We Go Forward

We Go Forward tells the story of Major James Cuthbertson, a leader whose vital work supported the Allied advance from D-Day through to the end of the war in Germany. Drawing on his vivid eye-witness accounts, personal letters and previously unpublished papers, this book brings to life the hidden world of the British Army's wartime logistics: a vast, dangerous enabling operation that made the front line possible.

While most histories of the Second World War focus on the soldiers at the tip of the spear, Major Cuthbertson's experiences reveal a different side of the conflict - one where the line between support and combat often vanished. As commander of 90 Company, Royal Army Service Corps, he and his men faced enemy fire, perilous conditions, and constant pressure to deliver. On D-Day alone, Cuthbertson was at Pegasus Bridge three times, ensuring that vital supplies from Sword Beach reached the airborne troops fighting to secure the eastern flank of the invasion. His bravery earned him the Military Cross and his men's determination helped secure the bridgehead.

From the beaches of Normandy to the hazardous push of Operation Market Garden, 90 Company's story provides a vivid personal account of the campaign. It also sheds fresh light on why the Arnhem advance faltered - and what it took to keep an army moving. Their journey eventually led them to the gates of Bergen-Belsen, where Cuthbertson and one of his men wrote harrowing first-hand accounts of the horrors they found there.

After the War, Cuthbertson shouldered significant responsibilities in Kiel dockyard before returning to civilian life and his banking career. His Christian faith survived the War intact but the memories of his service stayed with him always. The book closes by reflecting on those lasting scars, revealing the personal cost of a war lived largely behind the scenes - but never far from danger.