Second World War Books

Book Synopsis'A transfixingly readable amalgam of memoir and history... Superbly written and researched.... [Meller] has turned the raw material of her life into literature'Ian Thomson, author of Primo LeviRachel Meller was never close to her aunt Lisbeth, a cool, unemotional woman with a drawling Viennese-Californian accent, a cigarette in her hand. But when Lisbeth died, she left Rachel an intricately carved Chinese box with a sunflower clasp. Inside the box were photographs, letters and documents that led Rachel to uncover a story she had never known: that of a passionate Jewish teenager growing up in elegant Vienna, who was caught up by war, and forced to flee to Shanghai.Far from home, in a strange city, Lisbeth and her parents build a new life - a life of small joys and great hardship, surrounded by many others who, like them, have fled Hitler and the Nazis. 1930s Shanghai is a metropolis where the old rules do not apply - a city of fabulous wealth and crushing poverty, where disease is rife, and gangsters rub shoulders with rich émigrés; where summer brings unspeakable heat, and winter is bitterly cold; and where European refugees build a community and, maybe, a young woman can find love.Set against a backdrop of the war in the Far East, The Box with the Sunflower Clasp is a sweeping family memoir that tells the hidden history of the Jews of Shanghai. Rachel Meller writes with elegance and insight as she examines what it means to survive, and what the legacy of displacement and war might mean for the generation that comes afterwards.Trade ReviewThe Box with the Sunflower Clasp is a transfixingly readable amalgam of memoir and history, which poignantly evokes the pain and loss attendant on a Viennese Jewish woman's exile in Shanghai during the war. Superbly written and researched, Rachel Meller's is by no means a conventional account. Into her extraordinary family saga Meller has assimilated elements of detection, travel, biography, moral essay and personal revelation. She has turned the raw material of her life into literature -- Ian Thomson, author of PRIMO LEVIRachel Meller sensitively tells the story of her aunt Lisbeth and her parents who arrived in Shanghai from Vienna in March 1940... Fascinating -- Harry Freedman, author of BRITAIN'S JEWSThis meticulously researched family memoir is as full of drama, emotion and feeling as any novel. It explores a little-known corner of history but also the endlessly fascinating subject of close family relationships and how mysterious those we love can sometimes be. I found it completely engrossing -- Adèle Geras, author of FACING THE LIGHTThis memoir is as absorbing as any William Boyd novel - the fact that it's all carefully documented and true makes it even more fascinating. I predict it will become a distinguished account of a scarcely credible world of gangsters, Jewish millionaires, British class snobbery and the fate of one small family in a world where one false move can lead to death. Totally absorbing. A must-read. -- The Cambridge Critique * The Cambridge Critique *

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Book SynopsisArctic explorer, survival expert and naturalist Freddy Spencer Chapman was trapped behind enemy lines when the Japanese overran Malaya in 1942. His response was to begin a commando campaign of such lethal effectiveness that the Japanese deployed an entire regiment to hunt him down, believing that a 200-strong guerrilla army was responsible for the wholesale destruction of their convoys. He was wounded, and racked by tropical disease. His companions were killed, or captured and then beheaded. Cut off from friendly forces, his only shelter the deep jungle, Chapman held out for three years and five months. Jungle Soldier recounts the thrilling and unforgettable adventures of the North country orphan who survived against all odds to become a legend of guerrilla warfare.

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Book SynopsisBritain’s first-ever wartime fighter plane, the Hawker Hurricane, shot down more enemy planes than any other fighter. It was the true aviation hero of the Battle of Britain.Often eclipsed by the legend and aerial heroics of the Spitfire, the Hurricane was the authentic warhorse of aviation history. Stable, rugged, less expensive to build – and far more easily repaired and maintained than the Spitfire – the ‘Hurri’ as it was affectionately known, proved to be the most fearsome fighter plane in aerial combat – at a time when Britain’s survival was at stake like never before.In 1940 the Hurricane made its mark: more than half of the 1,200 German aircraft that were shot down in the war were taken down by Hurricanes. At the time, the RAF could call on 32 squadrons of Hurricanes and 19 Spitfires: the Hurricane was, in fact, the dominant British fighter plane, developing a reputation as a plane that could take more than a few hits from the enemy – and continue to fly. The Spit was the aviation thoroughbred, superb until damaged. The Hurri was much stronger. The skilled airmen came from all over the world; one of them from RAF 80 Squadron would later become a very famous author – Roald Dahl. Using documents, letters and first-hand accounts, this is the historic untold story of the Hawker Hurricane and the lives of the men and women who flew, helped design and construct, fit and worked behind the scenes of the ‘Hurri’, all contributing in ways big and small, to its outstanding success as a legend of the Second World War.Trade ReviewThis excellent book ... relates the aircraft’s fascinating history * Royal Air Force News *Jacky Hyams' book is engaging, easy to read, poignant, and informative in turn ... a book about the countless human stories of quiet courage, sacrifice, hard work, and emotional strain that the factory workers, pilots, and ground crews endured throughout the Second World War -- Charlie Trumpess * theWarYears.co.uk *

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Book SynopsisThe epic story of the RAF’s legendary heavy bomber: the Avro LancasterThe Lancaster Story takes readers on a remarkable journey through the history of an aviation icon. This is an informative and engaging account of the true workhorse of the RAF’s bomber corps and the emotional human stories of quiet courage, sacrifice, and hard work of the men and women who flew, designed, constructed and maintained it.Between its introduction in 1942 and the end of the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster flew more than 150,000 sorties, dropped more than 600,000 tons of explosives and took the Allied fight to Nazi Germany. The ‘Lanc’ featured on some of the most daring and celebrated missions of the war, including the heroic Dambusters raid and the Operation Hydra bombing. These and many other successes came at a significant cost, however: almost half of the 7,377 Lancasters deployed into service were lost in action.Using archival documents, letters and first-hand accounts, The Lancaster Story delivers a dramatic and vividly rendered account of the most successful RAF bomber of the Second World War. Combining individual stories into a gripping, panoramic narrative, it paints a complete portrait of the battle over Europe, and the Lancaster’s unique and decisive role in it.

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Book Synopsis''Turing writes on codebreaking with understandable authority and compelling panache.'' - Michael Smith, bestselling author of Station X. At Bletchley Park, some of Britain''s most talented mathematicians, linguists, and intellectuals were assembled to break Nazi codes. Kept secret for nearly thirty years, we have now come to realise the crucial role that these codebreakers played in the Allied victory in World War II. Written by Dermot Turing - the nephew of famous codebreaker Alan Turing - this illustrated account provides unique insight into the behind-the-scenes action at Bletchley Park. Discover how brilliant and eccentric individuals such as Dilly Knox, Alan Turing and Joan Clarke were recruited, the social life that grew up around the park, and how they dealt with the ever-present burden of secrecy. Including a foreword by Professor Christopher Andrew of Cambridge University, author of MI5''s official history The Defence of the Realm, this book brings to life the stories of the men and women who toiled day and night to crack the seemingly unbreakable enigma code.

