Publisher Description

Martin Bowman presents us here with an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation Market-Garden' in September 1944. Market-Garden' was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses - both airborne and ground forces - in killed, wounded and missing amounted to more than 17,000. Market', the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation Market', 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft. Stories of individual heroism punctuate this narrative, such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Tales such as these humanise a period of wartime history that is often reduced to mere facts. There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem - the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX US Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator re-supply crews. All of their incredible, illuminating and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalised view of Market' and are complemented by the author's background information that give an overall picture of each air operation. AUTHOR: Martin Bowman is one of Britain's leading aviation authors and has written a great deal of books focussing on aspects of Second World War aviation history. He lives in Norwich in Norfolk. He is the author of many Pen and Sword Aviation titles, including all releases in the exhaustive Air War D-Day and Air War Market Garden series. 60 b/w illustrations

Author Biography

Martin Bowman is one of Britain's leading aviation authors and has written a great deal of books focussing on aspects of Second World War aviation history. He lives in Norwich in Norfolk. He is the author of many Pen and Sword Aviation titles, including all releases in the exhaustive Air War D-Day and Air War Market Garden series.

Review

"Airmen of Arnhem is invaluable to anyone interested in wartime transport operations or the ill-fated campaign in general."-- "HistoryNet"

Review Quote

"From a leading aviation historian with a solid track record for well-researched and illustrated studies of aviation history. The typical approach by historians is to argue that Arnhem was a gigantic failure, or to argue its merits, few of them spending much time looking at the part aviators played in the battle. - Very Highly Recommended."

Feature

Martin Bowman provides a riveting account of Operation 'Market', the airborne side of the Battle of Arnhem.

Details