A total of eleven British armored divisions were formed during the
1939-1945 war but, as this highly informative book reveals, just eight
saw action.
In 1940, only 1st Armored Division faced the overwhelming German
blitzkrieg and it was in the North African desert that the armored
division concept came of age. The terrain was ideal for armored warfare
and six divisions of 8th Army fought Rommel's panzers to a standstill.
Three were disbanded prior to the invasion of Sicily and Italy. D-Day
saw the Guards Armored, the Desert Rats, 11th and the unique 79th
Armored Divisions in action.
Of particular interest is the influence of the men who led these
formations and the way their characters contributed to the success or
failure of operations. While some went on the greater heights, others
were dismissed either fairly or unfairly. The stakes were high.
The author describes many fascinating aspects of armored warfare, from
the reluctance to replace the horse, the development of tactics or the
different and improving tanks be they infantry support (I-Tank) or the
faster cruiser tanks. Due to British design failure; great reliance was
placed on the US Grant and Sherman with the Comet coming late and the
Centurion too late.
The combination of historical narrative and well-researched analysis and
fact make this an invaluable book for the student of WW2 and armored
warfare.
