In 1940 Ted Fogg and Ernest Webster joined The Desert Rats, one of the most famous divisions to fight in the Second World War. They were posted to the Western Desert and fought with the 7th Armoured Division against Mussolini's soldiers and Rommel's Afrika Korps. They were at Beda Fomm, Alamein and Tripoli, finally driving the Axis from Africa at Tunis. Next came Salerno and the Italian Campaign before withdrawal to Britain in readiness for D-Day. Moving through France, Belgium, Holland and on into Germany itself, they were both present at Luneburg Heath when Montgomery took the final surrender of the German Forces in north-west Europe. Eventually they took part in the great Victory Parade in Berlin in 1945. "The Desert Rats Scrapbook" is the story of these two young men, told through over 180 photographs, many from the personal collection of the late Trooper Ted Fogg who was attached to TAC HQ, and the recollection of Sergeant Ernest Webster who was a tank driver and later was attached to HQ as a planner. Their friendship continued until Ted Fogg's death in 1986. Ernest Webster, at the age of 92, lives on at his home in Derbyshire. Roger Fogg, who painstakingly collated this unique record, is Ted's son.
 Trade In this Item for up to £1.00
Trade in A Desert Rats Scrapbook for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £1.00, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Learn more
|
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
Review
The book is richly illustrated with scenes from the various theatres of war and stands as a testament to the indomitability of two young men. --Good Book Guide, March 2010
The reader is taken on an emotional journey through France, Belgium, Holland and onto Germany itself with jokes and amusing stories told along the way. --Cornish Guardian, February 2010
This is a great book which allows the photographs to tell the story. --Burton Mail, March 2010
The reader is taken on an emotional journey through France, Belgium, Holland and onto Germany itself with jokes and amusing stories told along the way. --Cornish Guardian, February 2010
This is a great book which allows the photographs to tell the story. --Burton Mail, March 2010
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
There are plenty of books about World War II and the North African campaign, but this one has a nice personal feel to it. Compiled by Roger Fogg, son of one of the soldiers featured, it follows a couple of Desert Rats from their initial training, through North Africa and Italy to the ultimate 1945 destination (for the Allies) of Berlin. It's not done in any great detail, but the snippets of personal stories are accompanied by a wealth of pictures, most of them snapshots taken by Desert Rats of each other in the desert and through Europe. Also things like a list of Do's and Don't's for newly arrived soldiers dealing with Tunisians.
The 'big picture' of warfare is all very well in its own right, but life in the ranks is equally fascinating, and this informal scrapbook (as the title suggests) gives a more personal story.
The 'big picture' of warfare is all very well in its own right, but life in the ranks is equally fascinating, and this informal scrapbook (as the title suggests) gives a more personal story.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Personal memories are rarely recorded of events like War. Things move too quickly for photographs or too slowly to be interesting enough to record. To be left with the photographs and to be able to speak first hand to a living witness is a rarity.
Roger's account of his father's experiences and those of his mother to be are close enough to the originals to be nearly a first hand account.
With the photographs to tell the story the words are only a guide to identify the personalities and locations. Stories told of time home on leave, the background information of the lives being lived back in England and the bigger picture snapshots all help to tell the tale and make it more of as personal history.
A rare angle on a War disappearing into the past. Such personal stories and details must be preserved, well done Roger Fogg.
Roger's account of his father's experiences and those of his mother to be are close enough to the originals to be nearly a first hand account.
With the photographs to tell the story the words are only a guide to identify the personalities and locations. Stories told of time home on leave, the background information of the lives being lived back in England and the bigger picture snapshots all help to tell the tale and make it more of as personal history.
A rare angle on a War disappearing into the past. Such personal stories and details must be preserved, well done Roger Fogg.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By A. Milton
Amazon Verified Purchase
What really I liked was the amount of pictures. Rarely do accounts like this have so much visual material. You are able to relate the accounts directly to the images of the people and places. As much as any book could, this gives you the sense of being there.
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
