On 1 July, 1916, a continuous line of British soldiers climbed out from the trenches of the Somme into No Man's Land and began to walk slowly towards dug-in German troops armed with machine-guns and defended by thick barbed wire. This is an account of the blackest day in the history of the British army.

Arnhem remains one of the most popular subjects: a glorious failure. Martin Middlebrook is arguably the finest military historian alive today. His study perfectly captures both of the spirit of his legendary battle by personal accounts and the strategic and tactical backgrounds.