- Reaction score
- 1,004
- Points
- 1,060
MICHAEL REYNOLDS, STEEL INFERNO: 1ST SS PANZER CORPS IN NORMANDY, (NEW YORK: DELL/RANDOM HOUSE, 1997).
THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN BY A RETIRED BRITISH ARMY GENERAL [EH WHAT?]. THE WORK IS FIXED ON THE 1ST SS PANZER CORPS IN NORMADY AND ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE WORK DETAILS THE BATTLES FOUGHT BETWEEN THAT CORPS AND THE CANADIAN SOLDIERS WHO HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO ENCOUNTER IT'S PRINCIPLE UNITS: THE 1SS PANZER DIVISION (LAH), 12 AND SS PANZER DIVISION AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF REGULAR GERMAN ARMY UNITS. THIS BOOK OBJECTIVLY DESCRIBES THE VARIOUS BATTLE FROM THE PERIOD OF JUNE 6TH TO AUGUST 25, 1944. IT IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF ANGLO CANADIAN LEADERSHIP, TACTICS AND EQUIPMENT. PARTS OF THE BOOK ARE DOWN RIGHT DEPRESSING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE BOOK PRAISES THE INDIVIDUAL CANADIAN FIGHTING SOLDIER, AND OPENLY POSITS THAT IF CANADIAN COMMANDERS WERE OF THE SAME CALIBER AS THE GERMAN FIELD COMMANDERS, [KURT MEYER ETC.], THE BATTLE FOR CAEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN A "SHORT SHARP AFFAIR." FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SOFTCOVER EDITION, GERMAN COUNTER ATTACKS WERE OFTEN STYMIED BY TENACIOUS CANADIAN SOLDIERS. AT PAGE 106, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES AN ATTEMPT BY THE 12TH SS PANZER PIONEER BATTALION AS " YET AGAIN, A DISASTER." THE AUTHOR THEN GOES ON TO SAY THE FOLLOWING: "THE BATTLE LASTED ALL DAY AND COST THE SS PIONEERS EIGHTY CASUALTIES ... THE CANADIAN DEFENCE OF NORREY AND BRETTEVILLE OVER THE PERIOD OF 8TH TO 10TH JUNE MUST SURELY GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE FINEST SMALL UNIT ACTIONS OF WWII." HIGH PRAISE INDEED FROM AN AUTHOR WHO MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO HIDE HIS DISDAIN FOR CANADIAN LEADERSHIP [WITH A FEW NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS.] IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN THIS BOOK, WHICH IS ABOUT 360PAGES, LET ME KNOW THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND I'LL SEND [LEND] IT TO YOU.
THIS BOOK IS WRITTEN BY A RETIRED BRITISH ARMY GENERAL [EH WHAT?]. THE WORK IS FIXED ON THE 1ST SS PANZER CORPS IN NORMADY AND ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE WORK DETAILS THE BATTLES FOUGHT BETWEEN THAT CORPS AND THE CANADIAN SOLDIERS WHO HAD THE MISFORTUNE TO ENCOUNTER IT'S PRINCIPLE UNITS: THE 1SS PANZER DIVISION (LAH), 12 AND SS PANZER DIVISION AS WELL AS A COUPLE OF REGULAR GERMAN ARMY UNITS. THIS BOOK OBJECTIVLY DESCRIBES THE VARIOUS BATTLE FROM THE PERIOD OF JUNE 6TH TO AUGUST 25, 1944. IT IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF ANGLO CANADIAN LEADERSHIP, TACTICS AND EQUIPMENT. PARTS OF THE BOOK ARE DOWN RIGHT DEPRESSING. AT THE SAME TIME, THE BOOK PRAISES THE INDIVIDUAL CANADIAN FIGHTING SOLDIER, AND OPENLY POSITS THAT IF CANADIAN COMMANDERS WERE OF THE SAME CALIBER AS THE GERMAN FIELD COMMANDERS, [KURT MEYER ETC.], THE BATTLE FOR CAEN MIGHT HAVE BEEN A "SHORT SHARP AFFAIR." FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE SOFTCOVER EDITION, GERMAN COUNTER ATTACKS WERE OFTEN STYMIED BY TENACIOUS CANADIAN SOLDIERS. AT PAGE 106, THE AUTHOR DESCRIBES AN ATTEMPT BY THE 12TH SS PANZER PIONEER BATTALION AS " YET AGAIN, A DISASTER." THE AUTHOR THEN GOES ON TO SAY THE FOLLOWING: "THE BATTLE LASTED ALL DAY AND COST THE SS PIONEERS EIGHTY CASUALTIES ... THE CANADIAN DEFENCE OF NORREY AND BRETTEVILLE OVER THE PERIOD OF 8TH TO 10TH JUNE MUST SURELY GO DOWN AS ONE OF THE FINEST SMALL UNIT ACTIONS OF WWII." HIGH PRAISE INDEED FROM AN AUTHOR WHO MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO HIDE HIS DISDAIN FOR CANADIAN LEADERSHIP [WITH A FEW NOTABLE EXCEPTIONS.] IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN THIS BOOK, WHICH IS ABOUT 360PAGES, LET ME KNOW THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATOR AND I'LL SEND [LEND] IT TO YOU.