THE WORLD WAR TWO GROUP discussion

Alex Kershaw will be available to discuss his new book; "The First Wave" with group members at around 3:30/4pm EST on the 17th May 2019.

The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II by Alex Kershaw

"Meet the assaulters: Pathfinders plunging from the black, coxswains plowing the whitecaps, bareknuckle Rangers scaling sheer rock... Fast-paced and up-close, this is history's greatest story reinvigorated as only Alex Kershaw can."--Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of Spearhead and A Higher Call

The New York Times bestselling author of The Liberator and Avenue of Spies returns with an utterly immersive, adrenaline-driven account of D-Day combat.

Beginning in the predawn darkness of June 6, 1944, The First Wave follows the remarkable men who carried out D-Day's most perilous missions. The charismatic, unforgettable cast includes the first American paratrooper to touch down on Normandy soil; the glider pilot who braved antiaircraft fire to crash-land mere yards from the vital Pegasus Bridge; the brothers who led their troops onto Juno Beach under withering fire; as well as a French commando, returning to his native land, who fought to destroy German strongholds on Sword Beach and beyond. Readers will experience the sheer grit of the Rangers who scaled Pointe du Hoc and the astonishing courage of the airborne soldiers who captured the Merville Gun Battery in the face of devastating enemy counterattacks. The first to fight when the stakes were highest and the odds longest, these men would determine the fate of the invasion of Hitler's Fortress Europe--and the very history of the twentieth century.

The result is an epic of close combat and extraordinary heroism. It is the capstone Alex Kershaw's remarkable career, built on his close friendships with D-Day survivors and his intimate understanding of the Normandy battlefield. For the seventy-fifth anniversary, here is a fresh take on World War II's longest day.

To wet people's appetite for Alex's new book and to prompt a few questions here are a number of advance reviews on "The First Wave":

“[A] fast paced tale… Kershaw is at his evocative best describing the chaos, courage, and carnage of combat, vividly portraying the bravery of the ‘greatest generation.’ Even readers well-read on the subject will enjoy this perspective.”—Publishers Weekly

“A masterful retelling of the most dramatic day of World War II—the Allied landings on the beaches of France. In Alex Kershaw’s expert hands, readers will feel the sting of the cold surf, smell the acrid cordite that hung in the air, and duck the zing of machine gun bullets whizzing overhead. The First Wave is an absolute triumph.”—James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize Finalist and national bestselling author of Target Tokyo and Rampage

“Master storyteller Alex Kershaw brings the key Allied players of D-Day to life once more. He vividly portrays their exploits—Rangers at Pointe du Hoc, French Commandos at Ouistreham, American paratroopers on the Cotentin, and assault troops who hit the Normandy beaches. These pages ooze with the unforgettable human drama of history’s most consequential invasion. Read them and you might even feel as though you were there.”—John C. McManus, author of The Dead and Those About to Die: D-Day—The Big Red One at Omaha Beach

“Meet the assaulters: Pathfinders plunging from the black, coxswains plowing the whitecaps, bareknuckle Rangers scaling sheer rock. Will they secure the landing zone? Wrest the beachhead? Or will that last bridge blow up in their faces? Even if we know how D-Day ends, The First Wave grips with all the power of a first read. Fast-paced and up-close, this is history’s greatest story reinvigorated as only Alex Kershaw can.”—Adam Makos, New York Times bestselling author of Spearhead and A Higher Call

“Alex Kershaw brilliantly brings a new perspective to one of the seminal events of WWII. The First Wave is an awe-inspiring and important book that portrays the blood on the risers, from Captain Frank Lillyman’s airborne pathfinders to Lieutenant George Kerchner’s Rangers and their remarkable assault on the cliffs of Pointe Du Hoc. The sights, sounds, and fury of D-Day are vividly captured in Kershaw’s virtuoso narrative.”—Patrick K. O’Donnell, author of The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Who Brought Him Home

“The First Wave is Alex Kershaw’s stirring tribute to the warriors who successfully carried out the largest and most difficult military operations in history 75 years ago. One of the US First Infantry Division NCO’s who survived that desperate day in Normandy later said, ‘You can’t buy valor and you can’t pull heroes off an assembly line.’ Kershaw’s superb account of D-Day and beyond is the story of their amazing courage under fire and how men ranging from a lord of the realm to the humble son of a president answered the call and began the liberation of occupied Europe from Nazi tyranny.”—Carlo D’Este, author of Decision in Normandy and Patton: A Genius for War
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A few more book reviews of; "The First Wave":

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...

https://www.publishersweekly.com/978-...

by Alex Kershaw

Count me in!

