Book Review of Operation Colossus
The First British Airborne Raid of WWII
Author: Lawrence Paterson
Forward by Major General Adrian Freer
Greenhill Books
ISBN: 978-1-78438-378-7
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $32.95
Copyright 2020
ISBN: 978-1-78438-378-7
By Ray Mehlberger
MSRP: $32.95
Copyright 2020
Lawrence Paterson’s groundbreaking new book is a detailed account of the now legendary Operation Colossus, the first British airborne raid of WWII, which took place in southern Italy on 10 February 1941.
The British began forming airborne forces in the aftermath of the defeats of the summer of 1940. The fledgling paratrooper unit, initially known as the “Special Air Service”, developed new tactics and equipment before an elite few were selected for the first operation.
Collectively known as “X-Troop”, these men were parachuted into the heart of enemy territory, where they successfully destroyed their target, the Tragino Aqueduct, before being captured in an exhaustive manhunt by Italian troops and civilians.
Given the distances that had to be covered, the logistical complications and the lack of any president, the raid was a remarkable feat.
Lawrence Paterson brings this extraordinary, often overlooked episode to light, drawing on verbatim testimony and interrogating the truth of previous accounts. Its legacy today is the British Army’s Parachute Regiment.
THE AUTHOR:
Lawrence Paterson has written extensively on various aspects of the history of WWII. His previous books include: “Hitler’s Brandenburgers – the Third Reich’s Elite Special forces”, “Donitz’s Last Gamble” and the biography of Otto Kretschmer.
He lives in Castellaneta, Italy and is also a scuba-diving instructor and drummer in a heavy metal band.
Major-General Adrian Freer, OBE, is a former commanding officer of 2 PARA and 5th Airborne Brigade. He retired from the Army in 2005 and is now Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Airborne Forces Museum.
THE BOOK:
Greenhill Books is based in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 236 pages in 6”x 9” page format.
It has a paper jacket that at the top has a black and white photo of a Whitley bomber in flight. At the bottom is a black and white photo of 9 paratroopers running on an airfield carrying their rifles.
The back cover shows 2 more black and white photos of group shots of paratroopers.
The book contains 38 black and white photos of paratroopers, officers, buildings, 2 aerial photos of terraigns and a Whitley doing paratrooper drops.
There are 2 maps and 2 data lists included.
This book will be marginally of interest to modelers and of great interest to military historians.
Recommended.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Greenhill Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
The British began forming airborne forces in the aftermath of the defeats of the summer of 1940. The fledgling paratrooper unit, initially known as the “Special Air Service”, developed new tactics and equipment before an elite few were selected for the first operation.
Collectively known as “X-Troop”, these men were parachuted into the heart of enemy territory, where they successfully destroyed their target, the Tragino Aqueduct, before being captured in an exhaustive manhunt by Italian troops and civilians.
Given the distances that had to be covered, the logistical complications and the lack of any president, the raid was a remarkable feat.
Lawrence Paterson brings this extraordinary, often overlooked episode to light, drawing on verbatim testimony and interrogating the truth of previous accounts. Its legacy today is the British Army’s Parachute Regiment.
THE AUTHOR:
Lawrence Paterson has written extensively on various aspects of the history of WWII. His previous books include: “Hitler’s Brandenburgers – the Third Reich’s Elite Special forces”, “Donitz’s Last Gamble” and the biography of Otto Kretschmer.
He lives in Castellaneta, Italy and is also a scuba-diving instructor and drummer in a heavy metal band.
Major-General Adrian Freer, OBE, is a former commanding officer of 2 PARA and 5th Airborne Brigade. He retired from the Army in 2005 and is now Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Airborne Forces Museum.
THE BOOK:
Greenhill Books is based in the UK.
This book is hard-bound of 236 pages in 6”x 9” page format.
It has a paper jacket that at the top has a black and white photo of a Whitley bomber in flight. At the bottom is a black and white photo of 9 paratroopers running on an airfield carrying their rifles.
The back cover shows 2 more black and white photos of group shots of paratroopers.
The book contains 38 black and white photos of paratroopers, officers, buildings, 2 aerial photos of terraigns and a Whitley doing paratrooper drops.
There are 2 maps and 2 data lists included.
This book will be marginally of interest to modelers and of great interest to military historians.
Recommended.
I want to sincerely thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North American distributor of Greenhill Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at: