meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
The John Batchelor Show

UKRAINE ARMOR BRIGADES IN THE KURSK SALIENT RESEMBLE THE SHERWOOD RANGERS WAR-FIGHTING, 1944-45: 4/8: Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment’s Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day, by James Holland

The John Batchelor Show

John Batchelor

Society & Culture, Arts, News, Books

4.52.8K Ratings

🗓️ 19 August 2024

⏱️ 8 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

UKRAINE ARMOR BRIGADES IN THE KURSK SALIENT RESEMBLE THE SHERWOOD RANGERS WAR-FIGHTING, 1944-45: 4/8: Brothers in Arms: One Legendary Tank Regiment’s Bloody War from D-Day to VE-Day, by James Holland

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YS123SZ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

In the annals of World War II, certain groups of soldiers stand out, and among the most notable were the Sherwood Rangers. Originally a cavalry unit in the last days of horses in combat, whose officers were landed gentry leading men who largely worked for them, they were switched to the “mechanized cavalry” of tanks in 1942. Winning acclaim in the North African campaign, the Sherwood Rangers then spearheaded one of the D-Day landings in Normandy on June 6, 1944; led the way across France; were the first British troops to cross into Germany, and contributed mightily to Germany’s surrender in May 1945.

Inspired by Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers, the acclaimed WWII historian James Holland memorably profiles an extraordinary group of citizen soldiers constantly in harm’s way. Their casualties were horrific, but their ranks immediately refilled. Informed by never-before-seen documents, letters, photographs, and other artifacts from Sherwood Rangers’ families—an ongoing fraternity—and by his own deep knowledge of the war, Holland offers a uniquely intimate portrait of the war at ground level, introducing heretofore unknowns such as the Commanding Officer Stanley Christopherson, the squadron commander John Semken, Sergeant George Dring, and other memorable characters who helped the regiment become the single unit with the most battle honors of any ever in the British army. He weaves the Sherwood Rangers’ exploits into the larger narrative and strategy of the war, and also brings fresh analysis to the tactics used.
Following the Sherwood Rangers’ brutal journey over the dramatic eleven months between D-Day and V-E Day, Holland presents a vivid and original perspective on the endgame of WWII in Europe.

.1943 SOVIETS KYIV OFFENSIVE

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

I'm John Betz with James Holland, brothers in arms.

0:05.0

James has just described how a Sherman tank can defeat a Tiger tank.

0:10.0

Now we're about to see how a Sherman tank can push and push.

0:14.8

We go to the Naurau Valley.

0:18.4

James will do it better than I do.

0:20.4

And also a commander of, I believe believe 70 Corps at this point a man by the name of they

0:27.1

call him a fun tama because he drives them what What is Operation Track?

0:33.0

Well, this is in the sort of closing stages of the Normandy campaign.

0:37.8

It's actually a Canadian-led operation pushing down from corn, the Burgawos Ridge down into to fallays and the crossing of the

0:45.8

Nauru is a you know again it's on a sort of flank action of Operation Tractable.

0:57.4

Yeah so it's a General Thomas is part, he's a commander of the 43rd, the 45th Westix division and he's known as Von Tomer because Von Tomer was a German Africa court

1:02.0

commander, it commander captured at Alameen and the show

1:06.3

the show would range is christen him, nickname him Von Tomer after that because he's

1:11.3

sort of Germanic in his driving and his

1:14.2

rooflessness he's always sacking brigade commanders and what have you.

1:19.4

They call him a butcher at one point.

1:21.0

Butcher on the bus.

1:22.0

You know he's a very hard man, utterly devoid of any sense of humor whatsoever.

1:26.0

But, you know, a good driving general all the same, just not a very pleasant man.

1:31.0

And they got across the Naurra, which is not a particularly wide river,

1:34.8

but it's in a deep kind of a deep river valley.

1:38.6

And they got to get across it.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from John Batchelor, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of John Batchelor and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.