introduction

This is a review of the Osprey Publishing LTD book Deliver Us From Darkness – The Untold Story of Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment During Market Garden by author Ian Gardner with the foreword by Mario Dicarlo.

body of the text

HISTORY:

**On September 17, 1944, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment dropped into Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. The regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Division, was tasked with securing the main highway that passed through Eindhoven, which would allow British forces to push into Holland. But resistance was much heavier and more resolute than expected and the mission to secure Hell’s Highway deteriorated into a bloody 72-day campaign**

** Author’s words quoted from the book’s dust jacket.

THE BOOK:

Osprey Publications Ltd has released Deliver Us From Darkness – The Untold Story of Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment During Market Garden as a hardback book with 279 pages and comes with a paper dust jacket. Included with the text are black and white photographs, detailed captions, maps of operation and a glossary of military abbreviations and their meanings. It has a 2012 copyright and the ISBN is 978-1-84908-717-9. The book examines and discusses the Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment in Operation Market Garden during World War Two.

the contents

Foreword by Mario “Hank” DiCarlo
Preface
Acknowledgements
Introduction

1. “Tell everyone I said hello” – Rebuilding the battalion – August 1944
2. “Circle of fire” – The German invasion and occupation of the Netherlands
3. “All leave cancelled” – Prepare for action – September 14, 1944
4. “A parade ground jump” – September 17, 1944
5. “Road to Eindhoven” – September 17-18, 1944
6. “A city in chains” – The Liberation of Eindhoven – September 18, 1944
7. “The burning sky” – The bombing of Eindhoven – September 19, 1944
8. “No time to bleed” – Hell’s Highway – September 21 – October 1, 1944
9. “Life and death on the island” – Surviving the nightmare
10. “Quiet as a church” – Opheusden – October 5 – 7, 1944
11. “Welcome to the meat grinder” – The battle of “the island” – October 1944
12. “Operation Pegasus I” – The rescue of the British Paras – October 22, 1944
13. “Our work is nearly done” – Driel – October 26 – November 27, 1944
14. “Club Mocambo” – Camp Chalons – November 28 – December 20, 1944
Epilogue
Bibliography
Glossary
Index

the text

Ian Gardner covers the Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment in Operation Market Garden and their actions during the operation very well and goes into great detail about the surrounding events and the actions taken during them. It is very obvious that Ian Gardner has taken the task of researching and detailing the Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment and their active part in Operation Market Garden very seriously. Writing from memories shared from surviving veterans and information meticulously gathered from records and personal letters Gardner has prepared a well written history that will be of great use and interest to those interested in the Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment as well as Operation Market Garden. The military historian and enthusiast or the individual that is new to this famous military unit or this historic event and wants to learn about them will appreciate this well written history. The text is well written and extremely detailed and I didn’t notice any spelling or grammatical errors as I read through the book. Anyone wanting to add an excellent reference and history book to their military library will be pleased with this book.

the photographs

There are a total of 159 black and white photographs featured in this volume. The photographs are what I refer to as event specific. The pictures are of men, equipment and locations and other such subjects that are specific to Operation Market Garden I like that as opposed to random photographs from World War II that may or may not have been taken during the time frame or event discussed. As with most photographs from the World War II time frame the majority of them are nice clear, centered and focused images, however, as I usually point out in other reviews, there are a few that have an out of focus look to them and some appear to be too dark and some also appear to be too light. Most of the featured photographs are the lesser known from the event and not the same overused and well known photographs that tend to be the basic staple for some volumes on the subject. I definitely consider that a bonus as it is nice to have a reference book that contains several lesser known photographs. The photographs range from posed scenes to action scenes. As with many photographs, they tell the untold story that each individual can see for themselves upon viewing them. Some of the photograph subjects that should prove to be of interest are those of Allied and German armour and vehicles, Waco gliders, German 88mm guns, Allied and Axis uniforms, small arms, rural and urban settings and scenery, civilians, Bailey Bridge, Royal Canadian Air Force Halifax bomber, Douglas DC3, horse drawn equipment and other such subjects. One of my favorite photographs is of a Waco glider on the ground that was wrecked in an air collision and shows men that are trapped in the wreckage and are looking out as their fellow paratroopers rescue them. The photographs contained in this book will prove to be a valuable asset to the military historian and enthusiast as well as the military figure and scale vehicle and armor modeler. Several of the photographs may also be used as the basis for various scale modeling projects from the small vignette to the larger diorama.

the captions

The captions are well written and explain the accompanying photographs well. They go into detail discussing things such as specific individuals, specific locations and dates, small arms, vehicles, armour, equipment, etc. As I read through the captions I didn’t notice any spelling or grammatical errors. Grammar and spelling might not be an important factor to everyone however it is something that I take notice of and pass on my findings. The captions can be brief in some instances but still provide information as to what is shown in the photograph.

the maps

There are 6 black and white maps provided. They are of:

- 3rd Bn 506 PIR overview of Operation Market Garden, September 17-November 27, 1944
- 3rd Bn 506th line of advance into Eindhoven, September 18, 1944
- H Co 2 Ptn unit action, Dorshout bridge, September 22, 1944
- H Co 1 Ptn unit action, Koevering, September 25, 1944
- Overview of ‘the Island’ campaign, October 3-November 27, 1944
- 3rd Bn 506 PIR, Opheusden, October 5, 1944

conclusion

All in all I am very impressed with the book. This is a very nice reference book that contains many nice photographs and well detailed captions. It details the Third Battalion 506 Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Market Garden in World War Two very well. I would have no hesitation to add other Osprey titles to my personal library nor would I hesitate to recommend this book to others as it will be a welcome addition to one’s personal military reference library.

This book was provided to me by Osprey Publishing Ltd. Please be sure to mention that you saw the book reviewed here when you make your purchase.

references

Decisive Battles of World War II
Edited by Brigadier Peter Young
Bison Books LTD

World War II Day by Day
An Illustrated Almanac 1939-1945
Donald Sommerville
Dorset press

WWII Time-Life Books History of the Second World War
By the Editors of Time-Life Books
Foreword by Eric Sevareid
Prentice Hall Press

The American Heritage Picture History of World War II
C.L. Sulzberger
American Heritage Publishing Co. Inc.

The Military History of World War II
Consultant Editor: Barrie Pitt
The Military Press

Illustrated History of World War II
Ian Beckett
Portland House

The Usborne Introduction To The Second World War
In association with the Imperial War Museum
Paul Dowswell
Designed by Leonard Le Rolland & Karen Tomlins
Edited by Jane Chisholm
Consultant: Terry Harman, Historian, Imperial War Museum
Scholastic Inc.

The Second World War
Martin Gilbert
Owl Books

You can take a look at the inside of this book at the Amazon website.

http://www.amazon.com/Deliver-Us-Darkness-Battalion-Parachute/dp/1849087172/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1338337628&sr=1-1

Osprey Publishing web site

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/