For Five Shillings a Day: Eyewitness History of World War II

by Richard Campbell Begg, Peter H. Liddle

An amazing collection of eyewitness accounts of the British experience in World War II. First-hand narratives are drawn from every rank of the army and every corner of the conflict to create a moving and illuminating story of the greatest war of this century. Fascinating, moving, frightening, sometimes comic, this selection of eyewitness accounts has been edited into chronological order to form a magnificent oral history of the British and Commonwealth forces at war. We follow some 60 interviewees from the Army, RAF and Navy from 1939 to the Battle of Britain, the Desert War, the fall of Singapore, the Italian campaign, D-Day, to the occupation of Germany and the war in Burma. We hear from fighter pilots, nurses, gunners, commandos, Chindits and paratroopers. Their experiences on land, sea, in the air…and in some cases as prisoners of the Germans or Japanese are unique testimony from some remarkable men and women.

Genres: War, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published December 31, 2000

About the author

https://www.otago.ac.nz/medicalalumnu...

Born 1924

Reviews

[JD]

This book contains a nice collection of personal stories of many different individuals who fought in World War 2. The book is divided into different sections and covers all the major campaigns of the war. Though all these stories are unique, there are better books out there that are similar. Still recommended if you are looking for this kind of book.

[William Stanford]

Personal accounts of ordinary kiwi servicemen in world war two ,an excellent insight into these .

[Rose]

I really enjoyed this and found it very interesting. I would have gained more from it if the book had more illustrations (e.g. maps at the start of each chapter, showing the main places talked about). I liked the photos and would have liked more! I also would have got more from the book if it had had a glossary clarifying technical words and military jargon, or just footnotes explaining and expanding upon what was contributed where it was something likely to be unfamiliar to non-expert readers.