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Book SynopsisOne of the greatest and most terrible years in world history.‘This war has now assumed the character’, wrote Benito Mussolini, before 1941 was six months old, ‘of a war between two worlds’, and the Italian dictator had rarely predicted more truly.Before the year had ended, following Hitler’s surprise assault on Russia and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, thirty-seven nations were engaged in an all-out war reminiscent of Armageddon, ‘the battle of that great day of God Almighty’.Richard Collier’s latest narrative spans both this entire, devastating year, as well as the events that led up to it. From the hunting of the Bismarck through the North Atlantic to the triumphs of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, from the horror and heroism of besieged Leningrad to the debacles of Hong Kong, Malaya and the Far East, this is a panorama of truly world-wide proportions.An unputdownable narrative of the most extraordinary year in world history, perfect for readers of Max Hastings, James Holland and Antony Beevor.

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Book SynopsisDetailed profiles explore the leaders, tactics and equipment of the US and Japanese armies.

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Book SynopsisHow the Nazis lost the war1944 was a year of trial for the German Army. While the Allies were preparing to invade the Third Reich from the west, Stalin was set on a massive offensive to liberate the last remaining areas of Soviet territory still held by the Germans. Hitler was determined to hold fast. His muddled strategic thinking nullified the undoubted operational ability of his generals, and disaster was the inevitable result.This book is a gripping analysis of the Soviet campaign to capture Byelorussia, the German attempts to counter it, and the final, terrible collapse of Army Group Centre, inflicting even greater losses on the Germans than their earlier defeat at Stalingrad. It was a catastrophe of unbelievable proportions: 28 of 34 divisions, over 300,000 men, were lost. Hitler’s war effort was doomed and broken.An unputdownable history perfect for readers of Antony Beevor or James Holland.

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Book SynopsisThe year the once all-conquering German army was finally defeated.By the summer of 1944, Germany was in crisis. The Allied landings had forced another battle arena upon an army already fighting on the vast Eastern front. The July bomb plot attempt on Hitler’s life made the dictator even more paranoid and suspicious of his own military commanders.In this absorbing study, James Lucas examines the army’s changing structure and weaponry throughout this final year of war, and reveals the often surprising measures taken to confront a situation Hitler had never contemplated, and never really accepted.From D-Day to the Battle of the Bulge and on to the Fall of Berlin, the author examines the last battles fought by the German army – which had by no means given up its struggle – as the Allies swept across Europe, charting the very unique experiences of a military force moving from dominance to defeat.Perfect for readers of Antony Beevor and Max Hastings.

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Book SynopsisThe German Navy – known as the Kriegsmarine – played a crucial role during World War II in disrupting Allied shipping, especially in the early years, when Britain stood alone against Nazi aggression following the fall of France. Broken down by campaign and key encounters within each theatre of war, German Kriegsmarine in World War II illustrates the strengths and organizational structures of the Third Reich’s naval forces, building into a detailed compendium of information. Full-colour order of battle tree diagrams at fleet and flotilla level help the reader quickly understand how and where the ships and U-boats of the German Navy were employed at any given time between 1939 and 1945. Reference tables provide fleet strengths while organizational diagrams show the types and numbers of ships involved in specific operations, such as the U-Boat wolfpacks that hunted Allied merchant shipping in the North Atlantic and the invasion fleet used for the assault on Crete. With extensive organizational diagrams and full-colour operations maps, German Kriegsmarine in World War II is an easy-to-use guide to German naval forces. The book is an essential reference for anyone with a serious interest in the naval warfare of World War II.Table of ContentsThe Pre-War Kriegsmarine Early Operations: 1939–40 Surface War in the West: 1941–43 The U-Boat War: 1939–41 The U-Boat War: 1942–45 The Mediterranean: 1941–45 Defeat in the North: 1942–45 Appendices Glossary of Key Abbreviations Acknowledgements Index

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Book SynopsisOpen up a world of adventure, bravery and dramatic wartime scenes with Phil Earle's magnificent World War Two animal stories. Inspired by a true story from World War Two, the award-winning When the Sky Falls follows Joseph when he is left alone to guard a silverback gorilla's cage in a deserted zoo. If the bombs fall and set the animal rampaging free, will Joseph have the courage to pull the trigger?In While the Storm Rages, Noah and his friends fight to rescue all the animals who are at risk upon the outbreak of war. In Until the Road Ends, Peggy must leave her beloved dog Beau behind in war-torn London, but Beau is determined to find her again. Praise for When the Sky Falls:A magnificent story It deserves every prize going' Philip PullmanA remarkable achievement' Michael Morpurgo

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Book SynopsisFrom the beginning in 1935 this attractive book describes the different elements that went into the Panzer-Divisions. It describes how the Germans carefully built up their assault forces utilizing all available reserves and resources into making an effective fighting machine. It depicts how these awesome formations grew to be used four years later in war, and provides much historical information and facts about the vehicles and its components that fought in all the campaigns of the war from the early victorious Blitzkrieg in Poland and France to the last ditch defence in Germany in 1945. Each chapter features unseen photographs of light tanks, main battle tanks, assault guns, anti-tank destroyers, artillery, reconnaissance units, support vehicles, pioneers with their bridge building platforms and the motorized infantry or Panzergrenadiers. This book is a visual treat for the military enthusiast and collector and a worthy addition to the Images of War series.

