General Patton
‘An inspiration to all under his command’: the cheerful courage of Brian Franks
The second world war hero was awarded both the DSO and MC. But perhaps his finest achievement was securing the permanent future of the SAS
The dark finale of the second world war
Max Hastings’s kaleidoscopic history oscillates from the vast, strategic canvas to individual acts of treachery and heroism in the closing months of the conflict
The beginning of the end
Both German and Allied troops could be accused of war crimes in the struggle for the Ardennes. It’s a tragic and gruesome history, involving heavy casualties — but flashes of black humour make it bearable, says Clare Mulley
Ten days in May
‘If the war is lost, then it is of no concern to me if the people perish in it.’ Bruno…
