Tobruk

[mxp4506]

hello. wondered if any one.could help me. was there ever a book written on this place .and the war in the far east.fred as asked me .to look.
is memories of torbruk 1940. etc. lots joy. but painful ones as well.
found one book .with only one chapter. but chap lost .the book when i went back to buy it.fred tells me they stayed near shepards hotel.did not go in their though. too posh for normal troops he said.
on a different note. great site. amazing the great topics.one can read.
mike

[spidge]

Originally Posted by mxp4506

hello. wondered if any one.could help me. was there ever a book written on this place .and the war in the far east.fred as asked me .to look.
is memories of torbruk 1940. etc. lots joy. but painful ones as well.
found one book .with only one chapter. but chap lost .the book when i went back to buy it.fred tells me they stayed near shepards hotel.did not go in their though. too posh for normal troops he said.
on a different note. great site. amazing the great topics.one can read.
mike

Hi Mike,

This on the initial capture:

Chapter 2 Tobruk (the capture)

This site has quite a bit on the Tobruk siege from the Australian aspect.

Tobruk; Australian toughness beats Rommel

This also from this site:

The 9th Australian Division versus the Afrika Corps.

[morse1001]

Originally Posted by mxp4506

hello. wondered if any one.could help me. was there ever a book written on this place .and the war in the far east.fred as asked me .to look.
is memories of torbruk 1940. etc. lots joy. but painful ones as well.
found one book .with only one chapter. but chap lost .the book when i went back to buy it.fred tells me they stayed near shepards hotel.did not go in their though. too posh for normal troops he said.
on a different note. great site. amazing the great topics.one can read.
mike

There is Frank Harrison, Tobruk - The Great Siege Reassessed, Brockhampton Press ISBN I 86019 986 0

Amazon.co.uk: Used and New: Tobruk: Great Siege Reassessed: The Great Siege Reassessed

[Brian S]

Originally Posted by mxp4506

hello. wondered if any one.could help me. was there ever a book written on this place .and the war in the far east.fred as asked me .to look.
is memories of torbruk 1940. etc. lots joy. but painful ones as well.
found one book .with only one chapter. but chap lost .the book when i went back to buy it.fred tells me they stayed near shepards hotel.did not go in their though. too posh for normal troops he said.
on a different note. great site. amazing the great topics.one can read.
mike

Hi Mike,
Shepherds Hotel was in Cairo. The old Hotel has been gone for many years but there is still a Shepherds Hotel in the City. Not on the site of the old one though. I spent a week there a few years ago.

Brian

[Kyt]

Hi Mike

there are a number of books on Tobruk, of which Morse has posted one of the best. It really depends upon what you are looking for - an "academic" history or one with memoirs/stories from veterans. here are a few more that worth a look:

Amazon.co.uk: Tobruk: The Great Siege 1941-42: William F. Buckingham: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Tobruk: The Birth of a Legend (Cassell Military Paperbacks): Frank Harrison: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Massacre at Tobruk (Stackpole Military History): Peter C. Smith: Books

As for the Far East, there are literally hundreds of books. If you could narrow down what it is that you are interested - maybe regiment/division, particular battle, particular force etc, we could help you narrow down the choices. For now these are excellent general histories of the Burma campaign:

Amazon.co.uk: Burma: The Longest War: The Longest War, 1941-45: Louis Allen: Books

Amazon.co.uk: The Burma Road: The Epic Story of One of World War II's Most Remarkable Endeavours: Donovan Webster: Books

Amazon.co.uk: Defeat into Victory: Battling Japan in Burma and India, 1942-1945: William Slim: Books
(this is probably the best memoir written by any Allied commander - completely honest and not afraid of self-criticism)

[Kyt]

Completely forget another excellent memoir written by the author of the Flashman books:

Amazon.co.uk: Quartered Safe Out Here: George MacDonald Fraser: Books

[Roxy]

GMF's book on Burma is excellent - thoroughly recommended.

Roxy

[mxp4506]

hello its mike. must say a very big thank you .to all the replies.to my querry.
will ring uncle fred next week. and pin down the exact location he is looking for. have made a note of all the books.
must say .the george macdonald fraser .one sounds okay to me.
thanks every-one.
mike

[mxp4506]

hello . have a card fred posted to me. been with him since 1942. but has given to me.this is what it says.
new royal house hotel . prop. a vourazellis.
phone 57078 .
telegr address new royal house.
central position opp. casino globe and shepheards hotel.
lare rooms with hot and cold water.
lift
private baths.
special rates for all ranks of his british majesty.s troops.
fred stayed their for two weeks.
also on the card .
elfi bey street (square halim pacha)
reg .de com no 4681 cario
maybe some-one out their has heard of this place .fred and his fellow troops stayed.
mike

[Kyt]

I can't dind the hotel that Fred stayed in but shepheards Hotel is famous, and was quite a swanky place during the war.






Elfi Bey Street also seems to have some "fancy" restaurants on it