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Book Synopsis'This is the room from which I will direct the war,' Churchill declared, shortly after becoming Prime Minister in 1940. It was from these cramped confines that Churchill turned a seemingly inevitable defeat at the hands of the Nazis into a famous victory. Built in 1938 as a temporary refuge in case of air raid attack, this secret bunker became a second home to Churchill - and to large numbers of military personnel and civil servants whose work until now has been largely unsung. Drawing on a fascinating range of original material, including newly available first-hand accounts of the people who lived there, Holmes reveals how and why the bunker and its war machine developed; how the inhabitants' lives were transformed; and how their work led to victory. Elegant and illuminating, Churchill's Bunker is a unique exploration of one of the most important sites in British history.Trade ReviewSuperb ... Holmes vividly recaptures what it was like to work in Churchill's bunker, the fabulous highs and dispiriting lows ... a fitting memorial to the men and women who worked so hard down there over six gruelling years of war -- Andrew Roberts * Observer *Bright and fascinating ... it illuminates the underground warren of sunless rooms where Churchill's staff functioned below blackened London streets -- John Lukacs * Five Days in London *Vivid and compelling -- Professor Sir Lawrence FreemanHolmes accomplishes much in little space. He gives a readable and cogent description...He successfully recreates the atmosphere of the place -- Geiffrey Best * History Today *Fascinating -- Tim Newark * Tine Out London *

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Book SynopsisOn 30 April 1945, Adolf Hitler committed suicide. The following day, his propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels also killed himself and the crumbling Third Reich passed to Admiral Karl Dönitz. The Nazis' position seemed hopeless. Yet remarkably, the war in the rest of Europe went on for another ten days. After Hitler looks at these days as a narrative day-by-day countdown but also as a broader global history of a European war that had seen some of the most savage battles in history. Relations between the 'Big Three' - the United States, Great Britain and the Soviet Union - suddenly plunged to near breaking point. This book reveals that tumultuous story.After Hitler also looks at the wider canvas of the war and the terrible humanitarian catastrophe uncovered in Europe. It describes those who felt the joy of freedom, but also those who faced a highly uncertain future. As Red Army soldiers joined forces with their British and American allies, Stalin's East finally came face to face with Churchill's and Truman's West. After Hitler tells of their growing mistrust, but also of moments of remarkable goodwill and co-operation - the brief but poignant hope that these great nations could together fashion a new and safer future. This is a fascinating exploration of the brief but crucial period that shaped the emerging post-war world.Trade ReviewA compelling and little-told account of a few days that set the scene in Europe for much of the next 50 years . . . a 'must-read' for professional and amateur historian alike * General The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux GCB CBE DSO, Late Chief of Defence Staff UK *Michael Jones has described the death agonies of Nazism in an excellent, vivid and often moving narrative of the ten days between Hitler's suicide on April 30, 1945, and the celebration of VE day on May 9. He has deftly blended the stories of great events and the great figures who shaped them with the experiences of the myriad men and women who carried out their orders * The Times *An evocative, clear and exciting recreation of the final ten days of the crumbling Third Reich. It is fast paced, exceedingly well written, with some very thoughtful and insightful analysis of the atmosphere between the Great Power leaders on the eve of the Cold War, in particular the sensitive surrender negotiations . . . really well done * Robert Kershaw *[Michael] Jones - a master of the vignette - provides an effective retelling of the story. Using an impressive selection of eyewitness accounts, he skips across Europe in that last week of the war - from Reims to Luneburg, Prague to Flensburg - giving an engaging, lively summary of events * BBC History *An absorbing history . . . communicates the pity of the war and its aftermath with a proper sympathy * Sunday Telegraph *Hitler, broken and despairing, killed himself on 30 April 1945; the war in Europe formally ended on 9 May. Acclaimed historian Michael jones resists the common urge to skip over that gap, unearthing a wealth of intriguing detail, much from primary sources . . . in a year sure to be swamped with war publications, few are likely to offer such novel approaches * Press Association *As such a recognisable and universally reviled figure of the 20th century, Adolf Hitler tends to overshadow what happened after his suicide. This book tells that story, as the German capital Berlin crumbled and tensions between the US, UK and Soviet Union rose * History Revealed *Michael Jones has woven together the many stories of those terrible ten days in a most compelling fashion * The Spectator *A tale of heroism and barbarism; of overwhelming triumph and abysmal defeat; of refugees and revenge; of a nightmare shattered and emerging hopes of a better future . . . Jones demonstrates an ease of command of his historical material and he understands the complex personalities of the commanders who dominate his pages. This is the best book of its genre * Australian *Michael Jones's superbly researched account vividly evokes the death throes of the Third Reich * Mail on Sunday *Fast moving and addictively readable, this book covers the ten days from Hitler's suicide to VE Day in Moscow on 9 May 1945 * Independent *

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Book SynopsisThe mistreatment and captivity of women by the Japanese is a little known and poorly documented aspect of the Second World War. In The Real Tenko, Mark Felton, who has a fast growing reputation as an authority and author on the war in the Far East, redresses this omission with a typically well researched yet necessarily gruesome account of the plight of Allied service-women, female civilians and local women in Japanese hands.Among the atrocities shamefully committed by the Emperor's forces were numerous massacres of nurses; that at Alexandra Hospital, Singapore being perhaps the best known. The lack of respect for their defeated enemies extended in full measure to both European and Asian women and their vulnerability was all too often shockingly exploited. Those who found themselves imprisoned fared little better and suffered appalling indignities and starvation. Also covered are the hardships of gruelling marches under extreme conditions. Whereas the sexual enslavement of so called 'Comfort Women' has been regarded as affecting only Asiatic women, it transpires that this horror was experienced by whites as well.The Real Tenko is a disturbing and shocking testimony both to the callous and cruel behaviour of the Japanese and to the courage and fortitude of those who suffered at their hands.

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Book SynopsisDuring the German occupation of Rome from 1942 to 1944, Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty ran an escape organisation for Allied POWs and civilians, including Jews. Safe within the Vatican state, he regularly ventured out in disguise to continue his mission, which earned him the nickname 'the Pimpernel of the Vatican'. Kappler, the Gestapo chief in Rome, ordered him captured or killed. When the Allies entered Rome, Monsignor O'Flaherty and his colleagues had saved over 6,500 lives.Trade Review"An affectionate book that at times reads as well as a spy novel." * Books Ireland *"Story of personal bravery well worth retelling." * The Irish Times *"The story it tells is extraordinary." * Irish Independent *"Enthralling and inspiring." * The Catholic Times *"A true thriller." * Scottish Catholic Observer *

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Book SynopsisHitler first considered an invasion of Great Britain in autumn 1940, then scheduled Operation Barbarossa, the conquest of the European part of the Soviet Union, for May 1941. Anxious to emulate Hitler's successes, the Italian dictator Mussolini embarked upon unnecessary military adventures in North Africa and the Balkans, which forced Hitler's intervention, diverting and depleting precious German resources, and a six-week postponement of Barbarossa. In this second of four volumes [Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326 & 330] on the German Army of the Second World War, Nigel Thomas examines the uniforms and insignia of the forces involved in North Africa and the Balkans. Men-at-Arms 311, 316, 326, 330 and 336 are also available in a single volume special edition titled 'German Army in World War II'.Table of ContentsThe Context of the North African and Balkan Campaigns · Foreign Volunteers · The Strategy in North Africa · Army Uniform in North Africa · Orders of Dress · Uniforms and Insignia of Foreign Volunteers · The Strategy in the Balkans · Army Uniform in the Balkans · Other Insignia · The Plates

