The Passing of the Night - Gen Robbie Risner

Title: The Passing of the Night

Author: Gen Robbie Risner
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 0-345-33677-1
Pages: 248
Photographs: 0     

                Robbie Risner has written a book outlining his experiences as a prisoner during the Vietnam war from 1965 until 1972. He commences with an outline of his experiences leading up to his air operations in Vietnam. He commenced operational flying in WW2 and became an ace during the Korean conflict. In the process, he marries and has a family of five children.  While his writing is rather cursory over this period, it does set the tone of his personality and approach prior to his incarceration.

                The vast majority of this book is focused upon his time as a prisoner of the Vietnamese and it is in this area that the book serves as an excellent educational tool for those who find themselves on the wrong side of the lines. Aircrew have the dubious distinction of projecting force far behind enemy lines and are therefore at a higher risk of capture. It is therefore, critical that they be exposed to the potential challenges that they may face at the hands of a determined enemy intelligence service.

                Risner’s writing is very direct and matter of fact. He presents his captors and their actions in a rather formal manner that is surprisingly effective in conveying the horror that they inflicted upon their prisoners. The methods that the Vietnamese used, including sleep deprivation, physical torture, psychological trauma, isolation, denial of rations and control of access to mail, are classic methods used to break prisoners and make them amenable to exploitation for propaganda and intelligence purposes. Risner’s book provides an outstanding guide to those going into harm’s way of why they need to be prepared through realistic training on what might lie ahead.

                He also goes into great detail on how he and the other prisoners handled the stresses of captivity. Maintenance of the command structure within the prison, communication via morse code and other means, mutual support and creation of a means to advised new prisoners on what to expect were critical to morale. Additionally, he speaks to the issue of knowing when and how to ‘give in’ to the captors demands. For a military prisoner, it is anathema to provide assistance and information to the enemy and psychologically traumatizing to ‘break’. Risner, acknowledges this and the fact that everyone has their limits; he writes how he came to grips with this himself and how he, and the other prisoners, helped those who faced this challenge to understand that it was not wrong. He also provided direction on when it was acceptable to cooperate and in what capacity. All of this is both critical and relevant to soldiers everywhere.

 

                I liked this book; it is honest and engaging. The writing is clear and direct. The books purpose is really focused on his internment and how he dealt with it. He doesn’t speak extensively on his return and efforts at reintegration into US society and the impact that this had on his family in any real detail. As previously stated, the strength of the book is shedding light on the strength of the human spirit and how one can overcome adversity under conditions that defy comprehension.

A History of the Mediterranean Air War Vol 1 June 1940-Jan 1942 - Christopher Shores, Giovanni Massimello, Russell Guest

 The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in The Journal of the RCAF. Therefore, the material is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the journal. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Editor RCAF Journal (William.march@forces.gc.ca). Website for the Journal is: http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/CFAWC/eLibrary/Journal_e.asp

Title: A History of the Mediterranean Air War Vol 1: North Africa June 1940 – January 1942

Author: Christopher Shores and Giovanni Massimello with Russell Guest
ISBN- 13: 978-1-908117-07-6
Publisher: Grub Street
Pages: 560
Photo’s: 100’s b/w

With this book the authors are revisiting some very comfortable ground stemming from Shores and Ring’s original work ‘Fighters Over the Desert’ (1969) on the air war in the desert. Acknowledging that the passage of time has revealed errors of omission and has provided access to previously unavailable sources of information, they have decided that the time is right for a review. It should be stressed that this new book is not simply a rework of Shores previous but stands alone as a new look at air warfare in the desert.

Shores approaches his subject in two ways. With the commencement of each chapter he provides an overview of the strategic and operational activities impacting decision making and the execution of operations. Following this “situation of the estimate” he then provides a breakdown of the activities of the antagonists identified by date. Significant events, losses and victories are all outlined in detail down to the serial number of the aircraft involved. The degree of detail is actually quite phenomenal with a synopsis box at the end of each write-up illustrating the axis/allies claims and losses.

This storyline would be quite dry if the authors had not added numerous first person accounts of experiences (from all sides) thereby adding depth, breadth and a human face to the narrative. While these stories are fascinating and enlightening, the strength of this book remains its incredible depth and scope of detail. For a researcher, the book provides commendable insight into the nomenclature and development of the air forces of the desert. It is fascinating to see the degree of complexity in the command and control and the structure of the RAF, Luftwaffe and Italian air forces. Each chapter is predicated by an explanation of the changes that occurred within each of the services as well as a graphical representation of units and available aircraft.

