Crusty Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 I've just finished this book, very good, thoroughly enjoyed it, it's written in a style I particularly like using interviews with surviving members of the regiment and diary extracts from others not so fortunate. From the evacuation of France in 1940 to the final dash to Hamburg in 1945, the 5th Royal Tank Regiment were on the front line throughout the Second World War. Theirs was a war that saw them serve in Africa as part of the Desert Rats, before returning to Europe for the Normandy landings. Wherever they went, the notoriety of the 'Filthy Fifth' grew - they revelled in their reputation for fighting by their own rules. The Tank War explains how Britain, having lost its advantage in tank warfare by 1939, regained ground through shifts in tactics and leadership methods, as well as the daring and bravery of the crews themselves. Overturning the received wisdom of much Second World War history, Mark Urban shows how the tank regiments' advances were the equal of the feats of the German Panzer divisions. Drawing on a wealth of new material, from interviews with surviving soldiers to rarely seen archive material, this is an unflinchingly honest, unsentimental and often brutal account of the 5th RTR's wartime experiences. Capturing the characters in the crews and exploring the strategy behind their success, The Tank War is not just the story of an battle hardened unit, but something more extraordinary: the triumph of ordinary men, against long odds, in the darkest of times. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-War-British-Brothers-Regiments/dp/034900014X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450611467&sr=1-1&keywords=the+tank+war 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibsonm Posted December 20, 2015 Share Posted December 20, 2015 From memory it was made into a two part cable ”documentary" too. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer_Leader Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Thanks Crusty, great tip. I've added it to my Wish List for future reading. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 (edited) Yes you're correct Mark, it was recently repeated here on BBC4 in the UK.http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01pyjfw/episodes/playerI also found this link, but I've not heard of this site before so cannot vouce for it's securityhttp://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2ja3er Edited December 21, 2015 by Crusty added links 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingtiger Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 Great book indeed, thanks for the tip Crusty. I bought it as Kindle e-book yesterday and is already halfway through the book, very thrilling stories!/KT 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjay Posted December 21, 2015 Share Posted December 21, 2015 I've just finished this book, very good, thoroughly enjoyed it, it's written in a style I particularly like using interviews with surviving members of the regiment and diary extracts from others not so fortunate. From the evacuation of France in 1940 to the final dash to Hamburg in 1945, the 5th Royal Tank Regiment were on the front line throughout the Second World War. Theirs was a war that saw them serve in Africa as part of the Desert Rats, before returning to Europe for the Normandy landings. Wherever they went, the notoriety of the 'Filthy Fifth' grew - they revelled in their reputation for fighting by their own rules. The Tank War explains how Britain, having lost its advantage in tank warfare by 1939, regained ground through shifts in tactics and leadership methods, as well as the daring and bravery of the crews themselves. Overturning the received wisdom of much Second World War history, Mark Urban shows how the tank regiments' advances were the equal of the feats of the German Panzer divisions. Drawing on a wealth of new material, from interviews with surviving soldiers to rarely seen archive material, this is an unflinchingly honest, unsentimental and often brutal account of the 5th RTR's wartime experiences. Capturing the characters in the crews and exploring the strategy behind their success, The Tank War is not just the story of an battle hardened unit, but something more extraordinary: the triumph of ordinary men, against long odds, in the darkest of times. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tank-War-British-Brothers-Regiments/dp/034900014X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1450611467&sr=1-1&keywords=the+tank+war +1. Bought this on Crusty's recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AussieBrad Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Hey guys, some of these have probably been posted but these are the ones I have on my book case.1.Thunder Run: The Armoured Strike to Capture Baghdad (Mark Bowden) 5/52.Heavy Metal: A Tank Company's Battle to Baghdad (Jason Conroy) 3/53.Once A Marine (Nick Poaditch) 3/54.Military Briefs No.5 - Australian Leopard AS1 Family of Vehicles by John Myszka 10/10 5.Australian Army - 1st Brigade Paul Brickles 3/56.Battlegroup Leopard - Australian Armour Exercises in the North (Michael K. Cecil) 10/107.Trackpad Publishing has a new one which I haven't looked at yet though, and it is Leopard AS1 – Leopard in Australian Servicehttp://www.trackpadpublishing.com/#!leopard-as1/cn3i8.Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Military Briefs 4 (John Myszka)10/10 Regards, Brad. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tjay Posted January 13, 2016 Share Posted January 13, 2016 Counter Insurgency by David Kilcullen.Many thanks to the person who recommended this to me in an earlier thread about counter insurgency tactics. It is essentially a manual for company commanders. Amazing what has been learned and put into practice in this sphere since Vietnam. But unfortunately, efforts on the ground will be totally ineffective if the population prefers life under the insurgents to life under an uncaring, brutal and corrupt government. You have to ask sometimes; Are we on the right side? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer_Leader Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 Hey guys, some of these have probably been posted but these are the ones I have on my book case.1.Thunder Run: The Armoured Strike to Capture Baghdad (Mark Bowden) 5/52.Heavy Metal: A Tank Company's Battle to Baghdad (Jason Conroy) 3/53.Once A Marine (Nick Poaditch) 3/54.Military Briefs No.5 - Australian Leopard AS1 Family of Vehicles by John Myszka 10/10 5.Australian Army - 1st Brigade Paul Brickles 3/56.Battlegroup Leopard - Australian Armour Exercises in the North (Michael K. Cecil) 10/107.Trackpad Publishing has a new one which I haven't looked at yet though, and it is Leopard AS1 – Leopard in Australian Servicehttp://www.trackpadpublishing.com/#!leopard-as1/cn3i8.Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Military Briefs 4 (John Myszka)10/10 Regards, Brad.Nice list AussieBrad. The books on the AS1 look interesting but 'Battlegroup Leopard - Australian Armour Exercises in the North' has gone onto my Wish List. It's out of print, so expensive (about NZD 80 including shipping), so I'll buy it when my better half is unlikely to raise a protest. I think it'll be a great resource for scenario development.EDIT: I found it for NZD 57 from a bookseller in the UK so bought it today. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 The Royal Armoured Corps in the Cold War 1946 - 1990 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Royal-Armoured-Corps-Cold-1946/dp/1473843758/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1456211694&sr=1-1&keywords=images+of+war+the+royal+armoured+corpsIt's out in March but you can preorder now, I think it might go on a certain Mr Panzer Leader's shopping list 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swiso Posted February 23, 2016 Share Posted February 23, 2016 About Generals Black and Von Mellenthin.... Don't know if was already posted here, but during May 1980 they were invited to a conference of tactical warfare. The purpose of that conference was to examine the German experiences in fighting the Russians on the previous two world wars and what kind of lessons the NATO could learn from that experiences. Attached is the 61 pages reports a of that meeting. I find it very interesting. Mellenthin and NATO.zip 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapper_511 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 I've just placed an order for a used copy of "Armies of NATO's Central Front" by David C. Isby. I found it for about $158US which is actually a deal considering that I usually find them going for way more than $200 used (I see one in Very Good condition selling for nearly $600). If the companion book, "Weapons and Tactics of the Soviet Army" by the same author is any indication, this book should be an excellent resource. Hopefully the used condition is not too bad. I'm looking forward to receiving it soon.Just wanted to give a heads up for you armor fans here. In fact, I just saw a copy available for $120US now! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapper_511 Posted March 7, 2016 Share Posted March 7, 2016 About Generals Black and Von Mellenthin....Don't know if was already posted here, but during May 1980 they were invited to a conference of tactical warfare.The purpose of that conference was to examine the German experiences in fighting the Russians on the previous two world wars and what kind of lessons the NATO could learn from that experiences.Attached is the 61 pages reports a of that meeting.I find it very interesting.Nice find, Swiso. Great read over breakfast this morning, and a great resource for Fulda and Hanover scenarios. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1LeSvT Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 The Tank Factory: British Military Vehicle Development and the Chobham Establishment – June 1, 2015by William Suttie (Author):cvc::cvc::cvc::cvc:Wouldn't be my first choice for a beginner tanker but for those of us that have large libraries it's a must:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0750961228?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 The Tank Factory: British Military Vehicle Development and the Chobham Establishment – June 1, 2015by William Suttie (Author) :cvc::cvc::cvc::cvc: Wouldn't be my first choice for a beginner tanker but for those of us that have large libraries it's a must: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0750961228?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00 I've not seen this book before, thanks for pointing it out, order placed 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSe419E Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I really enjoyed this when it first came out. I will get this to see what new information he has included. http://www.amazon.com/Team-Yankee-Novel-World-War/dp/1612003656/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459831078&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=Team+Yankee+A+Novel+of+World+War+III+-+Revised+%26+Expanded+Edition++Harold+W.+Coyle 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 I'll be interested to hear what he's added and if it makes much difference. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogueSnake79 Posted April 8, 2016 Share Posted April 8, 2016 I know he recently sold the rights to the book to these guys: http://www.team-yankee.com/ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scrapper_511 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 You know, I was going to ask if anyone's read the revised Team Yankee yet and tell us what's different. But I think I'm just going to get it while it's available in hardcover as a gift for myself. This and 4.0 should be enough to keep productivity down. Way down. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koen Posted May 21, 2016 Share Posted May 21, 2016 "2017: war with Russia" May or may not be interesting. https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1473632250/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssidiver Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 15 hours ago, Koen said: "2017: war with Russia" May or may not be interesting. https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1473632250/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent $20 for the kindle edition, sounds good, maybe 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordsmandk Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 17 hours ago, Koen said: "2017: war with Russia" May or may not be interesting. https://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/1473632250/ref=cm_cr_dp_see_all_btm?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=recent working on it right now. will get back to you if its good or not 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koen Posted May 22, 2016 Share Posted May 22, 2016 15 hours ago, Swordsmandk said: working on it right now. will get back to you if its good or not Great ! Thx 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swordsmandk Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Ok small feedback. If you are into chieftain and other book focusing on tankers this is not it. This is basically a written complaint that we in nato doesn't realise the danger of not taking warnings about future seriously. If you are in to political behind nato,nato countries etc then read this. If you are fan of black effect,chieftains and so on then save the cash for another book. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koen Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 Clear, thx ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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