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Book SynopsisDuring the occupation of France in WWII the villages around Le Chambon-sur-Lignon pulled off an astonishing and largely unknown feat. Risking everything, they underwent a long-running battle of nerves and daring to hide 5,000 men, women and children, 3,500 of them Jews, from the Nazis and their Vichy stooges. Despite the danger, a whole community rallied together, from the pacifist pastor who defied orders to the glamorous female agent with a wooden leg, from the 18-year-old master forger to the schoolgirl who ran suitcases stuffed with money for the Resistance.Told using first-hand testimonies of many of the survivors and face-to-face interviews conducted by the author, A Good Place to Hide is the thrilling story of ordinary people who thwarted the Nazis and sheltered strangers in desperate need.Trade ReviewA story resonant in our days, the age of refugees, and a grand narrative in its own right, all told with absorbing skill. Peter Grose's tale of the astounding rescue village of Chambon is a tale of the practical deliverance of the hunted from the Nazis. A book to cherish and recommend! -- Thomas Keneally, author of Schindler's ArkIncredibly moving... Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the most extraordinary circumstances. A book full of love for the region. Grose underlines underlines the role played by the brilliant forger, Oscar Rosowsky. A reminder of the best that humans are capable of, but also an inspiration. * Times Literary Supplement *Peter Grose's book stands out as a complete story about life on the Plateau during World War II. Peter uses only facts to tell us a true story. He is one of those rare raconteurs who can write a history book that reads like a novel. -- Nelly Trocmé, eyewitness and daughter of André and Magda TrocméA fine book and a captivating and heartening story. * Scotsman *Grose has written …ambitious book that covers, among other things, the history of French Protestantism and the policy of the Vichy government, It is, however, the individual stories that stand out. Some striking characters cross their pages. Albert Camus came to the plateau, hoping that the air would be good for his tuberculosis, and wrote the first draft of La Peste there. Virginia Hall, an American adventuress so hard-bitten that she would have made Ernest Hemingway look like Marcel Proust, was sent to contact the local Maquis. She received packets of tea with parachute drops of weapons and refused to accept that having a wooden leg and an atrocious accent might make her an unsuitable guerrilla leader. Above all, this book depicts the mosaic of little tragedies behind the collective tragedy of death and deportation. * Evening Standard *Extraordinary. * Daily Mirror *Fabulous. A page-turning account, told with the full cooperation of many of the survivors. Meticulous and dogged research. Compelling. -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller, 'Ones to Watch' *Well written in a pleasant style and easy to read... A fascinating and inspiring story. * The Association of Jewish Refugees Journal *A compelling story of wartime bravery and the plight of refugees. * France *

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Book Synopsis'They Also Serve Who Stand And Wait' tells the story of the U.S. Replacement Depot at Pheasey Farms Estate in Great Barr, Birmingham during World War II. Part of the half-built housing estate was requisitioned by the British forces at the outbreak of the war and in 1942 the first group of American soldiers moved in. The book is a fascinating insight into the day to day activity on the base, with many moving accounts from those involved, and also deals with the impact that the American soldiers had on the surrounding area of Walsall and Birmingham.

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Book SynopsisWRECK RECOVERY IN BRITAIN THEN AND NOW By Peter J. Moran The last 50 years have seen an incredible interest in the excavation of crashed aircraft. Schoolboys of the war period eagerly sought and swapped souvenirs, purloined from crashes under the eyes of the police or RAF guards but, after the surface wreckage was cleared away by Maintenance Units, no one realised that even greater treasures remained underground.   Whereas on the Continent the Missing Research and Enquiry Unit left no stone unturned to try to trace the thousands of airmen who still remained missing, strangely enough no similar operation was carried out by the RAF on crash sites in the United Kingdom. Many of these still contained the mortal remains of pilots whose names had been added to the Memorial to the Missing unveiled at Runnymede in 1953. Perhaps, because the war in the air that followed the Battle of Britain had shifted its focus to Europe, it appeared to fade from people’s memory that a hard-fought battle had taken place over the United Kingdom in 1940.   It is difficult to understand today how it took so long for the realisation to sink in that aircraft wreckage still remained buried. When it did, there followed what can only be described as an unholy scramble to find crash sites and dig them up, heavy plant being employed to make it easier and quicker. At the height of this unfettered exploration period during the 1970s, there were over 30 `aviation archaeology’ groups, or loose affiliations of like-minded individuals at work, particularly in the counties of Essex, Kent and Sussex over which the main battle had been fought. Unrecovered human remains were now being found which understandably raised criticism from some quarters but was defended by the argument that missing airmen should have been recovered by the authorities in former years. Inevitably order had to be restored and the Ministry of Defence stepped in with a `code of conduct’ for digging up crashed aircraft, a measure that was reinforced by an Act of Parliament in 1986. Thereafter a process was introduced whereby the Ministry issued licences before a wreck site could be excavated, and every licence application, whether granted or refused, is listed for the first time in this book. In the end, after all the accessible locations had been exhausted, the exploration of wartime crash sites in Britain largely came to a close. Size: 12” × 8½" - 232 Pages – Over 600 Colour and Black and White Illustrations ISBN: 9 781870 067 942 — Price: £29.95