Additionally, the authors provide regional context through the inclusion of discussion relating to critical theatre level challenges. I refer in this case to the impact of the Island of Malta on the desert war. In their relation of regional issues, the authors spend a significant amount of time outlining the conflict centering upon Malta and the efforts of the Axis to crush Allied capability through airpower and the concurrent efforts at strangulation of the Axis logistics support in the Mediterranean by Allied surface and air units. Shores also looks at the efforts that the Allies had to expend to deal with Vichy French and Italian forces in the ‘rear’ areas of Ethiopia, Iraq and Syria.

The authors effortlessly transition from the strategic/operational down to the tactical events of the Mediterranean air war. Much is drawn from Shores’ previous books: Malta: The Hurricane Years, 1940-41, Air War for Yugoslavia, Greece and Crete, 1940-41 and Dust Clouds in the Middle East: The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria and Madagascar, 1940-42. This is very beneficial as it provides the author (and by extension the reader) with an outstanding background/baseline from which to further develop the scope of the new work. 

Shores also succeeds in succinctly identifying shortfalls within the relationships and capabilities of the different noteworthy personalities that influenced operations. Thus one is made aware of the extent to which the British government, spearheaded by Churchill, injected itself into the running and execution of Allied operations often with disastrous results. Conversely, the challenges of developing and maintaining the Axis coalition are also highlighted.

Rounding out the book, the authors have provided an extensive and very useful bibliography encompassing all of their primary and secondary sources. Highlighting another noteworthy addition, the index is one of the most detailed that I have ever come across. Finally, the book itself is of the highest quality printing and binding.

                The overall strength of this book lies in its detail. The authors have produced a work of exceptional depth and detail. There is something for everyone; for readers seeking insight into the experiences of those who participated in the Mediterranean war, it is in ample supply; for those looking for detail regarding operations and aircraft, again you will be more than satisfied, and for those who enjoy photography from the period you will not be disappointed in the least. I was very excited as both a military historian and a casual reader to have had the opportunity to read and review this book. It is a critical addition to the libraries of the academic and anyone looking for details of life in the Mediterranean theatre of war.   

The Battle of the Frontiers: Ardennes 1914 - Terrence Zuber

The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in Airforce magazine. Therefore, the material is proprietary to the Air Force Association of Canada and is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the association. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Editor Airforce magazine (editor@airforce.ca ). I support the Air Force Association’s important mission to inform new generations of Canadians about the value and importance of their country’s air force. A link to the AirForce Magazine website is: http://airforce.ca/magazine/

Title: The Battle of the Frontiers: Ardennes 1914 

Author: Terence Zuber
ISBN: 978-0-7524-5255-5
Softcover
Pages: 314
Illustrations: 22 b/w/20 maps
Publisher: The History Press

Terence Zuber, retired US Colonel and the author of a series of acclaimed books on the First World War and pre-war period, is an unabashed supporter of the German doctrinal and training system. This does not preclude him from being critical of German tactics or operational decisions but it is important to realize before one reads his books. They are predominantly focused on the operational and tactical successes of the German military and its doctrine.

Ardennes 1914 is no exception. What I enjoyed about the book is the degree of detail with which he presents his case studies. In this book he examines a series of engagements between the German and French armies late in August 1914. Through a detailed analysis of the application of operational and tactical doctrine, he underscores the strengths of the German training and the weaknesses of the French. As part of the introduction to the topic, he provides an in-depth analysis of the development of German doctrine and the training undertaken by the pre-war army. He counterbalances this with a look at French doctrine, but not to the same extent as the German.

Zuber has obviously done his research as evidenced by the extensive end-notes utilizing a plethora of primary source material such as Regimental histories and archival material. When possible, he takes advantage of first person accounts from both the French and German side to provide a human face to his narrative. Consistent throughout is evidence of excellence in German marksmanship, tactical innovation, communication and combined arms operations (effective use of machine gun, artillery and cavalry) as well as aggressive reconnaissance.

What is also evident however are the challenges of effective control through the ‘fog of war’. An especially telling example is when the German Fifth Army Chief of Staff demanded authorization to advance despite this opening his flanks to assault by the French. The weakness in the German strategic HQ to control this type of behaviour is telling. At the tactical/operational level this is not as significant an issue for the Germans as they are consummate gatherers of battlefield intelligence. The French, in contrast, appear to have maintained an extremely poor battlefield picture through their abysmal battlefield reporting and reconnaissance. As a result, the Germans are able to maintain the initiative and are consistently catching the French off guard.

Zuber also emphasizes the German focus on individual initiative. The German leadership ethos demanded that units receive clear ‘commanders intent’ without un-necessary detail. This is to say, they were provided direction on ‘what’ was expected, not ‘how’ it was to be achieved. The German NCO and Officer were expected to make decisions on the spot within the context of what the Commander wanted to achieve. This was in direct contrast to the French whose doctrine focused on ‘top-down’ direction. French orders went into copious amounts of detail trying to address all of the potential challenges that may be faced (based upon the anticipated realities of the rear HQ as opposed to the realities on the ground). This resulted in individual initiative being stymied in the French officer.

