Eighth Army - Robin Neillands

Ali Morshead · #1 (**permalink**) January 25th, 2005, 11:27 PM

Just finished Eighth Army. From the Western Desert to the Alps, 1939-1945 by Robin Neillands.

I'll start by saying I was very dissapointed, there are a number of errors in the book, especially when covering the Desert War but could also be there in the Italian Campaign chapters which I am not well enough aquainted with to comment on. That leads to fear over the rest of the book, surely 60 year on some things are given facts.

There are also some misleading/unclear parts, i.e Neillands states the Australian Divisions had 4 battalions per brigade, Correct as they were formed but quickly reverting to the British standard. This is never noted so readers can believe that the Aussies had 3 extra Bns in their Division, of course they fought well.

I think the coverage of the Eighth Army is poor, of course it mentions the battles and the Divisions, but what of the myriad of small units , Infantry, Armour and Artillery units, what of the make up of these men which may explain some of the disaster & victories, also the Corps & Army troops which supported the Infantry & Armour Units. More detail of the Leaders, Army, Corps & Division would be welcome, there is some but not a lot.

My guess is that Neillands is in the Monty Camp, not that he denigrates other leaders, even provides a balanced view of the Alam Halfa arguements. Apart from Patton, Bradley & Clark, even US Leaders get a good go.

Once the war reaches Italy, I felt the book covers the Italian Campaign in General rather than the 8th Army's role, more time and effort is spent on Anzio & Cassino rather than portraying the conditions which 8th Army units struggled through during the 1943-44 winter.

Interestingly, he puts in the hypothetical question of what if Alex went back to England and Monty stayed in Italy(Doesnt matter that Monty was CO 8th Army and Alex CO 15 Army Group)and would Monty have cracked the Cassino position quicker(Interesting thought!!)

After the fall of Rome,and a precise attack on Mark Clark, the Book becomes more generalisations and not as detailed as I would have wished.

Overall I would rate it at 5/10, there have been far better books written, it offers nothing new to the topic and has enough (small) errors to make me worry about some of the parts unknown to me.

Martin Bull · #2 (**permalink**) January 26th, 2005, 06:12 AM

Thanks for the review, Ali. This is a book which had tempted me, but.....

I'm not a great Neillands fan - we discussed his Bomber Command book here a year or two back and again, distrusted it due to various small errors and myths being perpetuated. [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

Greenjacket · #3 (**permalink**) January 26th, 2005, 02:30 PM

I've heard bad things said (and by people in a position to know) about Neillands' book on the Hundred Years War as well, so I'm a bit dubious about him overall.

Mahross · #4 (**permalink**) January 26th, 2005, 04:58 PM

Just reading this. Its not bad but i have to agree with martin he does make some annoying detail mistakes. He did it in his book on Normandy. His worst one was that he kept to reffering to Hurricanes in the normandy campaign. The only hurricanes in use was a flight based in the scilly isles defendiing the western task force. very frustrating!! His mistakes are getting as bad as stephems ambroses'!!

Ross

Martin Bull · #5 (**permalink**) January 26th, 2005, 05:23 PM

Jacket blurb describes Neillands as 'One of Britain's most readable historians ( Birmingham Post )....'

He writes about worthwhile subjects, but I just get the impression of haste to get them out. Certainly, 'The Bomber War' cited works in the bibliography which had been well superseded by up-to-date research.

Ali Morshead · #6 (**permalink**) January 27th, 2005, 09:42 AM

I also think that 60 years down the track the book doesnt add anything to the story of the Eighth Army, and misses a hell of a lot.