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Book SynopsisWithin the pages of this fully illustrated book you will be able to follow the author's detailed research showing how Hitler escaped war torn Berlin, at the end of the war and able to flee Europe, reaching the relative safety of South America, then on to secret Nazi bases in Antarctica. A phantom convoy of U-boats was used to move Hitler and others to those hidden underground bases built in Antarctica and he describes how these well stocked underground complexes would continue developing weapons and war machines for defence and future world domination, Wunderwaffe weapons according to conspiracy theories are the ones that were used to attack the American fleet during Operation HighJump in 1947 explaining why so many American ships returned damaged.Trade ReviewReviewed by Steve Wroe British Science Association ex British Antarctic Survey Nazi Antarctic Exploration Hitler’s Escape to South America & Secret Nazi Bases in Antarctica By Ladislas Szabo Published By Nicholas Reardon Let me start by saying that I’m not a believer of conspiracy theories. There, that’s got that off my chest. When I reviewed this book I was aware of a certain ‘notoriety’ that surrounded it. I knew that it had experienced some problems on social media, particularly with the US. This was, primarily with the title, but apart from that I had no preconceived ideas. The book is well presented and well structured which makes it very ‘readable’ with informative photographs inserted at appropriate places throughout. This improves the book as it gives the photographs ‘relevance’ and helps to explain the narrative at a time of great uncertainty throughout the world. The end of WW2! The first part of this book focuses on the uncertainty and the shambles that the world was in at the final moments of World War two. The fact that nobody knew the true number of U boats that were still at sea or had taken sanctuary in friendly ports or waters is evidence of this.This uncertainty was compounded when two U boats arrived unexpectedly in the Argentinian port of Mar del Plata. The circumstances surrounding these boats were unusual for a number of reasons. The U boats were carrying far larger crews than they were designed for. In addition, there was confusion with regards the true identity of one of the U boats. All of this at a time when it was uncertain as to whether Hitler was dead or alive and theories were rife. Was Hitler alive and fleeing to Argentina or simply biding his time in Antarctica? The second part of this book is a general précis of Antarctic exploration during this wartime setting and explains the presence of warring nations who found themselves in Antarctica. Thereby setting the scene for the possibility of Nazi (dare I use that phrase?) activities in Antarctica during WW2. I would refer the reader to page 78. The author describes the activities of German Corsair raiding ships operating in Antarctic waters of which we are already aware. It is this activity which led to the top secret British wartime operation. Operation Tabarin, of which many books have been written. The book is a collection of interesting factual detail but my difficulty as a reviewer, is that some of the conclusions which the author offers, are an opinion based upon an interpretation of some of those facts. To quote C. P. Snow the founding editor of the Guardian Newspaper ‘Opinions are free, but facts are sacred’ The book is interesting for its historical factual content but as to whether some of the conclusions offered by the author bear scrutiny, I leave that for you, the reader to decide. To summarise, the book tells an interesting tale and is of historical value at a period of time where the world was mired in doubt and uncertainty and the fate of Hitler was unknown. The book presents you with facts and is enhanced by photographs with other contemporary supporting documentation and I would invite you to draw your own conclusions based upon these facts. Finally, whilst as a reviewer, I feel it is beyond my remit to get embroiled in the dispute about the title of this book, my understanding is that at that time, Germany was ruled by the Nazi Party.

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Book SynopsisPeter is just an ordinary boy, who loves playing football with his friends and eating cake – until war comes to his city and the whole family have to go into hiding. This powerful graphic novel is based on a true story. “Engrossing, and superbly told in graphic format” – Books for Keeps “Told with amazing depth in a simple and effective way” – Angels and Urchins “This is a book that is needed now more than ever” – Read It, Daddy A United States Board on Books for Youth (USBBY) 2018 Outstanding International Book Trade Review"A well as the historical aspect, the book is very relevant to the situation in many countries today - we need to learn from the past, and books like this are excellent in helping the younger generation to understand these issues. It's emotional and dramatic, drawing the reader in superbly, and is accessible even for reluctant readers." * Parents in Touch *"Illustrated in graphic novel style, with the story told through a series of images and dialogue with short bursts of text. Although the events are horrific, there is always a sense of hope and the reader feels the courage of the Jewish families. It is even more poignant as at the end of the book we meet Peter and his family as they are now." * Books for Topics *"Because it is told from a young person’s perspective, there is an ignorance to what is actually happening around him – but from the action the reader will understand that Peter survived round-ups of Jewish people by moving hiding places several times, the only constant being a colouring book; he frequently faces hunger and cold. Despite the removal of the more harrowing elements of the Holocaust, the reader will understand that this was a horrific time, challenging and frightening for even the luckiest child." * Minerva Reads *"Moving, accessible and offering a less well-known perspective on WW11 and the Holocaust, with its skilful balance of illustration and text, this is definitely a book to include in a primary school KS2 collection." * Red Reading Hub *"Moving and vividly told." -- Fiona Noble * The Bookseller *"As Budapest crumbles around him, and Nazis search, seize, and deport friends and family, Peter and a cousin are moved to several hideouts in this biographical graphic novel. Juxtaposing the mundane aspects of life in hiding with the horror of why they have to hide gives this book its impact." * School Library Journal *"The warmth of humanity shines through the story. There are many great books retelling the experience of WW2 and this is special because of its graphic format which will capture some who might find continual text off-putting." * School Librarian *"This book, which establishes 'the right to life and to live in freedom and safety' could not be more pertinent for the current political climate, not only here in the UK, but also further afield." * IBBY Link *"Even young children will get a sense of what it means to become the custodian of a memory." * Jewish Chronicle *"An engrossing true story...superbly told in graphic format. Words and pictures are skillfully combined and from the start of this first person narrative, young readers will identify with Peter." * Books for Keeps 5 star review *"Helen's graphic illustrations are just right for this kind of book, and should go down well with quite young readers. Let's hope, too, that they can see the similiarities with what's happening today in far too many places. If it was wrong then, it's wrong now." * Bookwitch *"A true story about a young Jewish boy...told with amazing depth in a simpler and effective way. Our teen reviewer was very moved." * Angels and Urchins *"Learn, in an accessible way, more about the second world war...a moving and true story that will make readers think and help them to understand more about the experience of the war for children of their own age." * Armadillo *"Without a doubt, this is the sort of book that is needed now more than ever, to educate children about the terrible atrocities of war, and how ordinary children like themselves became caught up in the conflict, taken far away from their homes and everything they knew and loved. At times it's quite a tough read, certainly a title for older children but it imparts its story with sensitivity and thought. This is the sort of book we'd truly love to see championed in schools and libraries." * Read It, Daddy *"This moving, true story of the Second World War tells Peter's story in his own words, accompanied by excellent illustrations which really convey the sombre feel of the story. Moving and very effective." * Parents in Touch *"This début graphic novel delicately balances the horror of those war years with a child’s eye view of events, allowing young (and older) readers to gently explore some of the aspects of the Holocaust without it becoming overwhelming. There’s a great deal of humour, and a real sense that children will always be children, however bad things get, finding ways to make new friends and creating new games to play even in the darkest hours, thereby giving us hope for better things to come….Peter’s story is moving but also funny, horribly sad and sometimes frightening, before a page turn makes you smile. It is peppered with moments of laughter and is pitched just right for, say, upper Primary school aged kids." * Playing by the Book *"This is definitely a worthy entry to the non-fiction shelves for the very young… It's a non-scary but still evocative primer for the fact that you didn't have to live in Germany to suffer at the hands of Nazis." * The Book Bag *"This moving graphic novel is published in September 2016 and well worth pre-ordering. Peter is just an ordinary boy, who loves playing football with his friends and eating cake - until war comes to his city and the whole family have to go into hiding.." -- Sita Brahmachari * The Guardian *

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Book SynopsisWhen the German army launched Operation Barbarossa - the invasion of the Soviet Union - on June 22, 1941, it was expecting to face and easily defeat outdated and obsolete tanks and for the most part it did, but it also received a nasty shock when it came up against the T-34. With its powerful gun and sloped armour, the T-34 was more than a match for the best German tanks at that time and the Germans regarded it with awe. German Field Marshal von Kleist, who commanded the latter stages of Barbarossa, called it the finest tank in the world'. Using original wartime documents author and historian Peter Samsonov, creator of the Tank Archives blog, explains how the Soviets came to develop what was arguably the war's most revolutionary tank design.

