Indeed, the very names used do not help the reader to understand unless they are already knowledgeable.
A prime example is the Corps. For the British and US forces, a Corps was a collection of Divisions and Brigades directly subservient to an Army. A Soviet Corps, such as the 2nd Guards Tank Corps, bore no relation to a unit such as British XXX Corps. The 2nd G.T.C. was a Tank Division by another name and this difference in ‘naming’ continues to the Soviet Army, which was more akin to the Allied Corps.
The Army Group was mirrored by the Soviet Front.
Going down from the Corps, the differences continue, where a Russian rifle division should probably be more looked at as the equivalent of a US Infantry regiment or British Infantry Brigade, although this was not always the case. The decision to leave the correct nomenclature in place was made early on. In that, I felt that those who already possess knowledge would not become disillusioned, and that those who were new to the concept could acquire knowledge that would stand them in good stead when reading factual accounts of WW2.
There are also some difficulties encountered with ranks. Some readers may feel that a certain battle would have been left in the command of a more senior rank, and the reverse case where seniors seem to have few forces under their authority. Casualties will have played their part but, particularly in the Soviet Army, seniority and rank was a complicated affair, sometimes with Colonels in charge of Divisions larger than those commanded by a General.
Book Dedication
This book is not dedicated to a specific person by name, but to a national icon, a figure that represents something different, and very personal, to each of us.
He or she is an institution, and an object of great affection for the British nation.
He stood behind the wooden stakes at Agincourt, and knelt in an infantry square at Waterloo. He rode a charger into the Valley of Death at Balaclava, and suffered in the heat at Spion Kop.
A whole generation went to war and walked into a hail of bullets on the Somme, manned a battlecruiser at Jutland, or drove a tank at Cambrai.
The next generation took their own mounts into the skies over Britain in 1940, or stood on the Imjin River in Korea.
Their issue went forth into the South Atlantic, and found immortality on, and around, a barren windswept island.
Their sons and daughters now give their all in the combat zones of the world; in Afghanistan, Iraq, and everywhere that the flag is raised, and people need protecting.
This book is humbly dedicated to the ordinary British soldier.
God bless ’em.
Although I never served in the Armed forces, I wore a uniform with pride, and carry my own long-term injuries from my service. My admiration for our young servicemen and women serving in all our names in dangerous areas throughout the world is limitless. As a result, ‘Blesma’ is a charity that is extremely close to my heart. My fictitious characters carry no real-life heartache with them, whereas every news bulletin from the military stations abroad brings a terrible reality with its own impact, angst, and personal challenges for those who wear our country’s uniform. Therefore, I make regular donations to ‘Blesma’ and would encourage you to do so too.
My thanks to…
The events that brought me to write the ‘Red Gambit’ series have been outlined previously, as have the major contributions of some of the more important characters.
I have already offered up my thanks to a large number of helpers, but I must now include the following.
The personal diaries and papers of Brigadier John Bracewell were invaluable, and helped me better understand the events at Barnstorf, as well as providing valuable insight into many of the subsequent Northern German operations. My thanks to his son, Major General Lawrence Bracewell MC OBE, and his granddaughter, Lieutenant Colonel Victoria Childs MBE, both for the access, and the additional knowledge they provided.
Major Andrew Charles, Grenadier Guards, provided me with huge amounts of personal testimony and physical information, and I thank him and his wife Christine for their enthusiastic support.
The memoirs of RSM Neville Griffiths CGM, MM and bar proved a mine of information. Alas Neville passed away the day before we were due to meet.
Pieter de Villiers provided me with an array of details, by way of recollection or the written word, and I am indebted to him for providing me with insight into the Soviet POW camps, and some specific events at Sarov during September 1947.
I am indebted to the guardians of the affairs of General Benoit Hugues Kelly Plummer, former French Defence Minister, who provided me with full access to the incredible private collection he established, the contents of which deal with so much more than just French affairs, and which provided me with a great deal of information not previously in the public domain.
The granddaughter of Gisela Jourdan provided me with her personal diaries, and they have been of great assistance. At her own request, she wishes to remain anonymous.
Generalleutnant Willibald Trannel provided me with insight into the operations of the Special Air Group that assisted with the Allies’ covert operations in Europe, and was particularly helpful in piecing together the details of the SAG during the last months of the war.
I was privileged to meet with Marquis Ito Hirohata and receive, at first hand, the full story of the Rainbow Brigade. I am indebted to his son, Isoroku, for help with translations, on the occasions that my Japanese, or his father’s English, failed to measure up.
Finally for this volume, I met with Egon Nakhimov, who was able to provide so many details on the Chateau assault, and the subsequent activities of Makarenko’s unit of survivors, one of the greatest untold stories of WW3.
With the help of all these documents, the personal memories of the above, and others, I have been able to put together a story of the last two years of World War Two, or as they became known, World War Three, years which cost many lives, and which left such an indelible mark on those who fought on both sides.
I have tried to combine the human stories with the historical facts, and to do so in an even and unbiased manner. In my humble opinion, the heroes wear different uniforms and only in one specific area are they on common ground.
They are all ordinary human beings.
The story so far…
As this book forms part of a series, I would recommend that you read all books in sequence.
‘Opening Moves’ deals with the political decision making behind the Soviet attack, and the first assaults into Allied occupied Europe.
‘Breakthrough’ deals with the development of the second phase of the Soviet plan.
This is the story so far.
The Soviets have been presented with reasons, seemingly substantial, to suspect treachery from the Allies.
Stalin and his cronies harness the indignation of the Soviet Officer Corps for their own Imperial intentions, and plan a lightning attack on the Western Allies in Germany.
Elsewhere, the US Atomic Bomb test was a failure, and Soviet intelligence secures American information that permits their own Atomic project to advance.
Rumours of a Soviet attack do not arrive in time, despite the best efforts of some German POW’s, who work out what is happening, and make a daring bid to get to the Allied forces in Austria.
The war starts, commando attacks and assassination squads preceding the ground forces, Soviet air force missions reaping huge benefits and reducing the Allied air superiority to parity at best. Initial Soviet advances are made, but the resilience of the Allies is unexpected, and the Soviet leadership develops a sudden respect for the ‘soft’ capitalist troops. The war descends into a gutter fight, not the free flowing fight that the Soviet High Command had envisaged would take place, once they broke through the front lines.