History of a typical line battalion of a typical county infantry regiment
fighting across Europe from Normandy to the Elbe. "No finer soldiers ever left
England" (Brigadier H Essame). The Seventh Somersets were a typical British line
battalion of a typical county infantry regiment in the Second World War. What
that meant in practice is described by the military historian and soldier
Brigadier H Essame, who saw the Somersets in hot action as they fought their way
from the Normandy beaches to the banks of the river Elbe in a defeated and
shattered Germany. ‘No finer soldiers than the 7th Somerset Light Infantry ever
left England and fought their way acorss the continent to final victory. They
won their battles because at every level they were better men than the finest
troops of the German Army, because they had greater courage and greater skill.
There was no danger that they would not face, no hardship which they would not
endure, no risk they would not take. May those who come after them be worthy of
their sacrifice’. Landing in France in late June 1944, the 7th Somersets fought
their way out of Normandy and through Belgium and Holland that summer. During
the winter war of 1944/45 they helped turn the Siegfried Line and pushed across
the north German plain from the Rhine to the Elbe. This is the story of the
last, bitter months of the war in Europe seen from the ground up, with a Roll of
Honour plus decorations and awards.
Reprint of the 1946 original edition.