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Book SynopsisBy his own, modest, admission Norbert Hannig was a Frontflieger, or operational pilot, who really did nothing special during World War Two. He was just, he says, one of the many rank and file pilots fighting for his country and not for the Führer. But his wartime career makes for fascinating and highly informative reading on an aspect of the 1939–45 war not often covered in the English language; primarily that of the campaign against the Soviet Union. Norbert started flying during high school on gliders and joined the German air force as volunteer and officer cadet, one of the midwar-generation of Luftwaffe fighter pilots. He began operations with JG54 on the eastern (Leningrad) front in March 1943; initially he flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s before transitioning to the Focke-Wulf FW 190. After a year’s fighting, he was ordered back to Germany as a flight instructor to oppose the bomber streams of the AAF and RAF. Returning to Russia at the end of 1944, he became a Staffel CO and claimed many aircraft shot down. In April 1945 he converted to the first jet fighter, the Me 262, in south Germany, and flew his last missions with this aircraft. Also serving with JV44 (whose CO was Adolf Galland), Norbert Hannig finished the war with 42 victories from more than 200 missions. Many and varied were his experiences in action against the rejuvenated Soviet air force in the east, and the powerful western Allies over the homeland during the final chaotic months of hostilities, which culminated in his captivity. John Weal’s skilful translation ensures that the fluid descriptive style of the author is preserved. Thankfully, also, Norbert was a keen photographer who shot a profusion of images, many of which appear in this important book.Trade Review“This well-illustrated book gives the reader an excellent insight into the conditions faced by Hannig and his fellow pilots on the Eastern Front. It deserves the attention and acclaim of Aeroplane readers.” Aeroplane’s Book of the Month [May 2005] “This is an important book, not only for the abundant tales of combat flying, but for the careful recounting of what life was really like in the Luftwaffe.” Aviation History “An excellent account from the enemy’s point of view.” WINGSPAN

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Book SynopsisThe Me 262 was the world’s first operational military jet. Hitler believed that it would become Germany’s ‘miracle weapon’ and took a great personal interest in its development. Pilot Mano Ziegler was involved from its inception and contributed to its design and testing. Could the Me 262 have broken Allied supremacy in the air? Why did it take so long to come into service and why were hundreds of German pilots sacrificed in developing it? Most important of all, why did the Me 262 prove not to be the unparalleled success that Goering claimed it would be and what role did Hitler play in this ultimate failure? These are some of the questions this compelling book answers.

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Book Synopsis THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Two sisters, one war and an extraordinary family secret1939. In the nation's hour of need, brave sisters Patricia and Jean Owtram answered the call of duty.With their fierce intelligence and steely determination, these remarkable young women would stop at nothing to help crack the Enigma code, support Allied troops, and defeat the Nazis.Their top-secret mission would finally see the tide of war turn in Britain's favour...This is their incredible true story.

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Book SynopsisThe extraordinary true story of the unlikely friendship between three women — Mussolini’s daughter, a German spy, and an American socialite — who conspired to assist the Allies. In 1943, Edda Mussolini, daughter of the fascist dictator, gave her father and Hitler an extraordinary ultimatum: release her husband, Italy’s former foreign minister, Galeazzo Ciano, from prison, or risk her leaking her husband’s incendiary diaries to the press. Instead, Hitler and Mussolini vowed to do everything in their power to destroy the diaries — even if it meant killing Edda. They ordered Hilde Beetz, a German spy, to seduce Ciano in prison in order to learn the diaries’ location. But Beetz fell in love with Ciano, and joined forces with Edda to try to save him from execution. When this failed, Edda fled with Hilde’s assistance. Upon learning of Edda’s escape, US intelligence sent in socialite Frances de Chollet to find Edda and get her to hand over the diaries to the Americans. Against all expectations, what developed was a rich and humanising friendship. With all the twists and turns of a spy thriller, this is the story of three women whose lives were drawn together in one of the most unlikely rescues of the Second World War.Trade Review‘Intelligent and compelling, Mazzeo’s probing book delves intriguingly into the “moral thicket” into which a group of strangers found themselves plunged during the long, dark days of World War II. A tantalisingly novelistic history lesson.’ * Kirkus Reviews *‘University of Montreal literature professor Mazzeo unravels a tangled knot of Fascist intrigue and family infighting in this riveting WWII history … Mazzeo efficiently relates these complex events and renders empathetic portraits of the story’s main players. WWII buffs will be enthralled.’ * Publishers Weekly *Praise for Irena’s Children: the extraordinary story of the woman who saved 2,500 children from the Warsaw ghetto: ‘[An] incredible account.’ * New York Times Book Review *Praise for Eliza Hamilton: the extraordinary life and times of the wife of Alexander Hamilton: ‘Drawing from an impressive breadth of sources … this is an expertly told story that’s certain to captivate Hamilton fans and intrigue anyone interested in early US history.’ * Publishers Weekly *Praise for The Secret of Chanel No. 5: the intimate history of the world's most famous perfume: ‘Mazzeo has written an account of the rarest of things — an international olfactory icon — that fairly rushes off the pages. Here is the life of one of the 20th century’s most interesting and deeply complicated women, a fascinating cultural history, and the story of an extraordinary perfume.’ -- Chandler Burr, New York Times scent critic and author of The Perfect Scent‘Reads like a John le Carré novel, too incredible to be true — and yet it is … This little-known but very important WWII story has the pacing of a thriller novel with the research acumen expected from this excellent writer.’ * Booklist *‘Told primarily through the eyes of fictional sisters Yvette and Gabby, the story can be seen as an homage to the women whose brave actions were integral to the underground French resistance … The book has it all: high fashion, spies, romance, loss, healing, mystery, sisterhood, friendship, and strong female protagonists … it is a fast-paced, well-told story that transports the reader to a memorable time in world history.’ * Historical Novel Society *‘A little-known history finally comes to light in Sisters in Resistance.’ * Town and Country *‘A nail-biting account of state crimes and secrets, real world action pitting spy versus spy and diplomat versus diplomat.’ * Library Journal *‘Compelling … a tangled web of deceit, corruption, betrayal, courage, and family intrigue. It reads like a spy thriller, moving at a fast pace, and even though the reader knows the successful outcome, the suspense never lets up.’ * Wall Street Journal *‘Fascinating … It’s a story too good not to tell … Mazzeo handles her formidable quantity of material with copious notes and sources. If ever there was a case for proving how history can be stranger than fiction, this story is it.’ -- Amanda Hopkinson * Jewish Chronicle *‘Sisters in Resistance is a unique real-life story with many twists and turns along the way … what shines through is the courage of the central characters in these extraordinary events in history.’ -- Karen McMillan * NZ Booklovers *

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Book SynopsisA new appraisal of the role of tanks in India and Burma in the Second World War. Often regarded primarily as an infantryman's war in dense jungle and through monsoon conditions, this book shows that this is far from the whole story.

