Education
Middlebrook was educated at various schools, including Ratcliffe College, Leicester.
(This is a reference book which lists every operation carr...)
This is a reference book which lists every operation carried out by RAF Bomber Command during World War II. The main elements of the book are diary entries containing such information as date, target, type of raid and duration of the raid. These entries are preceded by an introduction explaining the strategic background to the period and conclude with a summary. The appendices provide additional reference material including Bomber Command orders of battle, the main aircraft types used, squadron performances and RAF casualties.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140129367/?tag=2022091-20
(The heavy casualties of the battles of 1914 and 1915, the...)
The heavy casualties of the battles of 1914 and 1915, the entry of Turkey into the war in 1915, and the unreliability of the French and Italian armies placed great strains on Britain's existing forces. Using incredible ingenuity, the British were able to increase their forces ten-fold.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0850527112/?tag=2022091-20
(This is a guided tour of the most important battlefields ...)
This is a guided tour of the most important battlefields of World War I. Martin Middlebrook's analysis and coverage of the day battles is divided into sections, each containing detailed military accounts, historical background and the memories of writers, poets and soldiers who fought at the Somme. The book also contains descriptions of places to visit on the way from the Channel ports to battlefields of the Somme.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140128476/?tag=2022091-20
(The French "department" of the Somme witnessed innumerabl...)
The French "department" of the Somme witnessed innumerable battles and acts of war, dating back to the time of the Roman occupation. William the Conqueror set sail from a port on the Somme coast to invade England, the French and British fought at Crecy in 1346 and Henry V's army marched through the area on its way to Agincourt in 1415. In 1870 the region was invaded by the Prussians. Within the next 80 years, two world wars swept back and forth across the Somme and the history of the region became still more closely linked with that of Britain. There were three major battles in the area during World War I and the troops of the British Empire were closely involved and suffered great losses on each occasion. Approximately half of the 400,000 soldiers who died on the Somme in 1914-18 were British. After the war, 242 British cemeteries sprang up and the bodies of 50,000 men that were never found still lie under the Somme fields. In this book the authors record every battle that has taken place on the Somme, from the earliest Roman invasion to the day in 1944 when Allied forces advancing from Normandy swept the Germans out of the Somme. They also provide a fully illustrated guide to its military cemetries, memorials, preserved trenches, craters and other reminders of battle. Martin Middlebrook also wrote "The First Day on the Somme" and "The Kaiser's Battle".
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670830836/?tag=2022091-20
(On the third day of the war with Japan, two Royal Navy ca...)
On the third day of the war with Japan, two Royal Navy capital ships were sunk off Malaya by air torpedo attack. They had not requested the air support that could have saved them and 840 men died in the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser HMS Repulse. The authors re-create for the reader not only what happened, but also what it was like for the men involved. They dispose of several myths to explain the events of those confused hours, and address the uncertainty, controversy and strong emotions that surrounded the militarily disastrous sinkings.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844150755/?tag=2022091-20
(The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained b...)
The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target in the Second World War. Bomber Command’s Commander-in-Chief, Sir Arthur Harris, hoped to ‘wreck Berlin from end to end’ and ‘produce a state of devastation in which German surrender is inevitable’. He dispatched nineteen major raids between August 1943 and March 1944 – more than 10,000 aircraft sorties dropped over 30,000 tons of bombs on Berlin. It was the RAF’s supreme effort to end the war by aerial bombing. But Berlin was not destroyed and the RAF lost more than 600 aircraft and their crews. The controversy over whether the Battle of Berlin was a success or failure has continued ever since. Martin Middlebrook brings to this subject considerable experience as a military historian. In preparing his material he collected documents from both sides (many of the German ones never before used); he has also interviewed and corresponded with over 400 of the people involved in the battle and has made trips to Germany to interview the people of Berlin and Luftwaffe aircrews. He has achieved the difficult task of bringing together both sides of the Battle of Berlin – the bombing force and the people on the ground – to tell a coherent, single story. The author describes the battle, month by month, as the bombers waited for the dark nights, with no moon, to resume their effort to destroy Berlin and end the war. He recounts the ebb and flow of fortunes, identifying the tactical factors that helped first the bombers, then the night fighters, to gain the upper hand. Through the words of the participants, he brings to the reader the hopes, fears and bravery of the young bomber aircrews in the desperate air battles that were waged as the Luftwaffe attempted to protect their capital city. And he includes that element so often omitted from books about the bombing war – the experiences of ordinary people in the target city, showing how the bombing destroyed homes, killed families, affected morale and reduced the German war effort. Martin Middlebrook’s meticulous attention to detail makes The Bomber Battle of Berlin one of his most accomplished book to date.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1848842244/?tag=2022091-20
(A detailed and elaborately researched investigation into ...)
