David Render Book order

A gripping account of World War Two, from the perspective of a young tank commander.

A gripping account of the Second World War, from the perspective of a young tank commander. In 1944, David Render was a nineteen-year-old second lieutenant fresh from Sandhurst when he was sent to France. Joining the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry five days after the D-Day landings, the combat-hardened men he was sent to command did not expect him to last long. However, in the following weeks of ferocious fighting in which more than 90 per cent of his fellow tank commanders became casualties, his ability to emerge unscathed from countless combat engagements earned him the nickname of the 'Inevitable Mr Render'. In Tank Action Render tells his remarkable story, spanning every major episode of the last year of the Second World War from the invasion of Normandy to the fall of Germany. Ultimately it is a story of survival, comradeship and the ability to stand up and be counted as a leader in combat.

In June 1944, an elite unit of British paratroopers was sent on a daring and highly risky behind-the-lines mission. Dropping ahead of the main D-Day invasion, 9 PARA were tasked with destroying an impregnable German gun battery. But their mission was flawed and only 20 per cent of the unit made it to the objective and half of them were killed or wounded during the attack. Undermanned and lacking equipment and ammunition, for 6 days the survivors defended the Breville Ridge against German forces and bore the brunt of Rommel's attempt to turn the left flank of the Allied invasion.

A compelling and human portrait of modern war.