The Greatest Generation - World War 2: Diary of a 1st & 6th Airborne Paratrooper during the Second World War

Heroes of the Second World War

By: Albert Childs

Narrated by: Albert Jack

Length: 2 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

The Greatest Generation is the firsthand account of an English soldier who began his army career with the Long Range Desert Group in 1940, raided with David's Sterling's Special Air Service, volunteered for the 1st Airborne Division, and took part in their first ever jump. He then transferred to the 6th Airborne in 1943, and with them, he dropped at Pegasus Bridge, battled the Bulge, jumped the Rhine, and fought through Northern Germany to meet the Russians on the Baltic Coast, where they celebrated together with vodka.

Albert arrested Joseph Kramer, the Beast of Belsen, escorted Prince Olaf of Norway during peacekeeping duties, and finally confronted Jewish nationalists in Palestine.

Now, for the first time, his personal account is available and provides a fascinating insight into the minds of the men of the parachute brigade who carried out such dangerous wartime operations.

Narrated by his grandson Albert Jack.

©2015 Albert Jack (P)2018 Albert Jack

Awful

Probably the worst made up war memoir I have ever heard. Historical and factual nonsense about knife fighting, SAS, paratrooping, Military Policemen unsure of what formation they actually belong to. All the military cliches badly thrown together with mispronounced place names to rub it in.
Hard work, infuriating rubbish throughout.

Gave up after 10 minutes !!!

This has the promise of being a great account of a British paratrooper during the Second World War. Sadly the author appears to have little understanding of the British Airborne forces during the War.

The story is about a member of the 6th Airborne Division and at one point, when talking about the D-Day landings the author mentions 5 Para. 5 Para was the abbreviation of the 5th Parachute Battalion who were not part of 6th Airborne Division and did not take part in the D-Day landings. The 5th Parachute Brigade, however, was a part of 6th Airborne and did take part in D-Day and I assume the author means them whem stating 5 Para.

The author, when referencing D Company, 2nd Battalion Oxf & Bucks Light Infantry (who were part of the 6th Airlanding Brigade) states that after they had captured their bridges they were to wait to be relieved by the “more experienced members of the 6th Airborne Division”. There are two things wrong with this statement:

1) 2nd Battalion Oxf & Bucks LI WERE part of 6th Airborne Division (the authors wording implies they are not)
2) the 6th Airborne Division could hardly be described as more experienced, as D-Day was the first time the 6th Airborne Division had been in action.

Shortly after this the author refers to the 6th Airborne Division as the 6th Airborne Parachute Division which is complete nonsense, as a large portion of the Division were not paratroops but glider-borne troops, meaning they went into action by landing in gliders as opposed to landing by parachute.

The author then goes onto to say that Churchill ordered the formation of the British Airborne forces because be was impressed with British Commando raids that had already been carried out...again, this is incorrect. Churchill ordered the formation of the Airborne because he was so impressed by the German Airborne units that had been used so effectively in Norway, Belgium and Holland.

When talking about the formation of the first British Airborne forces, the author describes them as the 1st British Airborne Parachute Brigade Division !!!! A Brigade is not the same thing as a Division and anyone with the slightest understanding of military order of battles will know that.

Sadly, all of the above was mentioned in the first ten minutes of the book and put me off listening to the rest. For anyone with an understanding or interest in the British Airborne forces during the War, I would advise steering clear of this book. I’m not sure whether the author had his draft copy of this book read by anyone who understands the Airborne forces, but he should have had his copy approved. Very disappointing book.

very good book what we would say no book of Heroes

my father served in the second world war in the Royal Navy earn a little bit different from the Parachute Regiment but they all done their job to the best of their ability the King and Country and the liberty of Europe and get rid of man without moustache

Eye opening

There are accounts here that I hadn’t known. This is an honest and personal view of someone that was there. I really enjoyed his honesty.