{"product_id":"from-normandy-to-germany-in-a-tank-the-memoirs-of-an-armoured-guardsman-hardcover-2","title":"From Normandy to Germany in a Tank: The Memoirs of an Armoured Guardsman - Hardcover","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eMichael Robert Ibbotson\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA British tank soldier's memoir detailing his perilous WWII journey, fierce battles, frontline experiences, and the liberation of Europe.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhat was tank warfare like for an ordinary conscripted British soldier in the Second World War? Arthur Ibbotson was a Grenadier Guardsman whose training and battles from Normandy to Northern Germany (1943-45) help provide an answer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe trained using the 30-ton M4 Sherman tank but after being flown into Normandy, he instead joined the crew of a 15-ton M5 Honey reconnaissance tank. Despite its diminutive size and small gun, he drove daily into enemy territory, coming close to death on five occasions.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis first combat involved capturing 100+ POWs, described here in detail for the first time. This was followed immediately by Operation Market Garden, where his tank periodically led the 50,000 men of 30 Corps. He defended the supply route against repeated German attacks and dealt with friendly fire from the US 101st, neither topic often covered in histories of the battle. Unlike the common portrayal of Market Garden as a disaster, Arthur regarded it as a victory, a perspective discussed in detail. Later, the Battle of the Bulge required a relocation back to Belgium, an often-overlooked British action.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore crossing into Germany, he was issued with an ultra-modern M24 reconnaissance tank. While learning the vagaries of this technological wonder, he encountered more near-death situations, including a hit from a Panzerfaust and the death of a close friend that was killed by a mine over which Arthur had just driven. Explaining why he had gone through so much; he liberated a concentration camp days before the war's end and spent his final service returning the country to peace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 224\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 9.3 x 6.2 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e July 31, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47416468504797,"sku":"9781036132316","price":53.94,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/9867\/8237\/files\/A9UxFAu2bS9781036132316_5503d65b-15b8-4bc9-8080-efd7316aa4c4.webp?v=1771215061","url":"https:\/\/handfulofbooks.com\/products\/from-normandy-to-germany-in-a-tank-the-memoirs-of-an-armoured-guardsman-hardcover-2","provider":"Handful of Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}