On the 80th anniversary of their first crucial campaign, in Operation Torch in North Africa, Mark Urban tells the gripping story of the creation and development of the "Red Devils" - the name given to them by their German enemies - who ranged from circus performers to solicitors, policemen to gravediggers, Christians and Jews to communists. Through the fates of six heroes, from recently-widowed Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, who had to leave his little boy to head to the front, to Mike Lewis, whose photographs became iconic images of war, Urban vividly brings to life these men and their experiences, showing what drove them and covering their daring actions at D-Day, Arnhem and across the Second World War. All six characters would shed blood for their country, two would not survive and one would face disgrace in the regiment.Based on deep archival research, British and German sources, and new material from the men's families, and giving overdue recognition to the North African campaign, this compelling account paints a true and moving picture of the heart of war.
A GRIPPING, AUTHORISED HISTORY OF THE DARING 'RED DEVILS' TOLD THROUGH THE FATES OF SIX HEROES . . . In Britain they were known as The Parachute Regiment, but their German enemies christened them The Red Devils. Circus performers, solicitors, gravediggers, family men. . . they were ordinary people who became wartime heroes.Showing what it took to succeed in this new regiment, Urban vividly brings to life six men and their experiences across D-Day, Arnhem and WW2 - from the recently-widowed Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, who had to leave his young son to head to the front, to Mike Lewis, whose photographs became iconic images of war.Using deep archival research, British and German sources, and new material from the men's families, Red Devils paints a true and moving picture of the heart of war.PUBLISHED ON THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THEIR FIRST CAMPAIGN: OPERATION TORCH IN NORTH AFRICA
