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In the run up to D Day, June 6 1944, a combination of Allied bombing and sabotage by the French Resistance reduced the railway to a set of disconnected lines. This was to prevent the Germans from using the railways to reinforce their defence of the beaches.

The Liberation Line tells the story of how around 50,000 UK and US troops were sent over the Channel to rebuild and operate the lines, often in perilous situations. At the heart of the book is the story of how 10,000 men were deployed to rebuild a 135 mile long line in Normandy in just 3 days in order to allow General Patton to reach Paris.

About the Speaker

Christian Wolmar is a writer and broadcaster specialising in Transport. He spent many years on national newspapers such as The Observer and The Independent and still writes for a variety of publications including a regular column in Rail magazine.

Christian frequently appears on TV and radio programmes most notably the recent Panorama on HS2. He has written 20 books including Railways and the Raj and British Rail a new history. The Liberation Line is his most recent book, published in the summer.