The epic battle for the bridge at Arnhem, as depicted in the blockbuster 'A Bridge Too Far', saw the Allies aim to end the war by Christmas 1944, but failed as a huge airborne assault force failed to take the last bridge across the Rhine. In an extract from his latest book 'A Bloody Week', Dan Harvey tells the story of one of the hundreds of brave men from Ireland who gave their all to the Allied campaign

Almost certainly unnoticed by holidaymakers making their way to and from England’s cross-Channel ferry ports and Eurotunnel stations is a modest 1914-18 war memorial on Folkestone’s seafront promenade.

The Normandy beach landings were deferred on the say-so of the Blacksod lighthouse keeper, and victory was assured, says Dan McCarthy