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Book SynopsisThis book promotes a historically and culturally sensitive understanding of trauma during and after World War II. Focusing especially on Eastern and Central Europe, its contributors take a fresh look at the experiences of violence and loss in 1939–45 and their long-term effects in different cultures and societies. The chapters analyze traumatic experiences among soldiers and civilians alike and expand the study of traumatic violence beyond psychiatric discourses and treatments. While acknowledging the problems of applying a present-day medical concept to the past, this book makes a case for a cultural, social and historical study of trauma. Moving the focus of historical trauma studies from World War I to World War II and from Western Europe to the east, it breaks new ground and helps to explain the troublesome politics of memory and trauma in post-1945 Europe all the way to the present day. This book is an outcome of a workshop project ‘Historical Trauma Studies,’ funded by the Joint Committee for the Nordic Research Councils in the Humanities and Social Sciences (NOS-HS) in 2018–20.Chapters 4, 5 and 6 are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.Table of ContentsPart I Comparative Approaches1 The Limits of Trauma: Experience and Narrative in Europe c. 1945 2 Beyond the Western Front Part II Case Studies 3 Testing the Silence: Trauma and Military Psychiatry in Soviet Russia and Ukraine During and After World War II 4 Experiencing Trauma Before Trauma: Posttraumatic Memories, Nightmares and Flashbacks Among Finnish Soldiers 5 Entangled Bystanders: Multidimensional Trauma of Ethnic Cleansing and Mass Violence in Eastern Galicia 6 Traumatized Children in Hungary After World War II 7 “We will cry a little, but then we will forget”: Narratives of Loss and Victory in Postwar Yugoslavia 8 Guilt, Responsibility and Trauma: Restoring the Moral Self-Image in Postwar Slovakia 9 “Perpetrator Trauma” in Memoirs of Veterans of the Polish Home Army 10 Environmental Trauma in the Narratives of Postwar Reconstruction: The Loss of Place and Identity in Northern Finland After World War II 11 Suicide Rates as a “Social Thermometer”: Reading the Traumatized History of Lithuania Part III Coda 12 Towards a History of Trauma in Central and Eastern Europe After World War II: A Coda

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe first book to present the so-called Hitler Library. It sheds new light on the readings of Hitler and on his techniques how to read a book. Hitler presented himself as an ideal reader of Schopenhauer, nevertheless his remarks destroy that image, particularly if we see how he read Ernst Jünger, Richard Wagner, or Paul de Lagarde, and how he reread Mein Kampf.The book describes the gnostic character of the phenomenon as an explication of the success of nazism and that of the Hitler myth and challenges the static views of traditional historiography.Table of ContentsForeword Hitler and I, You and He “The Führer is Reading” Chapter 1 Hitler’s Erudition and Reading Habits Chapter 2 Books That Hitler Read: Penciled Notes Attest Reflections on Ernst Jünger’s “Magic Realism” Arndt’s “Catechism” Lagarde’s Rages Chamberlain and Wagner Readings on Economic Politics and Military Science Chapter 3 Books That Hitler Read Into On Nazi Belles-Lettres Bishop Hudal’s Attempt at Conciliation Knickerbocker’s Diplomacy and War Chapter 4 Books That Hitler Did Not Read (In Depth) French Authors, Franco-German Relations An Eastern and Central European Intermezzo Nazi Lyric War Nostalgia and the Conservative Revolution Nazi Mythology I: Sexuality, Bluestockings and Go-Getters Nazi Mythology II: Race Breeding, Occultism and Gnosticism Chapter 5 Hitler’s Works Hitler’s First Book Mein Kampf: My Struggle, Sein Kampf: His Struggle: Hitlerian Gnosis Chapter 6 On the Führer’s Taste: Artistic Albums and Catalogues Epilogue Farewell to the World of Hitler and His Library Selected Bibliography Name Index

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Book SynopsisA HISTORICAL SEARCH AND FIND BOOK FEATURING SOME OF THE MOST FAMOUS BATTLES AND EVENTS OF WORLD WAR TWO.Where's Churchill is a collection of search and find scenes themed around World War II's most famous battles and events. It includes D-Day, Stalingrad, The Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbour and many other significant events, all packed with details to pore over as you hunt for Churchill and a cast of other historical figures. With bitesize chunks of information about each famous battle, you might learn a thing or two as well.This is the perfect gift for history enthusiasts.

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Book SynopsisAfter WWII, Ilse Koch became known worldwide as the “Bitch of Buchenwald.” She was assuredly guilty of atrocities, but the most sensational crimes ascribed to her by prosecutors and newspapers went unproven. Tomaz Jardim reveals how Koch’s perceived betrayal of womanhood sealed her fate as a scapegoat for a society seeking absolution.Trade ReviewScrupulous and unsettling, this is a vital reconsideration of a notorious figure from history. * Publishers Weekly *[Jardim] argues that Koch, convicted for her moral and ideological culpability in assaulting prisoners…received a gendered treatment by the American and German presses…This focus on the salacious, sensational, and extraordinary hindered an honest examination of the routinized and bureaucratized slaughter by a regime based on the popular support and participation of many ordinary people. * Choice *The definitive portrait of Ilse Koch, whose caricature as a sadistic nymphomaniac has for too long dominated representations of Nazi female perpetrators. In Jardim’s judicious hands, Koch’s story reveals much about the Nazi system, postwar justice, and the sexism that permeated both, while firmly establishing Koch’s guilt and paranoid antisemitism. -- Wendy Lower, author of Hitler’s Furies: German Women in the Nazi Killing FieldsAn indispensable, superbly researched contribution to the literature on postwar trials of Nazi crimes. Caught between her own obvious prevarications and lack of remorse, the US public’s thirst for sensationalism, and Germany’s need for a spectacular symbol of gender-violating deviance to serve as a convenient scapegoat, Ilse Koch was the rare case of a Nazi perpetrator who was over-prosecuted and over-punished. -- Christopher R. Browning, author of Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in PolandFascinating and highly original. Deploying a number of previously neglected sources, Jardim not only explores Koch’s life and trials, but also raises intriguing questions about how guilt can ever be established when all but the most circumstantial evidence is absent. A high-caliber contribution. -- Elizabeth Borgwardt, author of A New Deal for the World: America’s Vision for Human RightsA gripping account of a Nazi placed on trial after the war, both in court and in the press, for her gruesome acts at Buchenwald concentration camp. Looking closely at Koch’s life and motivations, Jardim offers a brilliant study of postwar Germany and America trying to come to grips with the barbarity of the Nazis, human wickedness, and the role of women perpetrators. -- Susannah Heschel, author of The Aryan Jesus: Christian Theologians and the Bible in Nazi GermanyIn a stroke of genius, Jardim shows how the figure of Ilse Koch—popularly depicted as a bad wife, a worse mother, and a sexually threatening woman—helped frame the Holocaust as being, fundamentally, about psychological perversion and deviation from the gendered norms of civilization. In so doing, he makes the role of gender in postwar Nazi trials not only legible, but inescapable. -- Devin O. Pendas, author of Democracy, Nazi Trials, and Transitional Justice in Germany, 1945–1950A fascinating, revelatory book. Jardim’s deft account of the trials of one of the most infamous Nazi defendants serves as a prism through which he examines such big themes as the postwar reckoning with the camps, the popular (mis)understanding of Nazi crimes, and the politics of memory. -- Nikolaus Wachsmann, author of KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps

