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Come to dust
Come to Dust
192 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1973
10 people want to read
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December 2, 2019
Beginning in 1941 and ending in June 1942, this is the story of Maugham’s daily life in the British Eighth Army Armoured Division, most of which was spent fighting the Afrika Korps. Maughham, a graduate from the O. C. T. U. at Sandhurst, was a troop leader, having three tanks and seventeen men under his command. He was aware of the many immediate factors necessary for their success: keeping all tanks operational, accurate navigation and good morale, at its highest in crews working in harmony. As he writes: “Every tank crew should be a happy household.” And later: “Animal affection, a sense of humour and a warm sentimentality provide the cream which soothes the irritations and smarts of everyday contact.” Maugham is very aware of how good morale can be made likely through careful selection and management of men and individual contributions to fellowship. As examples of the latter:” Fleck produced expert meals from tinned food and dry rations, which he served as if we were in a London club.” At the beginning of a battle, Maugham says: “I passed round some biscuits to my crew. It does you no end of good to chew something.”
He writes often of the vast emptiness in which the desert war was waged: “As darkness fell the wind stirred from the south, driving before it vast clouds of sand, making the darkness darker.” Fellowship in the small groups created by the exigencies of action, supplies of ammunition, petrol (why didn’t the British put diesel engines in their tanks?) oil and water finding the tanks when needed was crucial.
Maugham makes only one reference to strategic considerations of the tank war against Rommel. Oddly, that is Rommel’s appraisal of Allied forces opposing him, found in a captured German document: “The British Tommy fights with courage and tenacity. The British junior officer shows fine initiative. But the British High Command is unwieldy and cumbersome.”, an evaluation which Maugham and his peers agreed with. The accuracy of Rommel’s perception was demonstrated on 21 June 1942 when Tobruk and its garrison of 34,000 men surrendered to Rommel, one of the worst British defeats of WWII.
He writes often of the vast emptiness in which the desert war was waged: “As darkness fell the wind stirred from the south, driving before it vast clouds of sand, making the darkness darker.” Fellowship in the small groups created by the exigencies of action, supplies of ammunition, petrol (why didn’t the British put diesel engines in their tanks?) oil and water finding the tanks when needed was crucial.
Maugham makes only one reference to strategic considerations of the tank war against Rommel. Oddly, that is Rommel’s appraisal of Allied forces opposing him, found in a captured German document: “The British Tommy fights with courage and tenacity. The British junior officer shows fine initiative. But the British High Command is unwieldy and cumbersome.”, an evaluation which Maugham and his peers agreed with. The accuracy of Rommel’s perception was demonstrated on 21 June 1942 when Tobruk and its garrison of 34,000 men surrendered to Rommel, one of the worst British defeats of WWII.
Displaying 1 of 1 review