote the (authoritative) biography of Hobart.Macksey gained a permanent commission in 1946, was transferred to the Royal Tank Regiment in 1947, reached the rank of major in 1957 and retired from the Army in 1968.

Amongst many other books, Macksey wrote two volumes of alternate history, one, entitled Invasion, dealt with a successful invasion of England by Germany in 1940 and the other describing a NATO–Warsaw Pact clash in the late 1980s. The latter book was done under contract to the Canadian Forces and focuses on the Canadian role in such a conflict. He was an editor and contributor to Greenhill's Alternate Decisions series since 1995.

In Macksey's Guderian – Panzer General, he refuted the view of historian Sir Basil Liddell-Hart regarding Hart's influence on the development of German Tank Theory in the years leading up to 1939.

Reviews

[Rob Markley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally read this because of the amazing cover art. Re-read confirmed lasting impression. Not so exciting but important contribution to understanding the less glorious side of running an army in war

[Robin Braysher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating and detailed account - by one who was there - of how a fictitious Allied operation was planned, organised and executed during the battle for Normandy, and all the things that could and did go wrong. As is so often the case when I read accounts of battles and campaigns, I could have done with more maps to help me remember where everyone is supposed to be, but that's just the way my mind works!