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The Imperial War Museum Book of the Desert War
Adrian Gilbert

The Imperial War Museum Book of the Desert War

As the last major campaign fought exclusively by British and Commonwealth forces, the Western Desert continues to exert a special fascination - from Wavell's offensive against the Italians in 1940, through the battles with Rommel's Afrika Corps to the great British success at Alamein.

The experiences of the troops involved were vivid and wide-ranging: the noise and smoke of battle; the many vagaries of desert life; rest and recreation in Cairo and Alexandria; the development of the Long Range Desert Group and the SAS; Rommel and the Afrika Corps; and the role of Commonwealth forces in the ultimate Allied victory. Through extracts from memoirs, diaries, letters and taped interviews we hear the authentic voice of men at war. Also included here are the vital contributions made by the Air Force and the Navy.

Over 100 photographs, drawings and paintings provide a closely integrated pictorial commentary to the text.

Book Details:

  • Author: Adrian Gilbert
  • Published Year: 1992
  • Rights Sold
    • UK: Sidgwick & Jackson
Adrian Gilbert

Adrian Gilbert

Adrian Gilbert has written several books on military history, most notably on the First and Second World Wars and sharpshooting. His most recent book, POW: Allied Prisoners in Europe 1939-1945, was published by John Murray in October 2006 and was acclaimed by The Sunday Times as one of its books of the year .Adrian Gilbert is also an authority on combat sniping. His best-selling works on the subject include Sniper and Stalk and Kill, published on both sides of the Atlantic. Some of his other books include The Imperial War Museum Book of the Desert War, published in 1992 to coincide with the...
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Book Reviews

  • "Lucid narrative of operations ... superb illustrations."
    Philip Warner, Daily Telegraph
  • "Excellent ... including a wealth of hitherto unpublished material."
    Soldier Magazine
  • "By now a familiar story, re-told from a series of new angles ... much fresh, illuminating detail."
    M.R.D. Foot, Good Book Guide
  • "The book is culled from the diaries, letters, reports and recollections of the people who fought the war. A vivid, vital history."
    Sunday Times