Featured battle : Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge)

Part of Second World War

Date : 16 December 1944 - 16 January 1945

Field-Marshal Model's Army Group B had built up massive reserves against the Allied lines in the Ardennes and launched them in a winter strike aiming to split the allied line and seize important communications and supply points. Initially hitting Hodge's US 1st Army hard, the 'bulge' punched deep into Belgium with the 6th SS Panzer Army leading, supported by the 5th Panzer and 7th Army. However stubborn resistance by US 7th Armoured Div. at St Vith and the 101st Airborne and attached units refusal to give up Bastogne slowed the advance. Of primary importance was the failure of the panzer units to make it to the allied fuel dumps before running out of their own. On 3rd Jan the US and British launched a counter offensive to cut off the bulge from both north and south and although Model managed to extract most of the major units, the salient was eliminated when the US 2nd Armoured from the north and 11th Armoured from the south met up at Houffalize on the 16th. By the 25th, the front line was restored to it's position at the beginning of December but the Germans had used up the last of their reserves.

Britain's Desert War in Egypt and Libya 1940-1942

David Braddockl
This is a text book written for officers studying for Staff College and Promotion examinations. It is a concise account of a very significant part of our military history, covering, as it does, the North African campaign from 1940 to 1942. Each battle, advance and retreat is covered and the book finishes at the battle of El Alamein. It is an engaging and eminently readable account which, when I had finished it, I wished it had continued all the way to the end of the North African campaign.
The focus is on senior officer ranks in their administration especially command and control and shows clearly how it differed from commander to commander.
There are a few photographs and many useful maps placed appropriately throughout the text. At the end of the book are some supportive appendices including quite a tough set of questions for any readers who really want to challenge themselves.
David Braddock’s book was written with a serious purpose and it is a great pleasure to read. This book is superb and we highly recommend it.

Pen & Sword Military, 2019