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The Hill
The brutal fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete
The Hill
The brutal fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete
Description
From the critically acclaimed author of Dünkirchen 1940, this is a groundbreaking history of the epic three-day battle for Hill 107 that changed the course of the war in the Mediterranean.
In this remarkable history, we discover each of the individuals whose actions determined the outcome of the battle for Hill 107, the key event that decided the campaign to capture the vitally strategic island of Crete in May 1941. All the events are narrated through the filter of these eyewitnesses. The Allied perspective is from the summit of Hill 107. We experience the fear and the adrenalin of a lowly platoon commander, Lieutenant Ed McAra, perilously positioned at the top of the hill, alongside the combat stress and command fatigue of the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Andew. In contrast, the German view is looking up from below as they cling to the slopes while simultaneous dazzled by the morning glare and decimated by defensive fire. We join the regimental doctor, Dr Heinrich Neumann, as he assumes command of one battalion and leads a daring nighttime charge towards the summit. The Hill details what was felt, heard or seen throughout the battle for both attacker and defender.
Drawing upon original combat reports, diary entries, letters and interviews, the battle is brought vividly to life. The narrative reads like a Shakespearean tragedy, the soldiers revealing their stories in and around the shadows of Hill 107.
Table of Contents
Prologue
List of Illustrations
List of Maps
Chapter 1: The Decision
Chapter 2: Deployment and Plan
Chapter 3: Eve of Battle
Chapter 4: The Flight of Daedalus and Icarus
Chapter 5: Parachute Assault
Chapter 6: A Battalion Dies
Chapter 7: Command Dilemmas
Chapter 8: Victory by Chance
Chapter 9: Daedalus Returned
Chapter 10: The Swing of the Force Pendulum
Postscript
The Key Decision-Makers and Takers
Table of German Military Ranks
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Product details
Published | May 09 2024 |
---|---|
Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 352 |
ISBN | 9781472864574 |
Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
Illustrations | 8-page plate section in black and white |
Series | General Military |
Short code | GNM |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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