Onward We Charge is a very detailed account of the battles of Darby's Rangers but it has one major failing...NO maps! As detailed as each battle and assault is described it is unbelievable to me that the author/publisher did not provide maps to allow the reader to follow along. There's not even a general Mediterrenean map. If you are not an expert in WWII history or don't have a military atlas while you read this book you will get lost pretty quickly. It finally got to the point where I almost gave up reading this book because I couldn't picture in my mind where the action was taking place. A battle book without maps shouldn't be printed.

During the Battle of El Guettar in World War II, members of Darby's Rangers recalled their commander's battle cry, "Onward we stagger, and if tanks come, may God help the tanks." Lifting parts of that line to use in his title, H. Paul Jeffers pays tribute with this fast-paced documentary of the contributions of General William O. Darby and his Rangers to the Allied victories in North Africa and Italy.

The book begins with Darby's days as a schoolboy in Fort Smith, Arkansas and ends with Darby's death during the Battle of Po River in 1945 at the age of 34. He had gone from captain to Brigadier General in three years and eleven months, the only such promotion to star rank during the war. This was done after twice refusing promotions offered to him by General George Patton.

Darby had a knack for being in the right place at the right time. At the beginning of U. S. involvement in World War II, Darby was given the task of building a commando-like unit, an idea that had no precedent in the history of the U.S. Army. Sent to Northern Ireland to train under British commandos, Darby's Rangers had their baptism of fire on the beaches of Dieppe, France in the ill-fated attempt to initiate a so-called "Second Front" in 1942. From there they were quickly sent to Northern Africa where they proved their worth conducting harassing raids and carrying out reconnaissance during battles in Algeria and Tunisia. The Rangers were so successful that their numbers were increased from one battalion to three in order to spearhead the invasion of Sicily.

From the landings at Gela, through the capture of Palermo and the drive to Messina, the Rangers worked successfully in support of Patton's Third Army. It is here that Darby's Rangers gained fame as a fighting unit in the press alongside other units known by the name of their commander, such as Doolittle's Raiders, Merrill's Marauders, Chennault's Flying Tigers. In all, Darby's Rangers led the way in four invasions, and fought in twelve major battles in North Africa and Italy, including the assault on Anzio.

As part of the Anzio battle strategy, the Rangers were sent to seize and control the town of Cisterna di Littoria, which sat at a strategic crossroads. It was here, in one of the lesser known side battles, that the Rangers met their unhappy end. The 1st and 3rd Battalions were ambushed by a massive force of German tanks and infantry. Of the 767 Rangers who infiltrated Cisterna, only six made it back to friendly lines. The majority were taken prisoner and paraded through the streets of Rome before eventually being incarcerated at Stalag II-B in West Prussia.

In 1951, the U.S. Army Infantry School immortalized General Darby by extending Ranger training to selected combat units. Camp Darby continues to turn out U.S. Army Rangers to this day, many of whom are currently deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Generally not bad, but in my opinion marred by uneven treatment of details and plodding in some places. For example, I'm not sure why the author felt compelled to delve into the cost of constructing the high school Darby attended while omitting description or definition of a "sticky grenade", which would seem to be more relevant to the story. THe dust cover notes would lead a reader to believe that the book is mostly about Darby himself, but the actual content provides quite a bit of history of the Ranger units. The book benefitted from including excerpts from other author's analyses of significant events in Ranger history, including the disasterous mission at Cisterna.

Good photos of the key players and locations described by the book, but some maps illustrating key battles would have been a useful supplement to the text. I was somewhat disappointed in the author's limited ability to convey the emotions of Darby and his staff. I felt I learned the military history of Darby and Rangers, but not as much as I expected about Darby as a person, or about the personal feelings of elation, frustration, dedication, or desparation as he and his soldiers must have experienced in some of those situations of great intensity.

ONWARD WE CHARGE is an inspiring account of one of WWII's most underrated heroes, Colonel William Darby. As with BAND OF BROTHERS, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in WWII nonfiction.

With all the nostalgia around WWII in the last ten years, it's hard to believe that it has taken this long for someone to tell the story of the famous Darby's Rangers. We take for granted now the incredible fighting skills and endurance of the Army Rangers, but once upon a time they were a brand new outfit, in a very uncertain war. Bill Darby was their heroic first leader, and fellow founder, and made them into what they became--the cream of the combat crop. This is an excellent telling of the Darby story, from the man's rise in the military, through his incredible leadership during the war (including combat scenes that will absolutely blow you away). I can highly recommend this compelling take on Col. Darby and the First Ranger Batallion in World War II.