Featured battle : Aspern-Essling

Part of The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

Date : 21 May 1809 - 22 May 1809

Napoleon attempted to cross the Danube by island hopping using pontoon bridges. By 1500hrs on the 21st May he had managed to get Massena's corps supported by Bessieres cavalry onto the north bank of the Danube. The Austrians floated barges and heavy timbers down against the pontoons which were broken, twice seriously, Napoleon's operations were hampered. By the end of the day on the 21st the Austrians were able to contain the French in their bridgehead. Overnight the number of French trops was doubled. The further support of Davout's corps was stopped when the Austrians destroyed one of the bridges with a floating mill. Heavy fighting continued throughout the day but insufficient ammunition was getting across to the French guns. By 1900 hrs Napoleon had decided to withdraw all troops from the north bank and to hold Lobau island. The evacuation was completed over night 22nd/23rd.

Fighting with the Long Range Desert Group

Brendan O'Carroll
War may be viewed on many levels a national conflict and the strategic sweep of armies or the placing of divisions and brigades but at the base of the pyramid everything depends on individual men. This superb book is about one of those men who fought his war as a member of a very special unit the Long Range Desert Group. The motto of the LRDG was ‘Not by strength by guile’ and although they had to do quite a lot of fighting their most important role meant they should avoid any contact with the enemy wherever possible. Put briefly their mission was to go deep, hundreds of miles, behind enemy lines gather intelligence and cause disruption. An example of this is the road watch incredibly dangerous and boring but of enormous value to allied intelligence. Information which could not be gathered in any other way. What it meant to the men who lay in cover within a few hundred yards of the road and recorded vehicle movements for 24 hours at a stint we can barely imagine.
Brendan O’Carroll has done an excellent job, using large sections of Merlyn Craw’s diary, to bring to life a true picture of this special unit. The book is rich in detail of ‘every day’ life and the equipping and organizing of the ‘trips’ into the desert behind enemy lines. Supporting the text are many special photographs and maps. The ten appendices add even more fascinating detail.
This gripping story is very highly recommended.

Pen & Sword Military, 2022