Sword: The Gripping Military History of D-Day and Sword Beach

From veteran war chronicler Max Hastings comes Sword, an extraordinary and vivid exploration of the actions surrounding Sword Beach during the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. This paperback delves into the reality of Operation Overlord, focusing on the individual soldiers of the Commando brigade, Montgomery’s 3rd Infantry, and 6th Airborne divisions who faced the storm of machine-gun and mortar fire.

Hastings narrates the triumphs and tragedies experienced by these troops, from their years of training in England to the intense battles on the shoreline and against German strongpoints inland. The narrative incorporates insights gained from decades of study, veterans’ interviews, and new archive research.

• Detailed exploration of the airborne assaults on the Caen Canal bridge and Merville Battery.
• Searching analysis explaining why British troops did not reach Caen on June 6 as promised, including the story of the brigadier sacked for the failure.
• Personal portraits of key figures, such as Commando leader Lord Lovat and Colonel Jim Eadie of the Staffordshire Yeomanry.
• Focuses on the experiences of virgin soldiers facing battle for the first time, capturing their frustrations, hopes, loves, and fears.

• Author: Max Hastings
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Print Length: 400 pages
• Color: Four-color
• Dimensions: 129mm x 198mm x 30mm (12.9 x 19.8 x 3 cm)
• Weight: 300 g
• ISBN-10: 0008699798
• ISBN-13: 978-0008699796
• Publication Date: May 7, 2026

This essential military history, recognized as a THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER and a Times and Waterstones Book of the Year, offers a profound look at the human cost and strategic complexities of the Normandy invasion.