Overview

Discover the extraordinary, overlooked story of Major James Cuthbertson—an unsung hero whose courage and leadership kept the Allied advance moving from D-Day to victory in Germany. Drawing on his vivid eye-witness accounts, personal letters, and previously unpublished papers, this book brings to life the hidden world of the British Army’s wartime logistics: the vast, dangerous operation that made the front line possible. While most histories of the Second World War focus on the soldiers at the tip of the spear, Major Cuthbertson’s experiences reveal a different side of the conflict—one where the line between support and combat often vanished. As commander of 90 Company, Royal Army Service Corps, he and his men faced enemy fire, perilous conditions, and constant pressure to deliver. On D-Day alone, Cuthbertson was at Pegasus Bridge three times, ensuring that vital supplies from Sword Beach reached the airborne troops fighting to secure the eastern flank of the invasion. His bravery earned him the Military Cross and his men’s determination helped secure the bridgehead. From the beaches of Normandy to the desperate push of Operation Market Garden, 90 Company’s story sheds new light on why the Arnhem advance faltered—and what it took to keep an army moving. Their journey eventually led them to the gates of Bergen-Belsen, where Cuthbertson and one of his men give harrowing first-hand accounts of the horrors they found there. After the war, Cuthbertson shouldered significant responsibilities in Kiel dockyard before returning quietly to civilian life and his banking career. Yet the memories of his service stayed with him always. The book closes by reflecting on those lasting scars, revealing the personal cost of a war lived largely behind the scenes—but never far from danger.

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9781789635973

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Michael Cuthbertson has been passionate about History since childhood. He has a Cambridge MA in History and subsequently taught History for 19 years to post-A Level standard in two schools, for much of that time running the History Department in each. After 15 years as Head Master of another school, he has now been able to return to his love of History. One of his particular interests has been in the D-Day landings, fostered by conversations with his father, himself a D-Day veteran. He has paid several visits to the D-Day beaches. His other interests include watching Test cricket, model railways and coins. He shares his father’s Christian faith and, like him, has helped lead Christian holiday parties and preached in local churches. 

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