h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Peter,

My uncle served in the Ardennes with 2nd Bn Ox and Bucks from Christmas 1944 to February 1945. I wanted to read about the British in this battle and have acquired a copy of Charles Whiting's book 'The Battle of the Bulge: Britain's Untold Story'. I wonder if you have read it and whether you believe it to be a good account or if you would recommend something else?

Thanks for your help

I havn't read that book, so I cannot comment on it other than to say that Whiting is a dependable writer; he previously wrote "Death of a Division" on the same theme. I have "Hitler's Last Gamble - The Battle of the Bulge December 1944 - January 1945" by Trevor N. Dupoy (Airlife Publishing Ltd, 1995).

There are many others, here is a list http://www.angelfire.com/nf/sorpark/bulge.html. If you click on Amazon UK at the side of each one, you will get a reader review.

Regards,

Peter

Thank you for the list. There were some 'iffy' reviews of the Whiting book so I will read that with more confidence now.

Regards
Diane

Hello Diane,
I have read Whiting's book "Battle of the Bulge, Britain's Untold Story" just lately. Having read his previous books I thought he was good at what he did.
I got a funny feeling when reading that one, it seemed very biased in some ways. There was to my mind an anti American thread throughout the book.
It did give good descriptive insight on the British input to that battle one that was lost when Patton claimed he had won the battle singled handedly.
It needed to be stressed that Montgommery was In charge of all the Northern forces during that battle something the Americans did not like. He held the line then started the slow movement to drive the Germans back. Those troops fought a hard battle with German troops who were not fleeing but in a fighting retreat. They fought hard and well with attrition on both sides. From that point of view Whiting's book was just fine. I still thought he had let his own opinions take over in places though.
I am an avid reader of History and the war years though not a deep researcher, I do delve into the parts that interest me but claim no expertise.
Hope this helps and you should read the Whiting book even if it is only to get a good idea of what our lads did in that battle. Like all things I always take them with a pinch of salt. We are all fallible.
regards Frank

Thanks Frank, that was helpful. I've started to read it, with the salt handy. The anti-American opinion is apparent straight away but I wanted to find out about what it was like for the British infantrymen fighting there, so if he covers that well it will do for me.
regards
Diane

Hello Diane,
There are quite a few books on the Battle of the Bulge when Eisenhower reluctantly ordered Monty to take command of the US 9th army.
The Panzer Armies 5th 6th and 7th had reached Hotton Marche and La Roche.
The 11th Armoured Div who had discarded their Shermans and had to collect them again reload them and then force march towards Namur followed by 30 Corps, Guards Armoured, 43rd Wessex, 53rd Welsh and the 51st Highland Div. who moved to the Louvain- St Trond area.
On the 23rd of December enemy armour were twelve miles from Dinant, by Christmas day Monty had sealed them off along the Elsenhorn-Malmedy-Hotton-Marche- St Hubert and Bastogne line. Monty put the lid on the pot and from then it was all backwards for the Germans but very hard fighting for the Infantry man as is usual.
Regards Frank.