Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #188535 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

Synopsis
Eighth Army, Britain's most famous field army of the twentieth century, landed in Italy in September 1943, and fought continously until the defeat of the Germans in early-May 1945. This book studies the experience of Eighth Army in the Italian campaign, examining how a force accustomed to the open spaces of North Africa adjusted to the difficult terrain of Italy where fighting became much more a matter for the infantry than for the armour. It also compares the qualities of the commanders of Eighth Army in Italy: Montgomery; Leese and, finally, McCreery. The book uses official records at various levels, personal accounts - some never before published - and published material to present a picture of an army that, although defined as British, was one of the war's most cosmopolitan formations. Its soldiers came from the UK, Canada, India, Ireland, Nepal, New Zealand, Poland and South Africa as well as from Palestine - the Jewish Brigade - and from Italy itself.

Customer Reviews

Excellent overview
Typical of this author, this book is exceptionally well written and exhaustively researched. It tells the story of Britain's most famous field army of the 20th century in the Italian campaign that lasted from September 1943 until May 1945. There's no doubt that Doherty knows the British Army of the Second World War as well as anybody and he seems to have a special affinity with the Italian campaign. This book is enlightening on the difficulties of the campaign, so different from that in the Desert where Eighth Army was born, and of the qualities of the generals who commanded the Army. Montgomery was the best known but the author argues that the best of the three commanders in Italy was the last, Sir Richard McCreery. Having read this book I'm inclined to agree. But there is much more, on logistics, on tactics, on medical back-up and on innovation and the author is not afraid to describe the warts - the morale and desertion problems that beset Eighth Army but which were overcome before it embarked on its final and most dramatic offensive, Operation Buckland.
A book well worth the price. I recommend it.