I'll be there!

cool! i will be there.

Dang, I'm going to be travelling overseas and won't be able to join in. But at least I've already ordered the book!

I'll plan on coming. Sounds like a good book!

I'm planning on it:)

Started reading The First Wave: The D-Day Warriors Who Led the Way to Victory in World War II by Alex Kershaw. His typical good writing bringing you into the moment as various parts of the invasion begin. Even with all the ink that has been spent on this event, Kershaw still brings fresh and new people and events to the story. I did notice what must be typos - two instance of 22mm antiaircraft guns (do they really mean 20mm?) and a Panzerkampfwagen IV with a powerful 7.5 millimeter gun?

Glad the book has started off well. Not too good on those armament typos. I had the same problem in my recent book on the Liri Vally. Obviously it should read 7.5cm or 75mm. The Panzerkampfwagen IV:

http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2...

I am not putting extracts from the book so as not to spoil it. But here is a soldier's story I had not heard before.

https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/2...

Mike wrote: "I am not putting extracts from the book so as not to spoil it. But here is a soldier's story I had not heard before.

https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/2..."

He sounds like a pretty brave bloke Mike, thanks for that link.

Running into more apparent typos. A machine gun nest at WN62 opens fire with their MG42 machine guns: "within seconds a torrent of bullets were slicing toward the first wave as it landed on Easy Red, 57-millimeter rounds pinging against metal ramps, ripping through plywood hulls, zipping into the surf.
The MG42 bullet was 7.92 X 57mm so it seems the measurements were mixed up? A 57mm round would not "ping" against a metal ramp....

Another good pick up Mike. I am starting to wonder why so many recent military history books, written by well-established authors, are having so many issues with military nomenclature. Where are the proof-readers and editors for these publications?

Most editors in today's publishing world are not specialists in the military field. When I wrote The Star of Africa, my agent submitted the manuscript to a publisher that had already published 4 of my books. It landed on the desk of a children's book editor at first. The initial comments from this "editor" were, "Can you state in English what 'Luftwaffe' means for me?" There you go. Later this was straightened out.

I just downloaded the audio version. I'll try to make this.

This is so exciting ! I wish I could participate. But will be at work. Good luck, and kudos to Aussie Rick for arranging this !

I cannot make it. Mahalo for making this happen! All the best!

🇺🇸🐾

Almost finished, currently in the middle of Chapter 12. My first question for Alex:

The coverage of Pegasus Bridge is well-known but your book also mentions there is another bridge objective for Maj Howard. There is almost no information on the events at the other Orne bridge. Was it uneventful or is the Pegasus story just so much better known?

I am a glider instructor and I am always in awe of the pilots who flew the gliders to Pegasus Bridge with such success. You also relate the story of the attempted glider assault on the Merville Battery and the less successful results. Jim Wallwork's flying was phenomenal -- did he or any of the glider pilots receive awards commensurate with their brave efforts? Were you able to interview any of these glider pilots?

Thank you Aussie Rick and Alex for arranging this!

Alex, I would love to know more about your research process. Were you able to interview any participants? How much were you able to build on your knowledge from previous projects and how much of the research was new?

I was interested in the story you tell of Lt Col Crouch of the IXth Troop Carrier Command making his C-47 pilots jump at least once from the airplane to show them what it was like for the paratroopers. What a great idea. How did you find that account, I had never heard about this? You have several unique accounts, e.g., the London Fire Brigade and their role in the ladders used at Pointe du Hoc. Where do you go for your research?

Mike wrote: "Almost finished, currently in the middle of Chapter 12. My first question for Alex:

The coverage of Pegasus Bridge is well-known but your book also mentions there is another bridge objective for M..."

Mike wrote: "Almost finished, currently in the middle of Chapter 12. My first question for Alex:

The coverage of Pegasus Bridge is well-known but your book also mentions there is another bridge objective for M..."

I was not covering every aspect but focusing on key characters. Hence the title of the book.

Michael wrote: "Two books on this subject come to my mind The Longest Day by Cornelius Ryan and D-Day by Stephen Ambrose. What makes your book different then those?"

