Home Was Never Like This [Paperback]

Doyle. R. Yardley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002

"Home Was Never Like This" was written by Colonel Doyle R. Yardley, commander of the 509 Parachute Infantry Battalion - the first American parachute battalion to attack an enemy, making the longest airborne flight from Land's End England to the Invasion of French North Africa. Col. Yardley was captured during the Invasion of Italy and spent 16 months as a prisoner of war in Oflag 64 in Szubin, Poland.

Col. Yardley kept penciled entries of his experiences in England and as a POW, describing in details the events and the soldiers who were part of the war effort. He wrote "Home Was Never Like This" with the intention of publishing his memoirs after the war. Yardley escaped, leaving his journals buried behind in Oflag 64. They were miraculously returned to him after the war.

Unfortunately, shortly after his return to civilian life, Col. Yardley died. His diaries were kept in a forgotten footlocker until his nephew, Charles Turnbo, discovered them on the family farm. Charles dedicated his efforts to publishing "Home Was Never Like This" in memory of his uncle, all the soldiers of the 509, and those who served our country during WWII.

"Home Was Never Like This" is a heart-wrenching and often humorous look into his life and the lives of the hundreds of others involved in or effected by the war.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The diaries of Col. Yardley give an excellent portrayal of one man's personal remembrances and experiences during WWII. -- Texas Aggie Magazine, January 2003

This story of an American Airborne Hero is highly recommended for purchase for a library item and fine reading. -- Dr. Herbert L. Garris, Post Oflag 64 Item, Spring 2003

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Yardley Enterprises (August 1, 2002)
• ISBN-10: 0971743908
• ISBN-13: 978-0971743908
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,086,823 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars An Important Diary, December 27, 2010

By 

John E. Nevola "Author" (Mount Olive, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Home Was Never Like This (Paperback)

Home Was Never Like This - subtitled The Yardley Diaries is just that - memoirs of an officer-soldier written in diary form. For that reason it is an irreplaceable piece of history.

Colonel Doyle R. Yardley was the executive officer of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion. The 509th was one of the first battalions formed in the fledgling United States Army Airborne and was the first paratrooper unit to see battle action in North Africa in late 1942. The 509th remained an independent battalion throughout the war and was never assigned to one of the 5 airborne infantry divisions.

What makes this diary particularly interesting and unique is that it is one on the few first-hand accounts of the airborne operations in North Africa as well the airborne drop on Avellino, Italy, on September 15, 1943. Colonel Yardley was wounded and captured in this action and the rest of his diary deals with his 16 months as a prisoner of war of the Germans in Oflag 64 in Szubin, Poland and his eventual escape.

This book was edited by a nephew and "proofread" by other family members from handwritten (in pencil) notes in multiple notebooks that somehow survived his incarceration as a POW and the long route of his escape aided by the advancing Russians. It reveals a great deal about the lives and attitudes of other prisoners and paratroopers and how they were affected by the war. The compilation ends with his accidental and untimely death at age 33. The book is indexed and easy to read and would be well received by those interested in the airborne in World War II.

John E. Nevola
Author of The Last Jump - A Novel of World War II