Four Random Books 21: Raiding

The Target Tirpitz extract measures the military cargo lost in one Arctic convoy attack and explains why commanders questioned summer sailings despite political pressure to continue them.

Patrick Bishop's Target Tirpitz shows planners expecting disaster as they balanced Luftwaffe aircraft, U-boats, and German surface raiders against the Arctic convoys.

The Long Range Desert Group's reach rested on truck capacity, tightly rationed water, and the Free French capture of Kufra as a forward base.

John Laffin's Raiders follows an LRDG patrol using reconnaissance, familiar British trucks, concentrated fire, and concealed withdrawal against Axis road traffic.

Ambrose follows German coastal troops, veteran paratroopers, French civilians, John Howard's company, and 21st Panzer as their paths converge around Pegasus Bridge.

Stephen Ambrose's Pegasus Bridge links the famous D-Day coup de main to hard glider experience and lessons learned during the invasion of Sicily.

C. E. Lucas Phillips's account of the St Nazaire Raid follows a commando team clearing and demolishing German gun positions beside the dock.