Military Model Scene

Title: The First Bridge Too Far
Author: Mark Saliger
Publisher: Casemate
ISBN: 978-1-63624-375-7

The Battle of Primasole Bridge 1943, part of the invasion of Sicily, a 248-page soft-cover book from Casemate.
This one starts with the end of the war in North Africa, including how the British paratroops got to be known as the Red Devils, and the question of where to go next. The plan was to land in Sicily, with both British and US forces involved. There was time to train with the US transport squadrons who were to drop them into action, along with RAF towing Horsa gliders which would go into action alongside the US built Wacos. The glider born forces were to go into action to capture the Ponte Grande, the day before the parachute troops were to drop in to capture the Primasole bridge, both bridges to ease the route for the main British landings for their advance to Messina. When you read the poor results of the glider assault and then the story of the parachutists at the Primasole bridge, it does raise the question of wondering how the lessons were learnt and applied that the allied airborne units went into action again in NW Europe. Despite only a very small percentage of the planned drop actually arrived at their target, but that didn't stop them. The other surprise was to find themselves up against their German opposite numbers, the Fallschirmjager, or Green Devils, who had unexpectedly only dropped in just hours beforehand. Despite being low on numbers, ammunition and heavier support weapons, how well they coped is fascinating reading.
There are conclusions, and the lessons that were learnt. Lessons that were quite different to those learnt by the Fallschirmjager, who did not undertake large scale combat drops after the heavy casualties they suffered in Crete. With names involved that will be familiar to many from their later service at Arnhem, such as John Frost, this story is less well known than the assault on the Arnhem bridge, and interesting reading, if hard to take in in some ways. The assault on Sicily is perhaps best known to many due to the rivalry between Generals Patton and Montgomery. The detail found is here is much less well known.
Thanks to Casemate UK for the review copy.

Robin