A witty and unconventional wartime memoir from BBC correspondent Wynford Vaughan-Thomas, following the Allied advance through Europe — with a glass never far from hand.
About the Book
From the campaign in Italy in 1944 to the final push through France and into Germany, Wynford Vaughan-Thomas chronicles the closing stages of the Second World War as he experienced them — on the move, close to the front, and always alert to the human moments amid the chaos.
Threaded through this remarkable journey is another, more personal pursuit: wine. As armies advance and territories are liberated, Vaughan-Thomas finds himself passing through some of Europe’s great wine regions, seizing every opportunity to sample, savour, and — when necessary — rescue what he can.
The result is a memoir rich in incident and character: encounters with Allied soldiers and civilians, narrow escapes, moments of reflection, and long, impromptu meals where wine and conversation offer brief respite from war.
Interwoven throughout are memories of his earlier drinking life, from Oxford in the 1920s to evenings in Wales alongside figures such as Dylan Thomas — adding depth, humour, and a strong sense of personality.
A refreshingly different kind of war story, How I Liberated Burgundy is as much about appetite for life as it is about conflict — an affectionate, sharply observed account of war, wine, and the enduring pleasures that survive even in extraordinary times.
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