John Kettler Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 (edited) Read this book online. Most of it was set in Normandy and concerned a Major whose name began, I believe, as Cr something or other (Cross, Crossley, Crosier, etc.). He was a British officer in a named regiment bearing one of those regional names which was shortened to a single syllable. Posted about it because not only was it a great account but because it described several CM level actions in considerable detail. It also went into the wastage a unit in the line underwent, including snipers, an "O" group wiped out by a single German mortar shell through singular bad luck, people run over by vehicles, etc. A feature in the book I know I mentioned was the explicit statement that attacking units were issued shovels, to facilitate rapid digging in before the inevitable German counterattack. In that OP or elsewhere, someone posted a pic of a British (?) section led by a piper during EPSOM. I specifically noted that one soldier had a shovel and tied that directly back to what I'd read in the book. Am hoping someone can tell me what that book was, both so I can let my CoC colleagues know and so that I have that info for my files. Would love to read it again, too. It's an important low level account of the fighting there. Regards, John Kettler Edited July 29, 2019 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Kettler Posted September 24, 2019 Author Share Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) Am surprised and frustrated that no one's provided so much as a whiff of a response to my query. Surely someone must recall my posting the link to the book and a description of its contents here, for it was as topical as the day is long, super meaty and free? So far, my efforts in reviewing emails to my brother have been complete failures. Unless I blinked and missed something, am talking going back clear through 2014! Nor have I had any luck in recalling the unit's popular name, real name or the major whose name was part of the title of the book of which he was the subject. Regards, JOhn Kettler Edited September 24, 2019 by John Kettler 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 (edited) I've wracked my noddle and can't help I'm afraid. Edited September 25, 2019 by Warts 'n' all 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 On 7/29/2019 at 7:38 AM, John Kettler said: ...an "O" group wiped out by a single German mortar shell through singular bad luck... That sounds awfully familiar but so far I haven't been able to dredge up anything from the murky depths of my memory. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Single syllable... "Hants" for the Hampshire Regiment perhaps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 (edited) 24 SAS were killed by a mortar strike in Termoli Following the taking of Sicily and shortly after the capture of Termoli on the Italian mainland, the Germans counter-attacked. Wiseman had just left his truck to talk to a messenger from his CO when the vehicle received a direct hit from a shell. His whole troop was killed or injured. It was, he said afterwards, the worst moment of his life. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yvrNCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT173&lpg=PT173&dq=Termoli+mortar+truck&source=bl&ots=lAosoHrlh5&sig=ACfU3U2Ycru9J9a8l8ev6lIwdpk-GrLkqQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp1bfLtOzkAhX6SxUIHQWhBWIQ6AEwEnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Termoli mortar truck&f=false Edited September 25, 2019 by Wicky 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 (edited) I was assuming that John was referring to Normandy, and a County regiment. Although you're right SAS is only one syllable. Edited September 25, 2019 by Warts 'n' all 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wicky Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 John operates like a Time Lord in different time & space to mere mortals... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danfrodo Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 7 hours ago, Wicky said: 24 SAS were killed by a mortar strike in Termoli Following the taking of Sicily and shortly after the capture of Termoli on the Italian mainland, the Germans counter-attacked. Wiseman had just left his truck to talk to a messenger from his CO when the vehicle received a direct hit from a shell. His whole troop was killed or injured. It was, he said afterwards, the worst moment of his life. https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yvrNCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT173&lpg=PT173&dq=Termoli+mortar+truck&source=bl&ots=lAosoHrlh5&sig=ACfU3U2Ycru9J9a8l8ev6lIwdpk-GrLkqQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjp1bfLtOzkAhX6SxUIHQWhBWIQ6AEwEnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Termoli mortar truck&f=false That's a great book. All Ben McIntyre books are very very good. Especially his recent The Spy & the Traitor 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 14 hours ago, Warts 'n' all said: Single syllable... "Hants" for the Hampshire Regiment perhaps. That one came to my mind as well. I also wondered about multi-word names being abbreviated to single syllables, such as DCLI, for instance. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warts 'n' all Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I expect that John will find it for himself eventually, and hopefully put us out of our misery. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluecherForward Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 Could this be it? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluecherForward Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 I know it is not what you were referring to, but am hoping this might help somebody remember the title of the book you are searching for. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peachy Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 (edited) Its been a while since the original post but - Possibly "An Englishman at War" The diaries of Stanley Christopherson - Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) - RHQ hit by a mortar mid June and many senior officers killed - took part in early battles for Tilly and Rauray? Edited April 5, 2020 by Peachy 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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