I found myself totally absorbed, transported to 1944, as I read this book! 'Sword Beach' provides an engaging, balanced, vivid, touching and sometimes humoristic account of Maher's personal experiences as a young man in the Royal Naval Reserves leading up to the Normandy invasion (D-Day) and thereafter. Maher was assigned to minesweeping, and kept detailed diary entries of the training preparations and life in wartime Britain. (Minesweeping was perhaps one of the most dangerous and critical tasks of the invasion, but one which recieves less "glory" in most of the WW2 literature.) A wonderful read for anyone with a sense of adventure and an interest in history. An important read, especially for younger generations (like mine), to understand and appreciate the great personal sacrifices endured by people like Maher, to ensure our own freedom. These ordinary-turned-brave people were (and are) our grandparents, parents, siblings, friends and neigbors (and they could be us).