by Mark Urban
First published 2023
Mark Urban chronicles the creation and wartime service of Britain's Parachute Regiment through the experiences of six individual soldiers. The author traces these men from their diverse civilian backgrounds as circus performers, solicitors, policemen, and gravediggers through their transformation into the elite fighting force German enemies dubbed the "Red Devils." Urban follows recently widowed Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, who left his young son to command at the front, and photographer Mike Lewis, whose combat images became iconic representations of the war. The narrative covers their first major test during Operation Torch in North Africa on the campaign's 80th anniversary, then tracks their continued service through D-Day landings and the doomed Arnhem operation. Drawing from British and German archives plus newly discovered family materials, Urban reveals the motivations that drove these diverse recruits and details their combat actions across multiple theaters. All six men bled for Britain, two died in service, and one faced military disgrace, creating a complete portrait of sacrifice and human cost in warfare.
Genres: 20th-century, war, non-fiction, military-history
Vibes: emotional, thought-provoking
Tropes: human-cost-of-war, sacrifice
Setting: North Africa, Arnhem
Period: World War II
352 pages · Hardcover · Viking
Content warnings: death, war