World War II Database

Here is a book that I had read other reviews about in the last few years. I figured it was a story I would like to read. Well, I got a story which was both exciting to read and also had points where I had to raise my eyebrows. The book is broken down into 6 parts with 5 chapters per part.

Jan Montyn was a Dutch national and the first chapters tell about his growing up in Holland. He is 18 years old when German invaded Holland. He ends up joining the Kriegsmarine due mostly to seek adventure more than any political reason. He ends up on minesweepers, and after his boat is destroyed off Courland he then ends up with other naval "survivors" in the trenches. This part of the book is really interesting in how he describes the fighting and meeting of another school mate from Holland. Having being wounded and then evacuated and sunk again and rescued again one gets the impression that Montyn is a very lucky soldier.

At war's end he joins the Legion but ends up going AWOL from them and then back to Holland into custody. He joins the Dutch military and goes to Korea where he is wounded yet again. All through the book you get a sense that Mr. Montyn has sensual flings with both sexes and ends up as a curator of a military unit. In this job he ends up robbing them of money and antiques.

All in all an interesting book of one man's life before, during, and after WW2.