What I did not enjoy about this particular edition of the Zuber’s book fell into two areas. The first was the typeface; extremely small and difficult to read. The second was the selection and layout of the maps that went along with the narrative. Zuber’s attention to detail demands clear maps to allow the reader to follow the flow of the battles. The maps provided are centrally located in the book as opposed to being with the description of the battle and are also not clearly laid out between French and German units (being monochrome). Only with difficulty, is the reader able to track the movement of the units. This, in my opinion, diminishes somewhat, the effectiveness of the outstanding narrative.

Notwithstanding the above comments, Zuber has written an outstanding book. Despite my observations regarding the layout of this publication, I highly recommend it as a great addition to any historian’s library.

LZ Hot: Flying in South Africa's Border War - Nick Lithgow

Title: LZ Hot Flying South Africa’s Border War 

Author: Nick Lithgow

Publisher: Helion Publishing, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-908916-59-4

Pages: 168

Photographs: 16

             

Nick Lithgow has written a book outlining his operational experience during the South African Border conflict during the 1970’s and 80’s. His intent has been to provide the reader with an informal rendition of those events that have most influenced/impacted his military and personal development. This is not a book exclusively about flying and flying operations; rather, it is more an oral history put to paper.

Commencing his career as a National Serviceman he outlines his recollections of basic training and the challenges that he faced and overcame. Following that, his effort towards becoming a pilot and his successes on the different airframes (Harvard, Impala, Allouette III and Puma) are rendered in a easily followed and casual manner. He enjoys passing on stories (both humerous and not) of personalities that he has come across and they read like a discussion over a pub beer.

As he moves forward into his operational flying recollections one is struck by the stress and variety of wartime flying. Regardless of the intensity of the conflict, the impact is similar upon ground and aircrew alike. One is also struck by the degree to which the SAAF (South African Air Force) flying experience is similar in many ways to any other western nation in terms of interagency rivalry and competitiveness. Much of Lithgow’s book is dedicated to the retelling of pranks and mess experiences.

By the title one would anticipate a significant amount of the book to be dedicated to flying ops in the border region. It is clear from reading it that this is not the case. Lithgow spends perhaps fifty percent of his time discussing his exposure to flying operations and the rest discussing basic training, personal relationships, flying training and pranks. I will give credit where credit is due and say that his recollection of National Service Operations does provide the reader with an appreciation of what the South African troopies/pongo’s (ground forces) go through and an additional respect for the authors breadth of experience. He discusses his field time as an infantryman as one would relate any distinctive period of one’s life; better for the experience but glad that it is over.

LZ Hot is casual and easy as far as it goes. It reads well, is engaging and, as long as one accepts and understands that this is simply the reminisces of Lithgow’s military career and the personal experiences he has had along the way, it is enjoyable. It is not really for the serious student of history. That is not to say that Mr Lithgow has not produced a book worth reading, far from it. Mr Lithgow served his country well and has passed on some interesting stories of his adventures. He obviously cares very deeply and is very proud of his service and the opportunities that it provided.

His tales will make you laugh and pause for those left behind, so crack a beer and raise a toast to anyone that has ever been yelled at by a Cpl in basic training, slept on the floor to make sure a bed is fit for inspection, had a close call during an operation and lived or have lost a friend in the service of your country. This book is for you.

Damned Good Show - Derek Robinson

Title: Damned Good Show 

Author: Derek Robinson

Softcover

Pages: 316

Publisher: Whistle Books, 2009

              Robinson has presented us with another work in his World War 2 British aviation series. Each of his books may stand alone but are also interwoven with the others; characters are found overlapping between the novels. All are outstandingly readable, educating and entertaining.
 

              In the case of Damned Good Show, Robinson focuses upon 409 Squadron, a bomber unit flying Hampdens (an early war period two engine long range bomber). The period in question runs from the early days of the war in 1939 through to early 1942. The unit is highly motivated and full of characters that, as with all of his books, grow as the book progresses. The author knows his subject extremely well both from a technical and psychological perspective. Thus, as the hardships and horrors of war gradually emerge from the early halcyon days of what the Germans called Sitzkrieg (sitting war), the reader can follow as the characters begin to experience the shortfalls of their equipment, doctrine and preparation.
 

              Unique amongst the authors of books of this nature that I have read, Robinson is able to pass onto the reader a sense of the impact that war had upon the tightknit community that was a pre-war bomber squadron in the RAF. Without giving away the plot, the reader experiences the wrenching and sudden confusion and loss as characters disappear from the narrative. One becomes reluctant to form an association, however transient, with a character as you do not realize how long they will be a part of the text. It is unusual and dislocating for the reader which is exactly the impact that Robinson wished to convey.
 

