New ATB 'Falaise' book

Martin Bull · #1 (**permalink**) August 5th, 2006, 01:54 PM

Just received a communication from 'After The Battle' - due anytime now is their next book, 'Ruckmarsch - The German Retreat From Normandy : Then & Now' by Jean-Paul Pallud.

ATB regulars will know Pallud's name - his monumental 'Battle Of The Bulge - Then & Now' is justifiably famous and my copy is looking very battered from numerous field trips to the Ardennes.

I'm looking forward to this new title very much - another trip to France may well be on the cards....

Stevin · #2 (**permalink**) August 8th, 2006, 08:54 PM

Oemph...another one for the Xmas list... [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

I gues sthis will be another heavy volume? Maybe two? Well, I first need to acuire the Anrhem one, then we'll talk.... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Martin Bull · #3 (**permalink**) August 9th, 2006, 06:34 AM

It will be a single-volume with 376 pages, and the UK price will be £39.95.....

sommecourt · #4 (**permalink**) September 3rd, 2006, 12:34 PM

Have you seen it yet Martin? I have been away in Normandy, and hoped to come across there, but no luck. Will have to look next time I am in the smoke!

Martin Bull · #5 (**permalink**) September 3rd, 2006, 01:23 PM

Not out just yet - I was at Motor Books in London late last week ( they're usually hot off the mark with ATB product ) and there was no sign of it.....

sommecourt · #6 (**permalink**) September 3rd, 2006, 05:03 PM

Thanks - I will leave it for a few weeks and then visit Motorbooks, as you suggest. I still have several books picked up at the Juno centre in Normandy to go through first!

Martin Bull · #7 (**permalink**) October 12th, 2006, 03:36 PM

Well, I got paid a little commission this month, so had the luxury of being able to buy this book today as soon as I saw a copy in London's 'Motor Books'....

'Ruckmarsche ! The German Retreat From Normandy - Then & Now' by Jean-Paul Pallud ( ATB, ISBN 9 781870 067577 ).

If you are a Pallud aficianado, you'll know what to expect. The book is produced to the usual high ATB standards and has taken JPP five years to collate.It's virtually a companion volume to 'Panzers In Normandy - Then & Now' and takes the story from the Falaise Gap to Joe's Bridge, even finding time and space for a visit to the scene of Wittmann's last action and a revisit to the Vimoutiers Tiger, an old ATB favourite.

Being a Falaise buff, I'm glad to see ATB returning to the battlefield with an update which comprises the first section of this book, with some photos new to me including one of Moissy Ford. The book contains hundred of superb-quality photos ; many sequences have previously been published by Heimdal and in 'Armes et Militaria' magazine but will be unfamiliar to English-speaking readers. Much of the book focusses understandably on the Seine crossings and there are splendid photo sequences from German PK photographers. As usual with ATB, it's fun to find some familiar photos finally identified, having been mis-captioned ever since 1944. The 'Then & Now' format never fails to fascinate me, as it has since the very first ATB in 1974 (

)

The 'Battle After Normandy' has been poorly-covered by historians and this book helps to redress the balance. The photographic gems here will provide me with weeks of browsing and I know that my copy will inevitably accompany me ( to the horror of my wife ! ) when we next return to France.

Highly recommended ! [img]graemlins/salute.gif[/img]

Kai-Petri · #8 (**permalink**) October 13th, 2006, 11:30 AM

Sounds great!

Quote:

..Seine crossings and there are splendid photo sequences from German PK photographers

Must have taken those pics in a hurry as Allied fighter-bombers must have been there too!

Martin Bull · #9 (**permalink**) October 14th, 2006, 09:07 AM

Only a small number of reels of film exposed by various PK-berichter have been found but Pallud has done some excellent 'detective work' by tracing the locations from shot-to-shot, much as ATB did in their Arnhem book.

The photos are of high quality and show much detail of arms, armour and equipment and indeed, many of the photos show soldiers anxiously scanning the sky....

Mats · #10 (**permalink**) October 14th, 2006, 04:06 PM

Gentlemen, if you only knew how happy I am to hear about this new book!

Can anyone help me with a link to where I can order it?

P L E A S E !!

Best regards from Sweden / Mats

The_Historian · #11 (**permalink**) October 14th, 2006, 05:07 PM

Mats-
Ruckmarsch

Mats · #12 (**permalink**) October 14th, 2006, 05:19 PM

Thanks! I am very grateful!
Mats

FalkeEins · #13 (**permalink**) October 25th, 2006, 11:30 AM

Martin,

thanks for the info re this new ATB book ...must check it out..I've a feeling though that there will be some overlap with the works of French Normandy historian Didier Lodieu...he did most of the leg work on identifying the BA photo sequences.... his 'From Argentan to the Seine' is a superb history of the deployment of the Panther battalion of the 9. Pz. Div. and retreat from Normandy...

his most recent title is " Combats on the Seine.." looks at the Luftwaffe Feld Divisionen in Normandy

another French historian who has produced superb works on the retreat from Normandy is Bruno Renoult who has a two volume series on the fighting for the Seine bridgeheads, especially around the town of Mantes, where the s.Pz.Abt 503 with its Tigers fought in vain for a week to throw the Americans back across the Seine..

Bruno's work is self-published by the way..each volume is 250 pages and approx 500 photos..
.Lodieu's work is available via his own site..

web site of Normandy historian Didier Lodieu

Martin Bull · #14 (**permalink**) October 25th, 2006, 01:34 PM

Firstly, a very warm welcome indeed to the WWII Forums, Neil ! It's always great to see an experte here....

Many thanks for the links to the books, all of which are new to me. However, as my French hasn't progressed much farther than la plume de ma Tante, perhaps that's no surprise.... [img]redface.gif[/img]

The ATB book isn't cheap, so I'd recommend having a look through a copy before buying to ensure that you're not 'doubling up'. It's an excellent work, though.

FalkeEins · #15 (**permalink**) October 25th, 2006, 05:07 PM

Thanks for the welcome Martin ! ..nice to see some 'familiar' faces here..

also looking forward to Richard Hargreaves 'The Germans in Normandy' published by Pen & Sword this month..

Mats · #16 (**permalink**) November 3rd, 2006, 04:20 PM

Martin and The Historian
I received today my ex. of "Rueckmarsch" together with some magazines of "After the Battle".
No-one will be allowed to disturb me before I have gone through all material!

Thanks for your advice!

Best regards / Mats

downfall1983 · #17 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2006, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Martin Bull:
It will be a single-volume with 376 pages, and the UK price will be £39.95.....

wow, that's a hefty figure...

Martin Bull · #18 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2006, 07:36 AM

Less than a tankful of petrol over here.....

Von Poop · #19 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2006, 09:41 PM

Ruckmarsch.
Superb.
If you can.
Buy it.

Cheers,
Adam.

sommecourt · #20 (**permalink**) December 27th, 2006, 09:11 PM

Got it for Christmas - the usual excellent standard and many happy hours of reading to look forward to with it. Essential.

Martin Bull · #21 (**permalink**) September 29th, 2007, 05:40 PM

Pallud's 'Ruckmarsch' was a constant and valuable companion on my recent Normandy trip.

I was even able to stop as we passed through the little town of Orbec to grab one last 'Then & Now'.....

Check out the window and drainpipe on the left....

And before anyone else says it, there wasn't time for me to stand in as the old man with the handcart.....

Za Rodinu · #22 (**permalink**) September 29th, 2007, 06:39 PM

Who stole the barrel?