Leakey's Luck: A Tank Commander With Nine Lives

by George Forty (editor), George Forty

Major-General Rea Leakey was one of the Royal Tank Regiment's greatest heroes of the Second World War. His autobiography is unique as it is based on the diary which he kept at the time, something which was strictly forbidden. It provides us with a graphic eyewitness account of a man who was actually there at the 'sharp end' and covers the whole period of his army service, from joining his first regiment up until the end of the Second World War. His story is truly remarkable, from the time he spent as a young tank squadron commander fighting Afrika Korps in the desert, and later as a Churchill tank battalion commander in Normandy and the fight through to the Rhine.

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 22, 2002

About the author

George Forty was a British Army officer who was the chief of staff at the gunnery school at the Royal Armoured Corps. He was later a director of the Tank Museum at Bovington.

Forty was a military historian and had written numerous books on military vehicles with a focus on armoured warfare.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leakey's experiences are interesting and, sometimes, almost unbelievable. They can be funny and, occasionally, daunting. This account is a real testimony to the bravery of many young men who have fought for their country. The only downside, in my opinion, was the proiliferation of military jargon which was confusing at times.