ARNHEM: TEN DAYS IN THE CAULDRON

ARNHEM: TEN DAYS IN THE CAULDRON 
by Iain Ballantyne


In the first of two of Iain's books, kindly sent for review by Canelo, we first head back to 1944. 
It is the perfect time to read this, as thoughts turn to this September and the 80th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden. 

The majority of the chapters cover one day, starting with Sunday 17th September as the Airborne operation begins.
I immediately found Iain's narrative flowed effortlessly through the telling of the events of each day. 
Where certain other books on this subject eventually lost me, Iain has done a tremendous job of keeping this reader on course to understand what happened when and where, as well as tracking the many people as they reappear throughout the book.

As the days pass and the situation for the Airborne forces becomes ever more perilous, the reading became evermore gripping and tense. 
The fates of those troops whose stories are shared, along with those of the civilians caught up in such a frightening situation and unable to escape, kept this reader engaged throughout. 
As the casualty numbers climb and homes, businesses and schools are destroyed, it is impossible not to feel the senseless loss and destruction caused over those ten days. Ten days in a war that lasted five years. 

With the battle won and those who could escaping back across the Rhine, we are then treated to more fascinating details of what happened next for those who were trapped inside the German ring. 
Where did those civilians go now that there homes were devastated? 
What became of those men injured, captured or still on the run? 
For so many, a different battle for survival had now begun.

I have a modest collection of books on Operation Market Garden. Some cover the whole campaign, others are written by those who were there. This truly excellent book reveals stories I haven't read previously and I can see why is has been praised by so many other reviewers.
I'm delighted to have now had the chance to read it and to be able place this copy with those other books. For me it is up there with the very best of them. 

This paperback edition is published by Canelo and is available now.
I thank Canelo for this review copy. 


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