The Hill

The brutal fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete

The Hill cover

The Hill

The brutal fight for Hill 107 in the Battle of Crete

Description

From the critically acclaimed author of Dünkirchen 1940, this is a groundbreaking history of the epic three-day battle for Hill 107 that changed the course of the war in the Mediterranean.

In this remarkable history, we discover each of the individuals whose actions determined the outcome of the battle for Hill 107, the key event that decided the campaign to capture the vitally strategic island of Crete in May 1941. All the events are narrated through the filter of these eyewitnesses. The Allied perspective is from the summit of Hill 107. We experience the fear and the adrenalin of a lowly platoon commander, Lieutenant Ed McAra, perilously positioned at the top of the hill, alongside the combat stress and command fatigue of the battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Andew. In contrast, the German view is looking up from below as they cling to the slopes while simultaneous dazzled by the morning glare and decimated by defensive fire. We join the regimental doctor, Dr Heinrich Neumann, as he assumes command of one battalion and leads a daring nighttime charge towards the summit. The Hill details what was felt, heard or seen throughout the battle for both attacker and defender.

Drawing upon original combat reports, diary entries, letters and interviews, the battle is brought vividly to life. The narrative reads like a Shakespearean tragedy, the soldiers revealing their stories in and around the shadows of Hill 107.

Table of Contents

Introduction
Prologue
List of Illustrations
List of Maps

Chapter 1: The Decision
Chapter 2: Deployment and Plan
Chapter 3: Eve of Battle
Chapter 4: The Flight of Daedalus and Icarus
Chapter 5: Parachute Assault
Chapter 6: A Battalion Dies
Chapter 7: Command Dilemmas
Chapter 8: Victory by Chance
Chapter 9: Daedalus Returned
Chapter 10: The Swing of the Force Pendulum
Postscript

The Key Decision-Makers and Takers

Table of German Military Ranks
Notes
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published May 07 2024
Format Hardback
Edition 1st
Extent 368
ISBN 9781472864550
Imprint Osprey Publishing
Illustrations 8-page plate section in black and white
Dimensions 234 x 153 mm
Series General Military
Short code GNM
Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing

About the contributors

Author

Robert Kershaw

A graduate of Reading University, Robert Kershaw j…

Resources

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