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The John Batchelor Show

UKRAINE ARMOR BRIGADES IN THE KURSK SALIENT RESEMBLE THE SHERWOOD RANGERS WAR-FIGHTING, 1944-45: 5/8: 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

⏱️ 10 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

UKRAINE ARMOR BRIGADES IN THE KURSK SALIENT RESEMBLE THE SHERWOOD RANGERS WAR-FIGHTING, 1944-45: 5/8: 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 SHERMANS AND STUARTS NAPLE, ITALIAN CAMPAIGN

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is

0:04.3

This is CBS Eye on the World. Here's John Bachelor

0:10.4

James Holland, the historians new book is Brothers in Arms, one legendary tank regiment's

0:16.2

Bloody War from D-Day to V-E-Day.

0:19.8

The Normandy campaign is a great success sweeping over northern France but the

0:25.4

chase now as the Germans keep falling back to Belgium and then to Germany and

0:30.9

the Sherwood Ranger Yeomanry is on the chase moving more in a day

0:37.3

than they've moved in weeks in Normandy. It is now the autumn of 1944 and the ranks are always being filled by reinforcements.

0:49.5

And James, I think it's a good time to talk about the long tail and how it is that all these

0:54.8

casualties don't knock the Sherwood Rangers out of the war.

0:59.6

What is the long tail and why is it part of the big war concept being practiced?

1:04.0

Yeah, well it's just a huge support in terms of maintenance supply and you know they have

1:10.9

tank crews being trained constantly over in the UK and they're just coming in and they're just sort of funneled in

1:16.0

But you know a tank regiment like the show it ranges is about 688 men of which

1:21.9

Only about 329 are actually in tanks.

1:25.4

The rest of them are in what's called the A Echelon

1:28.0

and the B Echelon, which is a support behind it.

1:31.0

So this is trucks and half tracks and what have you bringing up supplies and it's the armoured recovery

1:38.9

vehicles so you know at the end of the day if a tank's been left on the Battleville

1:42.4

but it has been

1:42.8

knocked out they'll beetle around and whisper it back and change an engine or

1:47.6

repair the tracks or whatever and it'll be good to go the next day and that's

...

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