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The John Batchelor Show

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

News, Books, Society & Culture, Arts

4.62.7K Ratings

🗓️ 19 August 2024

⏱️ 7 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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

.1944 LIKELY UTAH BEACH

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is a CBSI on the world. I'm speaking to James Hollen. His book, Brothers

0:09.7

in Arms, details war on the ground, tank war.

0:15.0

It was the story of 1944-45 in the Allied victory over Germany.

0:21.0

We come now to May 5th, 1945, the same Stuart Hills who is

0:26.9

heartbroken by the loss of his good friend Dennis Elmark, is driving back

0:31.5

towards headquarters where the Sherwood Rangers are waiting for their next

0:36.9

orders to keep attacking because the Germans won't surrender so they have to attack and attack

0:41.0

and I think they're headed for Bremen.

0:43.0

However, Bremen-Haven, Bremer-Haven, thank you.

0:47.0

And Christofferson gets a message that James has reproduced in his book.

0:52.0

What is the message, James?

0:54.0

Well, it arrived the previous evening of the 4th of May, and he's handed it.

0:59.0

He's in this courtyard and this farmyard, and this farmyard, and this farm this beautiful little village in the kind of

1:05.9

of hinterland between Bremen and Hamburg to farming low-level farming land and

1:10.7

called Carl's herfon and he's overtaker he you know, he's taken over this farmyard and building

1:15.0

as the regimental headquarters.

1:17.0

So this message is scrawled and sort of on a used message pad

1:22.0

in pencil and he's rather irritated. Why haven't you used a clean sheet of paper? And the

1:28.8

guy says I just I had to take this down immediately on the first finger to find it was so important.

1:33.3

And basically it says no further advance, no further firing.

1:36.7

BBC reports that the Germans will surrender of 8 o'clock tomorrow morning,

1:40.9

stay where you are.

...

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