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Product Description
From Library Journal
Released in 1951 and 1957, respectively, these titles offer little-known chapters in the history of World War II. Sledge Patrol tells how a handful of Danes and Norwegians on dog sleds patrolled a 500-mile perimeter of the Greenland coast to keep watch for Nazi invaders. When the day came, the men eluded the Germans using their hunting skills and knowledge of the Arctic terrain and managed to get back to base by walking the 56 miles without any equipment in some cases not even coats to bring word of the German presence. The "Shetland Bus" was the nickname given to the Norwegian fishing fleet, which was used to shuttle refugees secretly to freedom and bring supplies and intelligence to the Allied forces. Howarth, a British naval officer, was among the leaders of the Shetland Bus operation, so this history is based on firsthand experience.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Review
“An amazing tale of perilous adventure . . . vibrant with life and fear and the sense of momentous events in the making.” –Chicago Tribune
“Simply and honestly written; it conveys the true spell of the Arctic . . . Spellbinding–Kirkus Reviews
“[A] chronicle of war action and tense adventure . . . Mr. Howarth writes about the Far North with a sure appreciation of its harmony and beauty . . . The Sledge Patrol is the story of one of the great adventures of World War II.”
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival & Victory,
By
This review is from: The Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Victory (Paperback)
I found this book to be quite fascinating both for content and in the way it was presented to the reader. It was a challenge to put the book down when I was needing to do something else as it truly held my attention. The book took me through the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy, saddness and fear! My special interest is reading WWII non-fiction but this book would satisfy anyone out for an adventure.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another side to the Big One,
By
This review is from: The Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Victory (Paperback)
"The Sledge Patrol" is set in eastern Greenland during World War 2. Yes, that conflict even extended to the remote Danish colony. Greenland was strategic because weather patterns for Western Europe and surrounding waters form there. This was of obvious and vital interest to the American, British and German navies. Early in the War, the Danish colonial weather stations had broadcast reports "in the clear". Anyone, including the Germans could pick them up. Two critical events take place: Eske Brun, the Danish colonial head decides he had the power to resist German interest in his territory- and formed the Greenland Army with a force of 9 men. Then the Danish weather reports are sent in cipher so that the German navy can no longer eavesdrop. The Germans land a force to establish their own weather station. This the background to SP. What follows is almost as much a tale of personal honor and battling/surviving the Arctic elements than of military action. There is much dashing to and fro on sledges (dog sleds) to the point where this reader lost track of who was going where. The sides vie to avoid each other more than to engage in combat. And since there is minimal fighting and hence no real "bad guys", I found myself losing track of who was on which side. In fact, most of the men on both sides appear as nice, solid guys. The ending is almost academic. Readers will receive an excellent sense of the fierce and beautiful Greenland geography and Eskimo tradition. Mr.Howarth is an excellent writer and interest in his books appears to be going through a well-deserved revival. But one has to be cautious in recommending SP. It is simply too hard to keep track of the action. Furthermore, the maps are inadequate, adding to the confusion. A positive note: SP is well laid out in an eye pleasing typeface and paper stock. So many of us take such for granted but a tip of the hat to an anonymous graphics person is in order. Cautiously, I'm giving out 4 stars, but 3 may be more appropriate due to my frustrations with the maps. It really would have helped to know where these guys were rather than "somewhere in eastern Greenland".
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quiet Heroism,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Sledge Patrol: A WWII Epic of Escape, Survival, and Victory (Paperback)
Proving that truth is stranger than fiction, Sledge Patrol tells the story of ordinary men accomplishing unbelievable feats under extreme physical conditions and bizarre political circumstances during WWII. Living year-round in the Arctic desolation of eastern Greenland, nine men surreptitiously radioed crucial weather data to the Allies and patrolled the extensive coastline for a Nazi landing. When the Germans arrive, the conflict begins. The book is exciting and inspiring, with moments that are both touching and funny. One of the highlights of the book is how the unarmed and unaggressive band of Danes, Norwegians and Eskimos can outlast and outdistance the better provisioned Germans who aren't prepared for life, let alone combat, in the frozen north. Now reissued, Sledge Patrol was originally published in 1957. At that time, the author was able to get to know the parties involved, both Allied and German, adding dimension to the characters and realism to the story. I loved this book!
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