Airmen of Arnhem (Hardback)
Imprint: Pen & Sword Aviation
Pages: 336
Illustrations: 60
ISBN: 9781526746115
Published: 4th November 2019
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Martin Bowman presents us here with an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation ‘Market-Garden’ in September 1944. ‘Market-Garden’ was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses - both airborne and ground forces - in killed, wounded and missing amounted to more than 17,000.
‘Market’, the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation ‘Market’, 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft.
Stories of individual heroism punctuate this narrative, such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Tales such as these humanise a period of wartime history that is often reduced to mere facts.
There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem - the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX US Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator re-supply crews. All of their incredible, illuminating and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalised view of ‘Market’ and are complemented by the author’s background information that give an overall picture of each air operation.
Best suited for a Market-Garden specialist.
Air & Space Power History
"A useful book."
The Aviation Historian, Issue 39
Invaluable to anyone interested in wartime transport operations or the ill-fated campaign in general.
HistoryNet
Here we have a remarkably detailed account of the aircrews, both Royal Air Force and Glider Pilot Regiment (now the Army Air Corps), who took part in the military debacle known to posterity as Arnhem. A great deal of work must have gone into unearthing details of all those named in the book and should prove of great value to collectors and researchers of World War II personnel.
Medal News, May 2020 - reviewed by Allan Stanistreet
As featured by
The de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School newsletter
Look from the start of this review, I’m going to come out and say this was a fantastic book and very well written by the author Martin Bowman. When you read a book written by Bowman you know you’re going to get a good book due to his wealth and knowledge which is why he has written so many books. This book covers Operation Market Garden when the allies organised a mass operation into Holland for thousands of troops using hundreds of planes and gliders. This book very much tells the stories of various heroic airmen, pilots and troops during the days of getting the men over to Holland and in most cases into the right places. What does come across in this book is the sheer amount of organisation involved in organising such an operation, then coupled together with stories of bravery it really is a momentous task and book.
UK Historian
This book is slightly different to other books on the subject in that it concentrates mainly on the aircrews and those supporting them. He taking of the bridges and hand to hand combat is more for other books on the subject. The book is well written and splits the operation into days which I think helps with the stories and the chronicle of events. This book covers the more personalised view of the events and it was an excellent read of people and events we don’t hear so much about. This was an excellent book to read and the bravery of those involved, even though understated shine through. I would most definitely recommend this book to others.
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From a leading aviation historian with a solid track record for well-researched and illustrated studies of aviation history. The typical approach by historians is to argue that Arnhem was a gigantic failure, or to argue its merits, few of them spending much time looking at the part aviators played in the battle. – Very Highly Recommended.
Firetrench
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As featured on Scale Modelling Now
Scale Modelling Now
As featured by
The Armourer, February 2020
This is a book that is written about a different aspect of arnhem, about those who flew the aircraft that dropped the troops.
Amazon Customer, Richard Domoney-Saunders
It is packed full of amazing stories about the forgotten airmen and has much information about these brave hero's.
This book is for the aircraft enthusiastic and also for those wanting a different view of the battle.
Very very recommended.
Read the full review here
There are a couple of sets of archive photos included and the level of detail within the text, especially with the individual stories of pilots and aircrew and their experiences which make good reading, and for many of them, what I think is an appropriate memorial to the sacrifice that many of them made in their dedication to get their cargo delivered. If you have an interest in Market Garden, then I think this is one you should read.
Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland
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This is a good review of the Market Garden operation that focuses on the important role of the airmen who delivered the airborne troops and maintained their supply. Often the logistic support role is obscured by the heroism of the ground troops but this book balances the ledger to give due weight to the role of the airmen in Market Garden. A good and easy read that brings together the overview and adds value to the story.
Michael McCarthy
Michael McCarthy. Battlefield Guide
About Martin W Bowman
With well over 100 published books, MARTIN W. BOWMAN is one of Britain’s best-known aviation historians and authors. Specialising in Second World War history and post-war aviation, Martin’s interest in these subjects was driven by the prolific number of RAF and USAAF air bases that were established in his native East Anglia. His previous books have included works such as Legend of the Lancaster, Confounding the Reich, Duxford and the Big Wings, as well as numerous titles in the exhaustive Air War series, which, between them, provide extensive coverage of operations carried out on D-Day and during the Market Garden offensive at Arnhem.