The Grey Goose of Arnhem: The Story of the Most Amazing Mass Escape of World War II

An account of heroism and courage in one of the Allies’ biggest military catastrophes of the Second World War. Ideal for readers of James Holland, Anthony Beevor and Cornelius Ryan.

Ten thousand Allied troops landed in the Netherlands in September 1944.

This was the largest airborne invasion ever undertaken and it ended in utter disaster.

Eight thousand men were killed, wounded, or captured during the Battle of Arnhem.

Yet, what of those who escaped?

And how did they manage it when surrounded by German troops?


Leo Heaps’ remarkable book The Grey Goose of Arnhem charts the activities of two hundred and fifty men who, with the aid of Dutch Resistance, made it back across the Rhine to Allied lines.

As a member of the First Airborne, Heaps draws from his own experiences as a soldier who fought, evaded capture, and then returned to work with the Dutch Resistance, for which he was awarded the Military Cross, as well as using material from private diaries, letters, and interviews with about forty paratroopers and Dutch Resistance leaders to record a thorough account of the most amazing mass escape of World War Two.

These men never gave up in the face of insurmountable odds. Indeed, as Heaps explains, rather than stay within the safety of allied lines, some of these men returned to the frontlines to assist the Resistance and ensure that as many of their comrades returned as possible.

The Grey Goose of Arnhem is a brilliant account of heroism that weaves together the accounts of numerous unforgettable characters to provide insight into what the Battle of Arnhem and its aftermath was like from those who saw it first-hand.

"Heaps' narrative of the captures, escapes and evasion (including his own) after the battle is well constructed. … The tension of the moment is tautly recreated. The conclusion is exciting and rewarding. It is a valuable addition to the record of the gallant First Airborne Division." Infantry Journal