A detailed and elaborately researched investigation into the Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission, the first large US Air Force bombing-raid. This was the first test of the American theory that bomber formations could fly deep into Germany and adequately defend themselves.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014017947X/?tag=2022091-20
(Between the end of August 1943 and the end of March 1944,...)
Between the end of August 1943 and the end of March 1944, RAF Bomber Command carried out a sustained offensive against Berlin, 19 major attacks being made. It was the climax of the RAF's effort to knock Germany out of the war by the strategic bombing of cities. Although much damage was caused in Berlin, the results of the bombing were not decisive. Bomber Command on the other hand, suffered a major defeat. A total of 619 aircraft and crews were lost in the raids on Berlin alone, with many other aircraft crashing on return to the UK. At the end of the battle of Berlin, Bomber Command was switched to support the invasion and the "bomber dream" - that the RAF alone could knock Germany out of the war - was over.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0140238174/?tag=2022091-20
( The Battle of Berlin was the longest, most sustained of...)
The Battle of Berlin was the longest, most sustained offensive against a single target, and its merits remain a subject of debate even today. Here is the story behind these costly raids--including crucial tactical shifts within the R.A.F.--and month-by-month coverage of the most important runs. Based on over 400 interviews of both British and German aircrews.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0304353477/?tag=2022091-20
(The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained b...)
The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained bombing offensive against one target of World War II. 19 major raids between August 1943 and March 1944 and more than 10,000 aircraft sorties dropped over 30,000 tons of bombs on Berlin. The city was not destroyed, however, and the RAF lost over 600 aircraft and their crews. The controversy over whether the battle was a success or failure has continued to this day. The author has interviewed more than 400 people in this study in an attempt to bring together both sides of the story - the tactics of the bombing force and the experiences of ordinary people in the target city. The battle is described month by month, and tactical factors that helped first the bombers and then the night fighters are identified. The experiences of the people of Berlin are also recounted, showing how bombs destroyed homes and families, affected morale and reduced the German war effort. Martin Middlebrook is the author of many books on military history including "The First Day on the Somme", "The Bomber Command War" and "Operation Corporate", a study of the Falklands War.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670806978/?tag=2022091-20
(On 17 August 1943, the entire strength of the American he...)
On 17 August 1943, the entire strength of the American heavy bomber forces in England set out to raid two major industrial complexes deep in southern Germany, the vast Messerschmitt aircraft factory and the vital KGF ballbearing plant. For American commanders it was the culmination of years of planning and hope, the day when their self-defending formations of the famous Flying Fortress could at last perform their true role and reach out by daylight to strike at targets in the deepest corners of industrial Germany. The day ended in disaster for the Americans. Thanks to the courage of the aircrews the bombers won through to the targets and caused heavy damage, but sixty were shot down and the hopes of the American commanders were shattered. Historically, it was probably the most important day for the American air forces during the Second World War. While researching this catastrophic raid the Author interviewed hundreds of the airmen involved, German defenders, ‘slave workers’ and eye witnesses. This took him twice to both the USA and Germany. The result is a mass of fresh, previously unused material with which the author finally provides the full story of this famous day’s operations. Not only is the American side described in far greater depth than before but the previously vague German side of the story – both the Luftwaffe action and the civilian experiences in Schweinfurt and Regensburg, are now presented clearly and in detail for the first time. The important question of why the RAF did not support the American effort and follow up the raid on Schweinfurt as planned is also fully covered. REVIEWS " One of the Greatest Air Battles fought in World War II. Mr Middlebrook is a meticulous English researcher whose work on RAF Bomber Command is legendary. This book was Mr Middlebrooks first attempt presenting the American perspective of the Air War and he chose one of the most vicious, 60 B-17's and over 600 men were lost on this mission. Martin has taken this battle and presented it from both sides by using the interviews from the participants along with official documents and photos. The scope and size of this Air Battle and Middlebrook's attention to detail makes this a compelling read for those interested in the 8th Air Force. The interviews with the participants and letting them tell the story vs the author is what makes this book special and worth buying. Mr Middlebrook has researched this book to the point he feels he has solved the decades old mystery of the "Wheels Down" event which has haunted the 100th Bomb Group. You will need to read the book to understand the event and his research. Suffice it to say that his documentation provides some very compelling proof this event happened to another group. My view point on the incidents vary's but no matter who you believe, the wheels down incident will forever be associated with "the Bloody Hundredth". You will enjoy this book immensely, I did!" Michael P. Faley 100th Bomb Group Historian & Photo Archives
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1848847602/?tag=2022091-20
( Over the course of 11 days in the summer of 1943, Allie...)
Over the course of 11 days in the summer of 1943, Allied bombers conducted six major air raids on Hamburg. Historians call this sustained period of bombing the Battle of Hamburg; citizens of that city refer to it as "die Katastrophe." How was this notoriously dangerous mission carried out--and how, amazingly, did everything go exactly according to plan for the Allies? Using the perspective of flight crews on both sides, and the citizenry below, the answers come into brilliant focus.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0304353450/?tag=2022091-20
(This book describes one twenty-four-hour period in the Al...)
This book describes one twenty-four-hour period in the Allied Strategic Bomber Offensive in the greatest possible detail. The author sets the scene by outlining the course of the bombing war from 1939 to the night of the Nuremberg raid, the characters and aims of the British bombing leaders and the composition of the opposing Bomber Command and German night fighter forces. The aim of the Nuremberg raid was not unlike many hundreds of other RAF missions but, due to the difficulties and dangers of the enemy defenses and weather plus bad luck, it went horribly wrong. The result was so notorious that it became a turning point in the campaign. The target, the symbolic Nazi rally city of Nuremberg, was only lightly damaged and 96 out of 779 bombers went missing. Middlebrook recreates the events of the fateful night in astonishing detail. The result is a meticulous dramatic and often controversial account. It is also a moving tribute to the bravery of the RAF bomber crews and their adversaries. As reviewed in the Wall Street Journal: “Using firsthand accounts, Mr. Middlebrook follows the planning, preparation and execution of the operation in meticulous detail, but he does more than that: Employing hundreds of eyewitness accounts, he shows the raid from the point of view of the German defenses and the civilians on the ground. Factual and analytical, this is a portrait of mechanized warfare at the level of personal experience.” – Wall Street Journal, March 2016 REVIEWS “…provides a compelling narrative of a day in the life of a RAF bombing mission.” IPMS USA, 02/2010 “Using firsthand accounts, Mr. Middlebrook follows the planning, preparation and execution of the operation in meticulous detail, but he does more than that: Employing hundreds of eyewitness accounts, he shows the raid from the point of view of the German defenses and the civilians on the ground. Factual and analytical, this is a portrait of mechanized warfare at the level of personal experience.” – Wall Street Journal, March 2016"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1844158756/?tag=2022091-20
( • Exciting overview of the World War II battle made fam...)
• Exciting overview of the World War II battle made famous by the classic movie and book A Bridge Too Far • Boots-on-the-ground story of British paratroopers fighting off Germans in Holland during Operation Market Garden • Masterly analysis of why the operation failed • Draws from the personal experiences of more than 500 participants • Written by an accomplished military historian
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811708268/?tag=2022091-20
Middlebrook was educated at various schools, including Ratcliffe College, Leicester.
He was appointed as a Knight of the Order of the Belgian Crown in 2004. He entered National Service in 1950. He was commissioned in the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), and served as a Motor Transport Officer in the Suez Canal Zone and Aqaba, Jordan.
Middlebrook subsequently spent three years in Territorial Army service.
Middlebrook wrote his first book The First Day on the Somme following a visit to the First World War battlefields of France and Belgium in 1967. This is a detailed study of the single worst day for the British Army.
Middlebrook gave the same single-day treatment to 21 March 1918, the opening of the German Spring Offensive, in The Kaiser"s Battle. Middlebrook"s Second World War books concentrate on the air war.
A number of them again deal with a single day of action (The Nuremberg Raid, The Schweinfurt–Regensburg Mission and The Peenemünde Raid) while others cover longer air battles (The Battle of Hamburg and The Berlin Raids).
Middlebrook has also written two books on the Falklands War, one from the British and Falkland Islanders" perspective and one from the Argentinian perspective.
( • Exciting overview of the World War II battle made fam...)
(On 17 August 1943, the entire strength of the American he...)
(The heavy casualties of the battles of 1914 and 1915, the...)
(Between the end of August 1943 and the end of March 1944,...)
( The Battle of Berlin was the longest, most sustained of...)
(A detailed and elaborately researched investigation into ...)
(The French "department" of the Somme witnessed innumerabl...)
(This book describes one twenty-four-hour period in the Al...)
(The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained b...)
(On the third day of the war with Japan, two Royal Navy ca...)
(The Battle of Berlin was the longest and most sustained b...)
(This is a reference book which lists every operation carr...)
( Over the course of 11 days in the summer of 1943, Allie...)
(This is a guided tour of the most important battlefields ...)
(A reference guide to Bomber Command's operations during W...)
(for those world war two historians this is a must. gently...)
(. no dw, 1981, 424pp)
(Book club edition. The decorative dustjacket, which adds ...)