Escaping with His Life

From Dunkirk to D-Day & Beyond

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• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2019
• ISBN:
  9781526746641
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Military Biographies
• Index: History

"A fitting tribute... exceptional in covering the duration of WWII as a soldier, commando, POW, escaper, and on through D-Day to Victory." — Firetrench Very few British soldiers could lay claim to such a full war as Leslie Young. Having survived the retreat to and evacuation from Dunkirk, he volunteered for the newly formed Commandos and took part in their first operation, the raid on the Lofoten Islands. He fought and was captured in Tunisia. He went on the run before his POW camp at Fontanellato was taken over by the Nazis after the September 1943 Italian armistice. He spent six months on the run in the Apennine mountains aided by brave and selfless Italians. Many of whom were actively fighting their occupiers. He eventually reached Allied lines but not before several of his companions were tragically killed by both German and American fire. On return to England, he immediately signed up for the invasion of North West Europe and despite being wounded eventually fought through to Germany. It is thanks to his son's research that Major Young's story can now be told. It is an inspiring and thrilling account which demands to be read. "Nicely retold by his son, Nicholas, this memoir ticks all the boxes... An incredible story of one man's war. It's excellent." — WW2Talk "This wonderful account of the military life of Leslie Young is pure Boys' Own Paper stuff, a tale of heroism and daring, of courage and fortitude. An amazing story, brilliantly told." — Books Monthly

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• List of Maps
• Prologue
• Chapter 1 To War — with the British Expeditionary Force in France
• Chapter 2 Retreat
• Chapter 3 Dunkirk
• Chapter 4 Operation Dynamo
• Chapter 5 A Day at the Beach
• Chapter 6 With the Commandos – Weymouth
• Chapter 7 With the Commandos – Scotland
• Chapter 8 The Lofoten Island Raid
• Chapter 9 Return to the Bedfords
• Chapter 10 The War in North Africa
• Chapter 11 Tunisia 1943
• Chapter 12 Into Captivity
• Chapter 13 Fontanellato
• Chapter 14 Armistice – and Freedom
• Chapter 15 On the Run
• Chapter 16 Christmas in Corvaro
• Chapter 17 News of a Landing
• Chapter 18 Triumph and Tragedy
• Chapter 19 Going Home
• Chapter 20 Preparing to Invade
• Chapter 21 Operation Overlord
• Chapter 22 The Breakout
• Chapter 23 The Great Swan
• Chapter 24 Operation Market Garden
• Chapter 25 Holding the Line
• Chapter 26 Farewell
• Bibliography
• Plate section