From Normandy to Hamburg (Hardback)

Formed in 1940, the 4th Battalion Coldstream Guards became a formidable tank battalion equipped with Churchill tanks. In July 1944, they landed in Normandy, embarking on a gruelling ten-month campaign through France, Belgium, and Holland – fighting in several lesser-known yet significant battles – before advancing into Germany, where they continued to fight until hostilities ceased.

From Normandy to Hamburg follows seven men united by their service in the battalion, tracing their transformations from civilians to soldiers. In their later years, they recounted their service in recorded interviews with the Imperial War Museum, sharing powerful testimonies which form the basis of this book. Included are tales of the formation of the 4th Battalion, training for Tank Warfare, and crossing the English Channel in preparation for battle. The book also contains anecdotes from the lighter side of service, including Queen Mary walking into a male toilet when it was occupied, alongside gripping first-hand accounts of frontline combat and harrowing near-death experiences.

The book also recounts the vital moment, when on July 30th 1944, the 2nd Battalion, Glasgow Highlanders – an infantry unit – was supported by the 4th Battalion, Coldstream Guards in a bold assault on a strategically vital position known as Hill 309. This high ground overlooked several active battlefields in Normandy and provided the enemy with a significant tactical advantage. Capturing it was essential. During the assault, the steep incline of the hill made it difficult for the infantry to keep pace with the tanks. So, in an unprecedented move, the order was given for the tanks to press on without infantry support. This daring strategy – combined with a heavy aerial bombardment – caught the defenders by surprise, and Hill 309 was successfully taken. Two days later – in an attempt to retake the hill – the Germans launched a ferocious counter-attack, which was successfully repelled. The battalion received numerous commendations for their role in both the capture and defence of Hill 309. However, perhaps the highest compliment came not from their own side, but from the enemy, who referred to the 4th Battalion as ‘Churchill’s Butchers’.