Life in a Tank | Brazen Chariots: An Account of Tank Warfare in the Western Desert, November-December 1941...

Brazen Chariots | Brazen Chariots: An Account of Tank Warfare in the Western Desert, November-December 1941 | Robert Crisp

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	• Brazen Chariots: An Account of Tank Warfare in the Western Desert, November-December 1941 Robert Crisp W. W. Norton & Company, 2005 - 223 pages average customer review:based on 8 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

I Loved This Book

As I've said in other reviews, I am far from a military historian; I wouldn't even make a good amateur military historian. Having said that I must say that I absolutely loved Brazen Chariots by Major Robert Crisp and my only complaint is that it seemed too short. His account of being in North Africa during World War II is very easy to read and not overburdened with military lingo and it consistently held my interest throughout reading it. There is plenty of dash and bravado, but it doesn't come off like that, as the author goes to great lengths to recall his emotions during each scenario and does not fail to mention the times when he was afraid, but was still compelled to do his duty. From getting into his first Stewart tank (referred to as a Honey), to crossing the wire after Rommel's forces, and finally to the wound that sends him home we read the different accounts of his battlefield experiences and see the war through his eyes. There are quite a few humorous spots in this book, and my favorite centers around the results of borrowing a general's pajamas. This book is a quick and light read that will allow you to see the Big War from a different perspective.

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Life in a Tank

I recently finshed reading this book, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It provides a gripping, first hand account of just what it was like to be a member of a tank crew, during the early, confusing, and often deadly battles of the war in North Africa. This book provides the human view that is so often missing from the more conventional histories of armies or battles. Hightly recomended!

Brazen Chariots

I read this book a long time ago and loved it. It was great to renew my aquaintance with it. Brazon Chariots is a very educational and entertaining view into what it was like to fight the tank battles of North Africa in the early days of WW II. The book is written from a first person perspective of a rank and file Tank Camandoer of the British Army. It is full of his personal impressions and helps me understand how a soldier must feel.

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Very Limited in Scope

The limited scope is, of course, not the authors fault; he fought where he was assigned. If you just want some idea of what tank warfare was like in early WWII North Africa from someone who took part in no major armor engagements during the few weeks he was there, then get this book. However, if you want a book that tells about the battles and fighting vehicles used in the entire campaign or even a chunk of it, then Brazen Chariots is not for you. Major Crisp only commanded American made M3 Stuart light tanks with puny 37mm guns that couldn't stand up on equal terms against anything bigger than a Panzer Two, although Crisp's M3 was typically matched against a Panzer Three or Four. Of course, this wasn't his fault either, but I couldn't help wishing he would have at least served in a Crusader or Valentine at least from a British standpoint. In combat, he was luckiest when he could use his tank to sneak up on an anti-tank gun from behind. I also thought the writing to be a bit amateurish. This book also had the weirdest ending of any I have ever read. It leaves you not only wondering what ultimately happened to Major Crisp, but if some of the last pages of the book are missing. Seriously! I actually went to a book store to look at another copy, but it was just like mine. I grade a "C" on the book; and an "A" for the world's worst ending. My advice is: Only read this book if you have a lot of time on your hands or are desperate for something to read on this particular subject.

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The Classic First Person Account of Tank Warfare in North Africa

Going over my list Introduction to Tank Warfare list, I'm surprised I left this one off. This is one of the books I read as a kid that is partially responsible for me becoming a tanker myself.

Crisp gives a great first person account of being a tank commander during Operation Crusader in 1941. This book is great for the vivid descriptions of battles where he survived, though under-gunned and under-armored compared to his Panzer opponents, by using terrain and mobility to advantage. However it is also an accurate account of the mundane activities between battles without becoming boring in the process. All this is accomplished with Crisp's characteristically British flair where he continually relays how important was the need for British troopers to brew their regular pot of tea.

This is a short volume that gives an almost day by day account of the campaign in a very readable fashion. While detailed enough to keep any expert turning the pages, it is also basic enough for the casual reader who just wants a good 1st person account of the War in North Africa.

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"Unquestionably the finest narrative of tank warfare to come out of World War II."?Los Angeles Times

A tank officer's story of the desert war in North Africa, Brazen Chariots is one of the most widely praised war books ever published. Major Robert Crisp recounts Operation Crusader, the great tank battle waged against Rommel's Afrika Korps on the borders of Egypt.

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