A Battle Too Far

A British Army veteran’s harrowing experiences in Europe and Africa during World War II are recounted in this gripping biography.

A Battle Too Far is the true story of Rifleman Henry Taylor 6923581, late 7th Battalion The Rifle Brigade (1st Battalion London Rifle Brigade) and is based on his diaries and recollections as told to his son Lawrence. The Foreword is by Lt-Gen Sir Christopher Wallace Chairman of The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum in Winchester.

Henry’s war began in October 1942 as the 2nd Battle of El Alamein commenced and continued almost non-stop for the next three years. From El Alamein to Tunisia, he fought with the 8th Army as they finally pushed Rommel back to the sea. Although they expected to return to Britain in preparation for D Day, plans were changed at the last minute, and they were ordered to Italy instead. Here they found themselves fighting for every inch of land against determined, well dug-in defenders, in conditions often resembling the trenches of World War I. Their reward? Their campaigns forgotten as the world concentrated on the D Day invasion, and to be called “D Day Dodgers” despite enduring some of the heaviest fighting of the war.

As Europe celebrated VE Day, Henry’s war continued as they raced to Austria to prevent Yugoslav forces annexing Carinthia in the opening shots of the Cold War. Then, as the men around him were de-mobbed, Henry and the rest of the Battalion were sent back to Egypt to protect British interests in the continuing civil unrest. They felt dejected and fed up, so it only took one incident to spark a mutiny . . .