Lee, D. Up, Close and Personal. The Reality of Close-Quarter Fighting in World War II

In this gripping book, David Lee brings together the remarkable stories of soldiers involved in close-quarter fighting during the Second World War. These first-person accounts take the reader directly to the heart of the battle and bring home the brutal reality of war, plain and simply, with no heightened colour or exaggerated emotion. Inside these pages you will find the story of when a battalion of British soldiers trained in the traditional manner came up against the Waffen SS, whose formidable training bore close resemblance to the Commandos'. For the desert war there is a detailed look at how a rifle battalion held the snipe position against overwhelming odds, and how that same battalion was virtually wiped out when it later went to Italy. For the Far East, Lee shows how hatred of the Japanese Army gave impetus to British soldiers fighting at Kohima and American soldiers at Iwo Jima. And finally there is the poignant story of a US infantry regiment on D-Day. Together these accounts provide a unique record of combat during Second World War and bear testament to the indomitable spirit of the men who fought there.