Sky Warriors

Sky Warriors tells the complete wartime story of Britain’s airborne forces, created after Winston Churchill called for a corps of parachute troops in June 1940. A single experimental battalion expanded into the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions and the 44th Indian Airborne Division, combining parachute and glider formations trained to seize objectives ahead of conventional armies.

The narrative follows raids and major operations from Bruneval and North Africa through Sicily, Normandy, Arnhem and the Rhine crossing. Drawing on diaries, letters, memoirs and interviews, David examines recruitment, training, aircraft and the extreme vulnerability of troops landing behind enemy lines. Heroism is balanced against flawed planning and heavy losses, especially during Operation Market Garden.