Neil Barber

Website: pegasus-bridge.co.uk

Facebook: The Day the Devils Dropped In

Twitter: @Barber1944

Neil Barber has been interviewing Second World War veterans and studying the actions of the 6th Airborne Division in the Battle of Normandy for over 20 years, and this has resulted in the writing of two books. These each took five years of research and are therefore detailed accounts of the events, but mainly related in the words of the men who were actually there.

Every avenue of information has been followed in the effort to get closer to what actually happened, be it the interviewing of survivors, locating testimony by those who have passed away (both audio and written), walking the battlefields, plus analysis of photographic and film evidence. Consequently, the books go further into their subjects than any other previously published information and are unique in their ability to put the reader ‘on the ground’ with the men themselves.

These books address two of the most vital operations of Operation Tonga, the effort of the British Airborne Forces during the early hours of D-Day; these being the capture of Caen Canal and River Orne Bridges and the silencing of the Merville Gun Battery.

He has also edited three wartime biographies. Fighting with the Commandos - Stan Scott; Parachute Doctor - David Tibbs MC; Fighting Hitler from Dunkirk to D-Day - Jeff Haward MM.