              All is not gloom and doom. Robinson skillfully weaves into the storyline the efforts of the British propaganda machine to maintain morale during the dark days of the Blitz and the fall of France. Thus the reader is carried along as the challenge of what constitutes truth in war is debated and argued from the perspective of idealistic film makers and “reale politique” government agencies who realize that truth is perception and not necessarily reality. Caught in between is the 409 Sqn; representative of the only arm of the British military to be carrying the fight to the enemy during this period. Film makers, imbedded within the unit struggle trying to capture a true sense of what happens during an operation while, at the same time, creating a film that will meet the needs of the audience.
 

              Robinson engages the reader and makes them think. His caustic, black humour and the cynical outlook of his characters capture the essence of those trying to make sense out of the insanity around them. Of course, finding that they cannot, they find solace and comfort where they can, when they can and with whom they can. It is the nature of war.
 

              Robinson is a master of his trade and his work holds lessons for all who are astute enough to see them. He entertains and he educates and one cannot ask for more than that. Well done.

Tank: 40 hours of battle, August 1944 - Ken Tout

Title: Tank: 40 Hours of Battle, August 1944 

Author: Ken Tout

Pages: 208

ISBN: 0709055838

Publisher: Robert Hale

Ken Tout has written a poignant and moving book about the psychological and physical challenges of tank combat during the Second World War. His book is set in Normandy shortly after the invasion and is focused on the experiences on one crew during a period of 40 hrs of intense operations and combat against a determined and experienced adversary. While it is historical fiction, it represents an amalgam of the soldiers and comrades that Tout served with during his time as a tanker in the 1^st Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

Tout’s writing style is direct and compassionate. One is drawn into the characters and the sense of ‘being there’ is quite profound. The reader is exposed to the emotional trauma of fighting within the hedgerows of the Normandy countryside, to the stress of waiting for combat, of the drama listening to one’s peers engage and burn and of having to recover their remains. Of particular note is the appreciation one begins to feel of the physical and psychological exhaustion of maintaining constant vigilance in the close confines of a Sherman tank desperately trying to see the enemy before he sees you.

Tout is a magnificent writer in the same class as Guy Sajer (The Forgotten Soldier). He has a profound gift for giving life and depth to his characters. His narrative underscores the coping mechanisms that soldiers everywhere fall back on to overcome the sheer terror and monotony of war; the black humour, intense comradeship and the drawing upon the strength of others to augment when your courage may be flagging. Indeed, Tout’s characters are intensely human, vulnerable and average by the standards of their peers in similar situations but are seen to overcome unimaginable conditions when held up against those who have never experienced combat.

What I also enjoyed about the book was the way in which the reader is given an appreciation of what it takes to run, manage and maintain a tank in operations. Notwithstanding the mental stress of the job, the physical demands are incredible: loading, engine maintenance, track changing and general maintenance on the tank is simply hard and grinding work. Also, the crews personal needs such as eating, sleeping and going to the bathroom require coordination and unique approaches, skills developed only by men in combat.

Tout speaks of the Sherman tank in the language of the tankers that crewed and fought them. A ‘Ronson’ was a famous lighter company of the period and, as the Sherman was gasoline driven as opposed to the German diesel, it had a tendency to burn quickly and intensely thus giving the crew little time to evacuate. Therefore, in the gallows humour of soldiers universally, a burning Sherman was known as a Ronson.

Tout’s book represents a vivid recreation of the life within a Sherman tank during operations in the Normandy countryside. He has a remarkable ability to engage the reader and provide insight into the human condition in an insane environment. This book should be mandatory reading for any aspiring soldier or leader. I highly recommend it. 

Four Ball One Tracer: Commanding Executive Outcomes - Roelf van Heerden

The information presented was written by Chris Buckham; however, it was published in Soldier Magazine. Therefore, the material is reproduced here by the author with the permission of the magazine. If you would like to republish this information or refer to excerpts please contact the Assistant Editor Soldier Magazine (rclark@soldiermagazine.co.uk). Website for the Magazine is: http://www.army.mod.uk/soldier-magazine/soldier-magazine.aspx

Title: Four Ball One Tracer – Commanding Executive Outcomes

Author: Roelf van Heerden

ISBN: 978-1-907-67776-2

Publisher: Helion and Co

 

EO played a role in the annals of modern African history that reads like an adventure novel. A mercenary force available to those willing and able to pay; van Heerden ran his organization with discipline and professionalism. His book reads very well in a forthright and direct manner. He is unapologetic for his actions but, conversely, he does not glorify nor unduly enhance his experiences. This book acted as an eye-opener for me as it shed light on a subject traditionally served by rumour and innuendo. A concisely written, in-depth study of the politics and realities of post-colonial Africa and the role that non-state actors played on that continent. Well recommended.