A Well-known Excellence: British Artillery and an Artilleryman in World War Two [Hardcover]

"- Erwin Rommel said, 'The British artillery demonstrated....its well-known excellence.'

So, even Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, Germany's most accomplished battlefield general and scourge of the British soldier, recognised the British artillery as masters of their craft and it is apt that his words are used in the title of this absorbing military autobiography. The author, now 92, fought in all European theatres and took part in the Normandy landings; the book follows his war from enlistment to demobilisation and offers very much more than a simple account of life in various battlezones. Uniquely it includes a critical assessment of Claude Auchinleck, C-in-C Middle East and often referred to as the 'soldier's soldier' and describes the role and function of the artillery in World War Two. The result is a descriptive memoir offering a treasured insight into the workings of an artilleryman at war, including equipment, tactics, and the dramas of the battlefield.

Denis Falvey is a member of the British Commission for Military History and will give a lecture on his war experiences at that organisations Summer 2002 conference; he has previously given a lecture on the subject at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. His candid views about Field Marshal Auchinleck are certain to cause much debate.