The Phantom Army of Alamein
The Men Who Hoodwinked Rommel
Published on 6. June 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
288 pages
978-1-4088-3128-1 (ISBN)
Description
In 1940 a group of artists, sculptors, film makers, theatre designers and set painters came together to form the Camouflage Unit. They were so successful that in August 1942 Montgomery ordered them to to hide the preparations for the Battle of Alamein. In six weeks two entire divisions were conjured from the sand, while real units, stores and men vanished into thin air. Then, right in front of the German's eyes they made 600 tanks disappear and reappear fifty miles away disguised as lorries. Rommel had been bamboozled by an army made of nothing but string and straw and bits of wood.
Reviews / Votes
A wonderful book: charming, fascinating, crammed full of extraordinary nuggets of information ... The result is a gem of a book and a classic of its kind -- James Holland * Literary Review * Stroud has a storyteller's eye for human detail matched with a researcher's diligence ... A fascinating study of how the most unlikely characters can become heroes * Independent on Sunday * The unit's tale is told with clarity, humour and precision * The Times *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 126 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
340 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4088-3128-1 (9781408831281)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2012
1st Edition
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
€12.49
Available for download
Person
Rick Stroud is a film and television director, whose credits include Brideshead Revisited (associate producer) and Monarch of the Glen (lead director). He lives on a houseboat in Chelsea, London.