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Retreat to Victory, A Springbok's Diary in North Africa

Discussion in 'Book Reviews' started by ColHessler, Sep 8, 2017.

  1. ColHessler

    ColHessler Member

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    Author: James Ambrose Brown

    Length: 300 pages, including index

    Mr. Brown was a mortar crewman, actually a sergeant in charge of a section of mortars, in the Transvaal Scottish Regiment of the South African Army. He kept a diary, against orders, which he shares with us in this account of the grunt's life in the North African desert. He starts the book with a three chapter refresher of the political big picture from 1938, to the outbreak of WWII and South Africa getting into it to "help the mother country."

    He proceeds to tell us, from November of 1941 to November of '42, about his mortar crews and their harsh existence in the desert. They are near the sea on the Gazala Line while the Afrika Korps attacks further south, and Axis force make feints on his sector. Then comes the news that Rommel is coming up behind them, and the South Africans fall back, losing Tobruk in the process. They fall back to the El Alamein line, with his unit by the sea again. Then Monty launches the big offensive in October of '42, and after an initial shudder, the Axis gives way. He finishes the journal with a description of the wreckage of war and dead men and destroyed tanks.

    Along the way, we read of his leave in Alexandria and his time in hospital owing to disease. The account he gave of the El Alamein battle itself was submitted to, and published in, the Saturday Evening Post.

    Brown has a great writing touch, and it makes you feel part of the whole experience, so I have no hesitation to recommend this work.
     
    Charlie Company and lwd like this.

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