Warriors for the Working Day

Imperial War Museum Wartime Classics

By: Peter Elstob

Narrated by: Tom Lawrence

May 1944, the Royal Armoured Corps prepares for the invasion of north-west Europe. Young and conscientious, Michael Brook is quickly promoted to tank commander. He must overcome not only his own fear, but the dissent and doubts of his ever-changing crew, as the war takes them over the Rhine and into Germany. The men encounter both jubilant civilians and stiff enemy resistance as the conflict exacts a heavy toll.

Based on Peter Elstob's own wartime experience, Warriors for the Working Day brilliantly evokes the particular ferocity, heat and terror of tank warfare. This new edition of a 1960 classic features a contextual introduction from IWM which sheds new light on the true events that so inspired its author.

©2020 The Trustees of the Imperial War Museums, The Estate of Peter Elstob (P)2020 Headline Publishing Group Ltd

Critic reviews

"Few other novels of the war describe the grinding claustrophobia, violence and lethal danger of being in a tank crew with the stark vividness of Peter Elstob. It's possible to almost smell the fumes and sweat, while the intimate detail of operating such a beast and the camaraderie of the crew are utterly compelling. This is a forgotten classic that deserves to be read and read." (James Holland)