'Aussie Rick'’s Comments (group member since Jun 12, 2009)

'Aussie Rick'’s comments from the THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP group.

I've read Damien Wright's book, and you are right, it's a bit heavy going at times!

Dipanjan wrote: "This month i am planning to read two more books on WW2. My choice are



[bookcover:At the Heart of the Wh..."

They sound like two pretty interesting books Dipanjan, let us all know how you go.

David Cameron has just released another new book on the campaign in New Guinea during WW2; "Bloody Buna: The Battle for the Beachhead New Guinea".


Bloody Buna: The Battle for the Beachhead New Guinea 1942 by David W. Cameron
Details:
With the Australian troops crossing of the Kumusi River in mid-November, after pushing the Japanese back along the Kokoda Track, the time had come to face the entrenched Japanese at their beachhead at Gona, Sanananda and Buna.

The end of the Kokoda Campaign in mid-November 1942 marked a turning point for the Australians, but the fighting was far from over. Within days, the battles for the three Japanese beachheads would commence. These battles where the first combined large-scale operation between Australian and American troops against the Japanese and would prove to be among the fiercest of the Pacific War.

At Buna, the final battles to take 'New' and 'Old' air strips by the Australians, along with the ongoing American attacks to take the infamous 'Triangle,' proved to be a brutal and deadly bloodbath for all concerned. Amidst the crocodile-infested swamps and lowland jungle with dozens of Japanese bunkers and pillboxes with supporting artillery, the Australians who fought at all three beachheads faced an unprecedented toll, suffering more killed or wounded than in any other campaign of the Pacific war.

In the face of relentless combat, the Allied forces at Buna suffered staggering casualties, with 2817 men lost at Buna. The American 32nd Division sustained 1954 casualties, including 353 killed (18%), 1508 wounded, and 93 missing amounting to around 40 per cent casualties over a six week period. The Australian 18th Infantry Brigade and supporting elements suffered 863 casualties, with 267 killed (31%), 557 wounded, and 39 missing amounting to around 60 per cent casualties over just three weeks of fighting.

As the battle raged on, the Japanese suffered significant losses, with a minimum of 1390 men killed at Buna. The true number of their dead, lost in history, is likely much higher, with conservative estimates suggesting around 3000 fatalities.

“Bloody Buna" sheds light on the untold sacrifices and heroism displayed by the Australian and American troops as they clashed with the Japanese in one of the most vicious chapters of the Pacific War.

Some very good books there at great prices! Thanks for the notification Mike!.

Two very good books Dipanjan and Marc!

Conner wrote: "I have read some books on German Fighter Aces and I was wandering if anybody has found some books on specific German Fighter Units like JG 26 or JG 27"

Check out this book Connor:

JG 26: Top Guns of the Luftwaffe by Donald L. Caldwell

I'm the same as Mike, have an unread copy sitting in my library.

Two very good books there BA! I quite enjoyed "With Rommel in the Desert" by Heinz Werner Schmidt when I first read it back in the early 1980's.

Yesterday I picked up a paperback copy of Anna Reid's latest book; "A Nasty Little War: The West's Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution".

A Nasty Little War: The West's Fight to Reverse the Russian Revolution by Anna Reid

Hi Sumit, that's a book that I have that I hope to read one day soon. I hope it's a good account, keep us all posted.

Marc wrote: "Two which I found on Amazon today (but which I already own in another format) for $2.99 each:

[book:Th..."

Two great books!

Tom wrote: "I’m going to go with “The Unwomanly Face of War” By Svetlana Alexievich a book I’ve been meaning to read for a while now.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3..."

Sounds like another excellent read!

Sounds like a pretty interesting book! Thanks for posting the details Darya.

Dipanjan wrote: "Really it is nowadays extremely difficult to choose a ww2 book out of my collection. I do have so many ww2 books and the subject is sooo vast that my mind remains always confused which book i would..."

I'm sure you will come up with an interesting theme book :)

That should be a very interesting account, keep us all posted.

Alex wrote: "I have just finished reading Vietnam - an Australian War by Paul Ham. Had the book for quite a few years and my reading of it was stimulated by my daughter returning from a holiday to Vietnam with ..."

It is indeed an excellent book! I read it over a few days when it was first published.

Vietnam - the Australian War by Paul Ham

Change of plans, my theme book is now going to be James Holland's latest title; "The Savage Storm".

The Savage Storm: The Battle for Italy 1943 by James Holland

I'm hoping to go with; "The Hitler Years: Disaster, 1940-1945" by Frank McDonough.

The Hitler Years: Disaster, 1940-1945 by Frank McDonough

I bet you have a good book ready to go Doreen! :)

The final theme read for 2023 is set up and ready to go - its a member's choice:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...