Pegasus Bridge

by Stephen E. Ambrose

Book Overview

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, a small detachment of British airborne troops stormed the German defense forces and paved the way for the Allied invasion of Europe. Pegasus Bridge was the first engagement of D-Day, the turning point of World War II. This gripping account of it by acclaimed author Stephen Ambrose brings to life a daring mission so crucial that, had it been unsuccessful, the entire Normandy invasion might have failed. Ambrose...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0671523740
• ISBN13: 9780671523749
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 197 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Brilliant Depiction

I thought this was a great book. Very well-written and exciting. It was a little short, which made for an excellent quick-read. I think Mr. Ambrose deserves some credit for writing on a relatively uncovered topic. That being said, those of us who choose to bash on his writing simply because it is allegedly simplistic at times really ought to ease up. Try writing a well-researched book yourself if you have such a problem with this well-written and exciting page turner.

Great story and excellent guide book.

Having been stationed in Germany for three years I was fortunate enough to travel to many of the WWII battlegrounds that exist in Europe and the beaches that made up Operation Overlord is one trip that I will never forget. Before making the trip I read "Citizen Soldier," "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" all written by Stephen Ambrose. I carried "D-Day" and "Pegasus Bridge" with me during my trip to use as a reference as I visited 4 of the 5 beaches involved in the D-Day invasion. "Pegasus Bridge" is the story of the men from D company from the Ox and Bucks Light Infantry Regiment of the British 6th Airborne Division. Ambrose does a masterful job of relating the story of these men and tying to results of the battle to the overall operation of D-Day. Ambrose gives the background on the training of the men, personal insights of many of the men, and the man who held them all together Major John Howard. As good as Ambrose tells the story of D company nothing compares to actually standing on that bridge and the feeling that you get thinking that right here is where the D-Day invasion began! Ambrose has included some great photos and drawing of the gliders landing site. When you visit the bridge itself you will find markers indicating the locations of the first three gliders and it is only then you will realize what a magnificent job of piloting Staff Sergeant Jim Wallwork did in landing the nose of his glider "to break through the barbed wire" as requested by Major Howard. Some the machine gun nest are still there beside the bridge and gives you an idea of what the men faced. The original bridge, replaced with a modern bridge, but thankfully was saved and is located nearby as part of a museum. "The first place liberated in France" is what the Gondrée's café has as a label according to a plague affixed over the entrance to the café. If you do not go inside you will miss a stunning collection of "Pegasus" military memorabilia! If you are lucky, you might even meet Madam Gondrée, who was a child at the time of the battle, and was still running the café at the time of my visit. She sat with friends and me and related a few stories concerning the story of the bridge and their current fight with the local government to preserve the café and other local building from a campaign to broaden the canal. As I walk around outside the café and bridge site, I used Ambrose's book to take me through the battle almost moment by moment. I could almost hear Lt. Brotheridge's Sten gun rattle off as he killed one of the two guards on the bridge that night and sadly wonder if he knew what he and his men accomplished that night as he lay dying only moments after engaging the Germans. If have any interest in the D-Day invasion then you cannot go wrong with this book. Ambrose does a wonderful job in presenting the story. The book is easy to read; I finished it in two days, yet does not insult your intelligence. If you do visit the Normandy region make sure you blo

Pegasus Bridge

Having visited Normandy including Pegasus Bridge and Ranville in August 2001 I decided to do some more reading on D-day and read Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E. Ambrose.I couldn't put it down, it was fascinating to read how these soldiers were trained and the precision with which they were expected to carry out their capture of the bridge.I read this book cover to cover in 2 days, I haven't read a book that quickly for about 15 years so believe me this is a big recommendation.I will certainly read more books by this author on this subject as soon as possible. Read it even if you don't have an interest, you will learn something about what another generation did for us so that we could live in freedom.

A bridge once forgotten.

Stephen Ambrose has done a remarkable job in giving the reader a front row seat to the fighting at Pegasus Bridge. His writing takes you right to the action and flows over into the heat of battle as if you were there at the time of the attack.He vividy describes the training leading up to the assault on bridge in such detail that you may need to set aside the book to rest, and catch your breath from the rigors of the last double time march.Even though this aspect of the invasion (Pegasus Bridge) encompasses such a small area, the high level of detailed research lends itself to a wonderful account of the early morning hours of 6 June 1944.This book is very easy to read and is a must for those intrigued by the battle that took place at this simple stone bridge over the Caen Canal in the Norman countryside.

Gripping account of the War's pivotal battle

I'm a firm believer that no one can weave together a battle, invasion or engagement that took place in the European Theater quite like Stephen Ambrose. He has a knack for understanding the soldiers, getting inside their minds and allowing them to tell the tale for him. Pegasus Bridge is no different. It's a fascinating account of how one British unit seized the most critical objective in the wee hours just prior to D-Day. Much like Band of Brothers, Ambrose starts with the beginning of the unit -- how it was formed, its commanders, its training regiment and it soldiers -- transitions to the climax of seizing the bridge and holding it and finally flows into the denouement of D-Day plus one. I highly recommend this book as well as Ambrose's other works on the subject of WWII. As a twentysomething who has never experienced combat or war on a worldwide scale, I personally credit Ambrose for my newfound respect for the fighting men and women who have participated in all of our wars.