Recommended Books

General Accounts

There have been many many 'general accounts' published over the years ranging from the excellent to the very poor. This list is in the view of the advisory panel some of the better options and if a newcomer to the battle a good place to start. A few comments have been added where appropriate:

Arnhem 1944 The Airborne Battle
by Martin Middlebrook.
Probably the best general history ever of the battle. Written for the 50th anniversary and the author was able to speak with around 500 veterans.

A Bridge too Far
by Cornelus Ryan.
Coverage of the entire operation and Ryan had the benefit of speaking with a number of veterans. Although there are a few crucial errors in it such as the 'non-arrival' of the Recce Squadron jeeps at Arnhem it is nevertheless a good account.

Operation Market Garden Volumes 1 and 2
by After The Battle edited by Karel Margery.
An expensive work but worth it. Includes more photographs taken in 1944 than any other book.

It Never Snows in September
by Robert Kershaw.
Included as the only general German view of Market Garden.

The Devil’s Birthday
by Geoffrey Powell

Kampfraum Arnheim
by Harlan Glenn  and Remy
Spezzano. A photgraphic study of the German soldier figting in and around Arnhem, but also includes the corridor.

In this section we also have included a few miscellaneous works like casualties, officers, guide books and escape and evasion.

The Roll of Honour by John Hey

Who was Who by Chris van Roekel – list of officers in the 1st Airborne Division at Arnhem

The Grey Goose of Arnhem by Leo Heaps – story of Operation Pegasus 1

A tour of the Arnhem Battlefields by John Waddy

Major and Mrs Holt’s Guide  to Operation Market Garden by Tonie and Valmai Holt

Unit Histories

1st Parachute Battalion

A detailed account of this unit’s actions at Arnhem has not been publsihed - but a useful booklet covering their first few days in Holland has been published. This is:

Four Days at Arnhem by
Simon Curtis, Niall Cherry and John Howes

2nd Parachute Battalion

Without Tradition by Bob Peatling

B Company Arrived by David van Buggenum

B Company Arrived –The Men by David van Buggenum

The Lost Company by Marcel Anker - the actions of C Company at Arnhem

3rd Parachute Battalion

A detailed account of this unit’s actions at Arnhem has not been published - but a useful booklet covering the actions of C Company has been published. This is:

With Nothing Bigger than a Bren Gun by Niall Cherry

156 Parachute Battalion

From Delhi to Arnhem by John O’Reilly

Salute to the Steadfast by Harry Bankhead

Men at Arnhem by Geoffrey Powell

10th Parachute Battalion

Desert Rise Arnhem Descent by Martin Peters with  Niall Cherry, John Howes and Graham Francis

11th Parachute Battalion

Arnhem Their Final Battle by Gerrit Pijpers and David Truesdale

21st Independent Parachute Company

Leading the Way to Arnhem by Peter Gijbels and David Truesdale

First In by Ron Kent

1st Battalion Border Regiment

When Dragons Flew by Stuart Eastwood, Alan Green and Charles Gray

No Return Flight 13 Platoon at Arnhem by Haks Walburgh Schmidt

1st Battalion the Border Regiment by Alan Green

2nd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment

By Land Sea and Air by Bart Smulders and Alex Junier with Jaap Korsloot

7th Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers

Off at Last by Robert Sigmond

Nine Days at Arnhem by Robert Sigmond

1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade

Poles Apart by George Cholewczynski

Glider Pilot Regiment

Glider Pilots at Arnhem by Mike Peters and Luuk Buist

Tugs and Gliders by Arie Jan van Hees

Royal Artillery

Arnhem Bridge Target Mike One by Martijn Cornelissen, Bob Gerritsen and David Truesdale

Winged Gunners by Robert Woollacott

Point Blank Open Sights  by John Howe

The Gunners at Arnhem by Peter Wilkinson

The first two books mentioned cover the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, the third the 1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery while the fourth is a general account of all four Royal Artillery units at Arnhem.

A detailed account of the 2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery and the 1st Airborne Forward Observation Unit  actions at Arnhem have not been written; although some of the FOU stories are mentioned in the unit’s they were attached to.

1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers

A detailed account of this unit’s actions at Arnhem has not been written but the actions of the sappers in the schoolhouse at the road bridge are covered in:

With Nothing Bigger than a Bren Gun by Niall Cherry

4th Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers

A detailed account of this unit’s actions at Arnhem has not been written.

9th Field Company Royal Engineers

Airborne Engineers The Shiny Ninth by Patrick Pronk

261st Field Park Company Royal Engineers

A detailed account of this unit’s actions at Arnhem has not been written.

Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

With Spanners Descending by Joe Roberts

Royal Signals

Echoes from Arnhem by Lewis Golden

Royal Army Service Corps, Army Catering Corps and Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Arnhem The Fight to Sustain by Frank Steer

Royal Military Police

The Pegasus Patrol by Jack Turnbull and John Hamblett

Intelligence Corps

Worst Fears Confirmed by Graeme Deeley

Reconnaissance Corps

Remember Arnhem by John Fairley

Freddie Gough's Specials by Bob Hilton

Royal Army Chaplain’s Department

The Torn Horizon by Chris van Roekel

Royal Army Medical Corps

Red Berets and Red Crosses by Niall Cherry

Royal Air Force

The RAF at Arnhem by Geert Maassen and Luuk Buist

Green On by Arie Jan van Hees

German Books

SS Panzergrenadier Ausbildungs und Ersatz Batallion 16

Arnhem A Few Vital Hours by Scott Revell and Niall Cherry with Bob Gerritsen

Kampfgruppe Knaust

Retake Arnhem Bridge by Bob Gerritsen and Scott Revell

The SS-Unterfuhrerschule Arnheim

Fighting the British at Arnhem by Bob Gerritsen

Jedburgh Teams

Dutch Courage by Jelle Hooiveld

Personal Accounts/Individual Stories

With the Red Devils at Arnhem by Marek Swiecicki – Polish Liaison Officer and most likely the first ever Arnhem book as it was published in 1944.

Arnhem Spearhead by James Sims – 2nd Parachute Battalion member

A Sapper at Arnhem by Harry Faulkner-Brown – 4th Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers member

Arnhem Lift by Louis Hagen – a glider pilot at Arnhem

Urquhart of Arnhem by John Baynes

An Arnhem Odyssey by Jim Longson and Christine Taylor – 1st Bn The Border Regiment member

Twelve Mules and a Pegasus by Harold Padfield – 1st Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers member

Travel by Dark by Graeme Warrack – the Assistant Director of Medical Services – account based on his diary and the story of his escape.

I was a Stranger by John Hackett – commander of the 4th Parachute Brigade but regretfully does not cover his actions during the battle but the story of his escape.

Note various ‘small units’ such as the Public Relations Team and the Dutch Liaison Team have been omitted from this list. However, the advisory panel are happy to suggest sources where available for these units.

The Film Theirs is the Glory

Theirs is the Glory - Arnhem, Hurst and Conflict on Film by David Truesdale and Allan Esler Smith

A book covering the work of the director, why the film was made and subtitled 'Arnhem, Hurst and Conflict on film by David Truesdale and Allan Esler Smith. This book covers the work of the director Brian Desmond Hurst and why the film was made and how and where it was made.

If any member is aware of any other suitable books to include in this list please contact the Fellowship book panel via info@arnhem1944fellowship.org