By mark heard (203.166.57.11) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 03:20 am:

PLEASE HELP ME! I am heading to Normandy late May. I was booked on a tour but they've cancelled part of it because of lack of numbers. Can anyone suggest a good book that can be followed to locate relevant sites/maps etc. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

By John Wood (Woodman) (66.112.102.46) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 01:51 pm:

D-Day by Stephen Ambrose would be my top pick. A Soldier's Story by Gen. Omar Bradley covers some of the D-Day and breakout locations too.

By Jonathan Jones (Jonjones) (213.122.249.29) on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 07:52 pm:

"Where They Fell" by T. Newark is a recent publication with a decent map of the area for tourists. Some of the captions under contemporary photos are incorrect but the general text is fine and so are the maps.

Regards, Jonathan.

By Nick Haworth (Nick) (213.106.40.21) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 06:30 pm:

Talking about books, has anyone read THE FILTHY THIRTEEN, I can't decide wether I should get it on Amazon or order just to read from the library. Thoughts and Suggestions please

By Nick Haworth (Nick) (213.106.40.21) on Tuesday, December 09, 2003 - 06:32 pm:

Sorry about the last message, but I'm now getting tired and hence missing out fairly important wordsand letters when it comes to constructing simple sentences

By alan james o'reilly (Alanor) (62.254.64.6) on Thursday, January 08, 2004 - 07:39 pm:

The many ladies who contribute to this site may be interested in the following, highlighting the work of the army nursing Sisters during WW2. They tended the wounded men whom front-line medics like Doc Roe sent down the line.

Normandy, June 1944...

"That tent, full of men, reeking of blood, was where I was needed. These men, were my fulfillment...since they could no longer help themselves" Brenda (n) McBryde, QAIMNS/R, "A Nurse's War" Sphere, 1980, ISBN 0722157746

Anzio, January 1944...

"I opened the tent flap and a scream stuck in my throat. The smell of blood and flesh hit me. I saw litter after litter filled with men wounded beyond description" Avis (n) Dagit, U.S. Army Nurse Corps, "A Half-Acre of Hell" Galde Press, 2000, ISBN 1 880090 94 5

I guess some ex army nursing Sisters may visit Normandy for the 60th anniversary. Good if some of you ladies in the group could meet up with them.

Both the above books and others on the same topic may still be obtainable from Amazon or Alibris.

Regards
Alan O'R

By Marigold Papa (Marigold) (203.160.169.209) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 08:10 am:

I know this is out of the topic Alan but what is your relation to the "O'reilly" factor on Fox? :}

gold

By alan james o'reilly (Alanor) (62.254.64.6) on Friday, January 09, 2004 - 09:28 am:

Hi Gold

Thanks for the the Major Winters' quote, btw, it's my favourite, I think, a far more effective way of protesting against war than the demos of the 1960s.

Re: the "O'Reilly" factor, I didn't know there was such a thing, apologies for my ignorance.

Digressing slightly, did someone post the Rangers' motto "Lead the way" recently?

Here's another interesting quote, from "Voice from the Ranks, A Sergeant Major's Account of the Crimean Campaign" by Sergeant Major Timothy Gowing, Royal Fusiliers.

Balaclava, October 25th, 1854, the charge of the Heavy Brigade. (The ill-fated charge of the Light Brigade occurred later that day.)

"As our trumpets sounded the advance, the Greys and Inniskillings moved forward at a sharp pace and as they began to ascend the hill they broke into a charge...It was an awful crash as the glittering helmets of the boys of the Green Isle and the bearskins of the Greys dashed into the midst of levelled lances with sabres raised. The earth seemed to shake with a sound like thunder...It was an uphill fight of 300 Britons against 5,000 Muscovites...

"With another terrible crash, and with a shout truly English, in went the Royal Dragoons on one flank of the column; and with thrilling shouts of 'Faugh-a-Balagh' ['Clear the Way'] the Royal Irish buried themselves in a forest of lances on the other. Then came thundering on the Green Horse (5th Dragoon Guards) and rode straight at the enemy's column...

"Hundreds of the enemy went down in that terrible rush. It was heavy men mounted on heavy horses, and it told a fearful tale..."

Later on, he relates the aftermath of the fatal charge of the Light Brigade.

"The Light Brigade were but a clump of men...Noble fellows! They were few but fearless still...A sergeant of the old Cherry Pickers [11th Hussars], who knew me well, gave me a warm shake of the hand, remarking, 'Ah, my old Fusilier*, I told you a week ago we would have something to talk about before long.' 'But,' I replied, 'has there not been some mistake?' 'It cannot be helped now - we have tried to do our part. It will all come out some day.'"

*Gowing was 20 years old at the time.

It sort of sums up BoB:

"We have tried to do our part. It will all come out some day."

Regards
Alan O'R

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