I focus on the first wave and key characters in great depth.

Mike wrote: "I was interested in the story you tell of Lt Col Crouch of the IXth Troop Carrier Command making his C-47 pilots jump at least once from the airplane to show them what it was like for the paratroop..."

Crouch was amazing. Lead pilot in four amphibious invasions. He was the lead pilot in air drop relief of Bastogne too. Amazing guy.

A.L. wrote: "Thank you Aussie Rick and Alex for arranging this!

Alex, I would love to know more about your research process. Were you able to interview any participants? How much were you able to build on your..."

Yes - interviewed several including Leon Gautier a French commando. Wanted to stay away from Bedford Boys material and focus on one main character for each beach

Mike wrote: "I am a glider instructor and I am always in awe of the pilots who flew the gliders to Pegasus Bridge with such success. You also relate the story of the attempted glider assault on the Merville Bat..."

Could not find any glider pilots but did talk at one point to Fred Glover who was with 6th Airborne. Met him at Merville battery.

Mike wrote: "I was interested in the story you tell of Lt Col Crouch of the IXth Troop Carrier Command making his C-47 pilots jump at least once from the airplane to show them what it was like for the paratroop..."

Read tons of books and a lot of oral histories.

A.L. wrote: "Thank you Aussie Rick and Alex for arranging this!

Alex, I would love to know more about your research process. Were you able to interview any participants? How much were you able to build on your..."

Several and I had been to the beaches many many times

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "To wet people's appetite for Alex's new book and to prompt a few questions here are a number of advance reviews on "The First Wave":

“[A] fast paced tale… Kershaw is at his evocative best describ..."

A.L. wrote: "Thank you Aussie Rick and Alex for arranging this!

Alex, I would love to know more about your research process. Were you able to interview any participants? How much were you able to build on your..."

Thanks Rick

Great questions

Many thanks Alex for taking the time to answer the group's questions. I am still waiting for my copy of your book to arrive, I ordered it some months back. I really enjoyed "The Bedford Boys" and "The Liberator" which is one of my favourites. Is it hard for an author to pick which of his books are his favourite, if possible which has been your most enjoyable book to write and follow through with readers?

'Aussie Rick' wrote: "Many thanks Alex for taking the time to answer the group's questions. I am still waiting for my copy of your book to arrive, I ordered it some months back. I really enjoyed "The Bedford Boys" and "..."

The Longest Winter was most fun to write and still really is liked by readers. Very lucky to have that one in the locker. Thanks a million. Hope you enjoy the book. Best to all of your followers.

Hello Mr. Kershaw

I downloaded the audio version of The First Wave and I intended to listen to the webex that you participated in but I couldn't make it.

I just wrote in the D-Day thread about the Sherman tanks that were launched on Omaha Beach from nearly 2 miles out. Only 2 of 29 made it to the beach. Meanwhile, on Utah, only 4 tanks were lost but they were launched from about 1,000 feet.

My question for you is the following: Who's idea was to launch tanks on Omaha from 2 miles out? Was there a reason for launching them from so far out?

Oh and BTW - I am so far enjoying your book very much.

Thanks in advance.

Alex Kershaw's book The Bedford Boys: One American Town's Ultimate D-Day Sacrifice is mentioned in an AP article today about the continuing suffering of the town from the losses at Omaha Beach on D-Day.

At Omaha Beach they were launched 2 miles out and 27 tanks sank. Waves were
roughly 1 foot higher than the tanks had been designed to deal with. The tanks were from the 743rd tank battalion.

Thanks for the comment. I wanted to know why they launched the tanks from so far out. What was the reasoning?

Many of the Sherman tanks used were converted to be supposedly amphibious and driven by propeller. They were launched into the water, intended to sail to the beaches where they were sorely needed.The tanks, outfitted to float on the water and swim to shore, had done so nicely during training in England with fair weather and calm conditions, but the high waves of the channel now flipped them over.

Yes, but according to Kershaw, on Utah, they let the DD's out from inside 1000 yards and only a few were lost. On Omaha they let the DD's out from 2 miles (3,500 yards) and all but two were lost. Why did they launch from much closer on Utah and not on Omaha? I am wondering why? Did someone from Omaha warn the Navy on Utah after the disaster there? Could the LCTs not get any closer due to a shore battery or some other obstacle on Omaha?