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Book SynopsisThe Battle of Britain was the decisive air campaign fought over Southern England in the summer and autumn of 1940. From 10th July until 31st October 1940 Fighter Command aircrews from over 16 nations fought and died repelling the Luftwaffe. Discover tales of courage, bravery and a host of fascinating, and little-known facts about the combatants, leaders and strategies of both sides. Find out about propaganda employed by both sides to try and influence the battle, the Dowding system relaying information to the pilots in their fighter's and the classic 1969 film starring Sir Laurence Oliver. This absorbing book is published to coincide with the commemorations surrounding the 80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain 2020. "The Amazing and Extraordinary Facts series" presents interesting, surprising and little-known facts and stories about a wide range of topics which are guaranteed to inform, absorb and entertain in equal measure.Table of Contents Introduction 7 Part One: Preparations for Battle 10 Who Named the 'Battle of Britain'? 10 Operation Sea Lion 12 Germany's Secret Air Force 15 The Four Groups of 'The Few' 19 The Major Players: Sir Hugh Dowding 23 Radio Detection Finding (RDF) 25 The Major Players: Air Vice Marshell Sir Keith Park 27 The Major Players:Reichsmarschall Hermann Wilhelm Göring 29 The Starts of the Skies: The Supermarine Spitfire 33 The Unsung Story of Hazel Hill 36 The Shadow Factory Plan 38 Buried Treasure? 41 Part Two: The Early Skirmishes 44 The Kanalkampf 44 The Stars of the Skies: The Messerschmitt Bf 109 48 The Stars of the Skies: The Hawker Hurricane 52 Protecting Convoy Peewit 56 Operation Eagle Attack 58 Aldertag: 13 August 1940 61 Part Three: The Battle Intensifies 66 'Black Thursday': 15 August 1940 64 The Stars of the Skies: The Junkers Ju 88 66 The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) 69 The 'Atta Girls' 71 'Miss Shilling's Orifice' 74 'The Hardest Day': Sunday 18 August 1940 78 Top Guns and Flying Aces: Peterson Clarence Hughes 81 Top Guns and Flying Aces: Heinrich Bär 86 Top Guns and Glying Aces: Werner Mölders 88 The 303 Squadron 91 Top Guns and Flying Aces: Adolf Galland 94 The Big Wing Controversy 99 The Nerve Centre of the No.11 Group 102 Cotton's Club 104 Part Four: Rage in the Skies 106 Göring Hits the Sector Stations 106 Revenge Attacks 107 The Blitz Begins: 7 September 110 The Battle of Britain Movie (1969) 114 Top Guns and Flying Aces: Adolf 'Sailor' Malan 116 Top Guns and Flying Aces: Douglas Bader 121 Battle of Britain Day: 15 September 1940 126 Conclusion 129 The Legacy of the Battle of Britain 131 Index 134 Acknowledgments 144

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Book SynopsisIn this haunting tale from the bestselling author of The Storyteller of Casablanca, Beatrice kept a wartime secret to protect the innocent. Now, could telling it set her free? Tuscany, 1943. Stranded in war-ravaged Italy, Beatrice’s dream of an escapist year teaching English is shattered. Granted shelter at the Villa delle Colombe, she seeks refuge in Francesca and Edoardo’s beautiful walled garden, hidden from the outside world, with an elaborate cypress maze at its heart. But Beatrice is not the only one seeking an escape here. Francesca has brought children to the safety of the house, as well as other adults, all of them seeking sanctuary on the estate with its mysterious maze. As the war closes in, the residents are forced to witness—and do—unthinkable things… 2015. Tess arrives at the villa raw from the agonising loss of her husband. Beatrice, now custodian, guides her to the solace of its gardens, where Tess begins to heal. But all hope of peace is shattered by the arrival of Marco, the estate’s absent owner, who wants nothing more than to hand it over to developers. Distraught, Beatrice realises she must finally reveal the villa’s painful past if she wants to save it. As the extraordinary story unfolds, Tess realises that Villa delle Colombe is not just a refuge, but a beacon of hope in the darkest of times. Can she convince Marco to give it a new lease of life—and find a way back to happiness herself?Trade Review“A poignant, luminous tale.” —Woman's Own “Valpy’s writing is beautiful, and she makes this villa, with its spectacular garden and, especially, the cypress maze at the heart of it, come to life.” —Historical Novels Review

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Book SynopsisA fascinating study of one of the often overlooked World War II campaigns as British/Commonwealth, Indigenous and Italian forces battled for control of the Horn of Africa. In mid-1940, Italy's East African colonies posed a significant threat to the British Empire, and in particular to the flow of supplies through the Red Sea to Egypt. British High Command feared moves from Italian East Africa and so sent reinforcements to its positions in Kenya and Sudan. Thus began a series of clashes across East Africa, with the British attempting to keep the Italians isolated and unable to threaten British supply lines. In March 1941, British theatre commander General Archibald Wavell opted for a lightning campaign to eliminate the Italian threat for good. Italian military historian Pier Paolo Battistelli provides a fresh account of this campaign, from the initial Italian attacks to the Allied counter-offensive into Eritrea, Ethiopia and Italian Somaliland. Among the action

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