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64 Days of a Normandy Summer: With a Tank Unit After D-Day
189 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 4, 2019
Compared to Stewart Hills from the acclaimed By Tank Into Normandy , Jones is not much of an author. It's the only reason I can think of to explain the different vibe from two tank officers on the same battlefield. The text rumbles along in its tracks, so pay attention for when the lively bit of sudden enemy action bursts forth over the 11th "Bulls" armoured division.
June 14, 2022
The author tells us what it was like to be part of the British 11th Armoured Division during the first two months of the Normandy campaign. If you are looking for lots of Tiger's and 88 mm's trying to eliminate the author's vehicle, you should look elsewhere. Yes, there are actions being described in its pages, but far less than one would expect from the title.
What the book does quite well is showing what being part of an armoured division was like, while not being 'under fire' all the time. The typical 'hurry up and wait' routine of army life, what it was like to only hear guns and small arms fire in the distance, and not really having a clue what's going on. The sudden change of plans, the threat of being counterattacked at any moment, suddenly being subjected to artillery fire with nowhere to go. Obviously every unit has its characters and the humor and tensions that go with it.
It also shows that freaky accidents happened while not being in action. A small mistake or moment of carelessness could kill and maim instantly.
The book could have benefitted from some good editing. Not that it is filled with typos and stuff, it's the way it is written. The author does tell his story, a story that is worth telling, but at times it just confused me as a reader. He takes you along in a scout car or a Cromwell, but you are left with the feeling that something is missing. It could have been written in a more structured way, so that it is somewhat easier to read and follow.
Still an interesting book for what it does, making us part of the author's experiences in 1944.
What the book does quite well is showing what being part of an armoured division was like, while not being 'under fire' all the time. The typical 'hurry up and wait' routine of army life, what it was like to only hear guns and small arms fire in the distance, and not really having a clue what's going on. The sudden change of plans, the threat of being counterattacked at any moment, suddenly being subjected to artillery fire with nowhere to go. Obviously every unit has its characters and the humor and tensions that go with it.
It also shows that freaky accidents happened while not being in action. A small mistake or moment of carelessness could kill and maim instantly.
The book could have benefitted from some good editing. Not that it is filled with typos and stuff, it's the way it is written. The author does tell his story, a story that is worth telling, but at times it just confused me as a reader. He takes you along in a scout car or a Cromwell, but you are left with the feeling that something is missing. It could have been written in a more structured way, so that it is somewhat easier to read and follow.
Still an interesting book for what it does, making us part of the author's experiences in 1944.
May 1, 2018
An excellent book that gives a real appreciation of what being in a British tank regiment at the start of the invasion of Normandy was truly like. The book is written in the style of a memoir and deals with difficult topics with both humor and sobriety that brings home the very human cost of this terrible war.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews