Fighting with the Desert Rats: An Infantry Officer's War with the Eighth Army

This is a descriptive account of what it was like to serve as an Infantry Officer with the Desert Army in the Western Desert and Sicily between 1942 and 1943.

The author is Major H.P. Samwell, MC, who was unfortunately killed on 13 January 1945, whilst serving with the 7th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 51st Highland Division.

The chapters include:

FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF EGYPT AND ITS WARTIME POPULATION * JOINING THE EIGHTH ARMY
THE BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN * THE ATTACK IS RENEWED *

IN A SOUTH AFRICAN HOSPITAL (The author was very badly wounded during the fighting, an event he graphically describes – along with lying in a trench, with an injured German soldier, awaiting rescue)

AT THE INFANTRY TRAINING DEPOT AND UP THE LINE * FROM SIRTE TO TRIPOLI * EARLY DAYS IN FRONT OF THE MARETH LINE * ROMMEL ATTACKS * PATROLS AND KEEPS * HOSPITAL IN TRIPOLI

UP THE LINE AGAIN * RESTING IN SFAX * ENFIDAVILLE AND THE END OF THE CAMPAIGN *
TRAINING FOR SEA INVASION (Sicily) * FOLLOWING THE SICILY CAMPAIGN FROM AN AFRICAN BASE
LANDING IN SICILY AND MOVE TO MESSINA * PROBLEMS OF OCCUPATION

JOHN GREHAN has written, edited or contributed to more than 300 books and magazine articles covering a wide span of military history from the Iron Age to the recent conflict in Afghanistan. John has also appeared on local and national radio and television to advise on military history topics. He was employed as the Assistant Editor of Britain at War Magazine from its inception until 2014. John now devotes his time to writing and editing books.

Martin Mace has been involved in writing and publishing military history for more than twenty-five years. He began his career with local history, writing a book on the Second World War anti-invasion defences and stop lines in West Sussex. Following the success of this book, he established Historic Military Press, which has published a wide range of titles. In 2006 he began working on the idea for Britain at War Magazine, the first issue of which went on sale in May 2007. This publication has grown rapidly to become the best-selling military history periodical on the high street. Martin now devotes his time to writing and editing books.

H P Samwell is a former soldier who fought during World War II.