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Red Crown and Dragon: 53rd Welsh Division in North-West Europe 1944-1945
A detailed study of a division that fought hard in both world wars.
The 53rd Division fought bravely in both world wars. In the first, they battled the Turks in Palestine, and in the second they landed in Normandy. Mainly recruited in Wales, they weathered battles like Gallipoli, Gaza, the Bulge and the Reichswald.
In this detailed account of the division from its inception in 1908 to its disbandment in 1968, Patrick Delaforce has interviewed over sixty men, NCOs and officers, which form this well-researched chronicle that celebrates the contribution of a group of Welshmen to the war effort.
Patrick Delaforce was educated at Winchester and served as a Troop Commander from Normandy to the Baltic in the Second World War. He then became a Port Wine shipper in Portugal, managed an advertising agency in New York before becoming a wine grower in France. He then lived in England as a full-time author and wrote fourteen books of travel, history, biography and wine. Patrick died in 2018, aged 94.
The 53rd Division fought bravely in both world wars. In the first, they battled the Turks in Palestine, and in the second they landed in Normandy. Mainly recruited in Wales, they weathered battles like Gallipoli, Gaza, the Bulge and the Reichswald.
In this detailed account of the division from its inception in 1908 to its disbandment in 1968, Patrick Delaforce has interviewed over sixty men, NCOs and officers, which form this well-researched chronicle that celebrates the contribution of a group of Welshmen to the war effort.
Patrick Delaforce was educated at Winchester and served as a Troop Commander from Normandy to the Baltic in the Second World War. He then became a Port Wine shipper in Portugal, managed an advertising agency in New York before becoming a wine grower in France. He then lived in England as a full-time author and wrote fourteen books of travel, history, biography and wine. Patrick died in 2018, aged 94.
- GenresWorld War II
192 pages, Paperback
First published October 24, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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February 10, 2021Patrick Delaforce never fails to deliver. If you like you history detailed this is the author to read. Every battalion, regiment, supporting arm is referenced. You are introduced to officers, nco's and the pbi. You feel as if you are there fighting beside the 53rd. A hard fighting Division new to war which proved its metal time and again.
March 12, 2012
I really wanted to like this book as I hoped it would give me more insight in the battle for 's-Hertogenbosch, the battles on the river Maas in Holland and the battle of Rethem.
Alas, it didn't really. The main problem with this book is it tells about the individual actions through orders and personal accounts without explaining the actions themeselves on the tactical and strategical level. And thus, most of the time, you have no idea what your are reading about and where or why this account is taking place.
A real shame as I didn't learn next to nothing about the battles I wanted to learn more about.
Next to that there are too many (unexplained) abbreviations and the author spells most Dutch placenames wrong or uses the (wrong) French equivalent. To top it all there's a serious lack of maps.
A shame though as it could have been a really good book. The writer writes well and has done a good deal of research.
Alas, it didn't really. The main problem with this book is it tells about the individual actions through orders and personal accounts without explaining the actions themeselves on the tactical and strategical level. And thus, most of the time, you have no idea what your are reading about and where or why this account is taking place.
A real shame as I didn't learn next to nothing about the battles I wanted to learn more about.
Next to that there are too many (unexplained) abbreviations and the author spells most Dutch placenames wrong or uses the (wrong) French equivalent. To top it all there's a serious lack of maps.
A shame though as it could have been a really good book. The writer writes well and has done a good deal of research.
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February 10, 2021Detailed work.
I have read books by Patrick Delaforce before and always found them well written with great detail. If you want a broad stroke approach this is not for you. If you want real detailed work, well researched this is for you.
I have read books by Patrick Delaforce before and always found them well written with great detail. If you want a broad stroke approach this is not for you. If you want real detailed work, well researched this is for you.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews