Second World War Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Operation Market-garden Then and Now: v. 2
Book SynopsisVolume 2 of this two-volume history of Operation "Market-Garden" continues the story as XXX Corps links up with the 82nd Airborne at Nijmegen which leads to the dramatic and spectacular capture of the vital bridges there over the Waal river. But at Arnhem the tide of battle has already turned. The main force of lst Airborne is thrown back to the Oosterbeek perimeter, leaving John Frost's isolated force at the road bridge to fight it out till the end. As the Polish Brigade is dropped south of the Rhine, and the ground army desperately tries to relieve the beleaguered British paras, down in the south the Germans launch repeated attacks on the narrow corridor in an attempt to cut the Allied supply artery. As savage battles rage for possession of "Hell's Highway", the airborne battle is lost and on September 26 the survivors of lst Airborne are evacuated back across the Rhine.Table of ContentsPart IV In search of time lost: The Second Link-Up - XXX Corps reaches Nijmegen; First German Attacks on the Corridor; 1st Airborne Division, September 19 (D+2); Arnhem Bridge, September 17-21; The Allies capture the Nijmegen Bridges. Part V The battle is lost: The 43rd (Wessex) Division moves up; Hell's Highway; VIII and XII Corps cover the Flanks; The Guards are stopped short of Elst; The Polish Parachute Brigade lands at Driel; The Third Link-Up - XXX Corps reaches Driel; The Long-delayed Last Lift. Part VI The Oosterbeek perimeter: The Perimeter Battle, September 20-25; The Evacuation. Part VII Aftermath: A German Appraisal of Operation "Market-Garden".
£38.21
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Battles for Monte Cassino Then and Now
Book SynopsisThe Battles for Cassino encompassed one of the few truly international conflicts of the Second World War. A strategic town on the road to Rome, the fighting lasted four months and cost the lives of more than 14,000 men from eight nations. Between January and May 1944, forces from Britain, Canada, France, India, New Zealand, Poland and the United States, fought a resolute German army in a series of battles in which the advantage swung back and forth, from one side to the other. From fire-fights in the mountains to tank attacks in the valley; from river crossings to street fighting, the four battles of Cassino encompass a series of individual operations unique in the history of the Second World War. Authors Jeff Plowman and Perry Rowe have spent several years studying the conflict together and walking the battlefield to take the hundreds of comparison photographs which are the raison d'etre of all After the Battle publications. Photographs have been selected from archives and private collections around the world to present a balanced view, combined with maps, orders of battle, citations and detailed captions. The Cassino battles, epitomised by the controversial bombing of the monastery which towers menacingly over the battlefield, stand at the centre of the Italian campaign. The dogged defence by a 100,000 men of the German XIV. Panzerkorps under General Frido von Senger und Etterlin, facing a greater multi-national force, was only routed in the end by a gallant French flanking manoeuvre, with the Poles marking the final victory by hoisting their national flag over the ruins of the Monastery.
£42.50
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Home Front in Britain Then and Now
Book SynopsisFor nigh-on half a century, After the Battle has been exploring and photographing the battlefields of the Second World War, but now it is time to look at events nearer to home. Following the fall of France in June 1940, Britain stood alone against Germany until the first American soldiers began arriving in Britain in January 1942. At that time the only active `Battle Front’ was in North Africa, yet the Home Front played a vital role in preparing a secure base for the eventual liberation of Europe. The Home Front has been described in many ways but this volume offers a snapshot of life in Britain during 1939 to 1945, illustrated with many `then and now’ comparison photos.Table of ContentsPreamble to War Britain Prepares for War Operation `Pied Piper’ Air Raid Precautions Shelter Protection Rationing The Black-out Gas Masks Invasion Leaflets The Parachute Mine Churchill’s Heroines The Women’s Land Army The Big Guns Detention and Internment The Battle Begins The Blitz Entertainment Guide for US Servicemen The Victory Parade The Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour
£26.96
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Best of After the Battle: Then and Now
Book SynopsisIt was nearly half a century ago that After the Battle first began visiting the battlefields of the Second World War, matching up photographs of the period with their present-day comparisons. Our 'then and now' theme caught on with like-minded readers around the world, all interested to know what the places looked like today - as we say 'keeping history alive'. Searching for the locations where the wartime captions were imprecise, took much time, and there were occasions when a whole day might be spent in pin-pointing where a particular photograph had been taken. No stone was left unturned if a particular comparison was important to illustrate the story, even if it meant a special visit to take one photo. Most of the battlefields have changed over the years so it has been our intention where possible to illustrate many of the places with new colour comparisons rather than use those in the original story, many of which were taken in the old black and white days. Since we launched our first edition in August 1973, After the Battle has travelled around the globe and has covered hundreds of battles - over 750 at the last count and taken thousands of photographs, covering major operations down to individual exploits. Selecting a cross-section of just a few from the stories that we have covered has not been easy, but we hope that you will find some of your favourites within the pages of this volume, covering the best of After the Battle. 750 illustrations
£33.75
Battle of Britain Prints International Ltd The V-Weapons Then and Now
Book SynopsisDay-by-day listings are included covering the locations in Britain where every V1 was either destroyed or where they impacted, plus those for all the V2s. Illustrated with many censored photographs from the period, 'then and now' comparisons bring history alive to illustrate the passage of time over the intervening years. 750 illustrations
£999.99
Froglets Publications Ltd Surrey at War
Book Synopsis
£13.99
Froglets Publications Ltd Kent at War: The Unconquered County, 1939-45
Book Synopsis
£14.99
Independent Books My War in the SOE: Behind Enemy Lines in France and Burmah with the Special Operations Executive
£999.99
Golden Duck (UK) Ltd Maid Matelot: The Adventures of a Wren Stoker in
Book Synopsis
£11.39
Imperial War Museum The Dambusters Flip Book
Book Synopsis
£6.06
Clairview Books Allies in Auschwitz: The Untold Story of British
Book SynopsisThe huge Auschwitz camp in Poland, the Third Reich's most gruesome death camp, contained not only the infamous concentration camp - whose horrors are well-documented - but also a prisoner-of-war facility that housed British inmates. Situated close enough to the Jewish quarters to smell the stench of burning bodies from the crematoria, the POWs were forced to work alongside concentration camp inmates in a Nazi factory. Witnesses to daily violence, the men survived beatings, hard labour and the extreme cold of Polish winters, whilst subsisting on meagre rations. Their final ordeal was to march hundreds of miles, in the depths of winter, to secure freedom in the spring of 1945. Based on interviews with some of the few surviving members of E715 Auschwitz, this book charts the British captives' true story: from arriving on cattle trucks through to their eventual departure on foot. Haunted by what they had witnessed as young men, Brian Bishop, Doug Bond and Arthur Gifford-England were only able to speak about their experiences decades later, when approached during research for this book. Few people were interested in these remarkable men in post-war Britain, and they coped with the trauma of their experiences with little support. Allies in Auschwitz records an important and forgotten episode of modern history. As corroboration of the men's testimony, the final chapter includes post-war accounts from other British POWs held in E715 Auschwitz, based on documents compiled by war crimes' investigators for the Nuremburg Trials.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Background 2. Cattle trucks to Auschwitz 3. Recollections 4. The long walk to freedom and recovery 5. The official record Notes
£9.49
Helion & Company The Oder Front 1945: Generaloberst Gotthard
Book Synopsis
£50.96
Grub Street Publishing Spitfire Pilot
Book SynopsisSpitfire Pilot was written in 1940 in the heat of battle when the RAF stood alone against the might of Hitlers Third Reich. It is a tremendous personal account of one of the fiercest and most idealised air conflicts the Battle of Britain seen through the eyes of a pilot of the famous 609 Squadron, which shot down over 100 planes in that epic contest. Often hopelessly outnumbered, in their state of the art Spitfires, Crook and his colleagues committed acts of unimaginable bravery against the Messerschmidts and Junkers. Many did not make it and the author describes the absence they leave in the squadron with great poignancy. Spitfire Pilot is justly regarded as one of the classics of WWII and this new paperback edition, 66 years on, includes an introduction by the historian Richard Overy.
£9.49
Panzerwrecks Limited Panzerwrecks 20: Ostfront 3
Book Synopsis
£16.19
Panzerwrecks Limited Panzerwrecks 24
Book Synopsis
£21.24
Grub Street Publishing Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: v. 1: North
Book SynopsisIt is now more than 40 years since "Fighters over the Desert" was published, and nearly as long since this was followed by "Fighters over Tunisia". Both volumes have long been out of print and collectors' items, but, despite much prompting, Christopher Shores has resolutely refused to permit their reprinting until he amassed so much more information. He has also long nursed a desire to expand the coverage to encompass the operations of the other types of aircraft involved in this interesting and important theatre of war - the bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and maritime units. Further, it is his intention to extend the period covered to include the later operations over Sicily, Italy, the Aegean area, the Balkans and Southern Europe. This then represents the first volume of a seminal series dealing with all these aspects and areas, which will also tie in with the earlier 'Grub Street' volumes which he and his collaborators have produced. Thus a full coverage of all aspects of aerial operations throughout the whole of the Mediterranean area will be the ultimate result. Further, these volumes will link appropriately and directly with his other works of this nature, dealing both with the Far East and the war in Europe. Readers will then be able to follow the wartime careers of units and personnel involved from volume to volume throughout the war. Operations directly over the main battlefronts will be dealt with as previously, on a daily basis. However, to allow a clearer view to be obtained of operations elsewhere in the theatre, or of a different nature, separate chapters will deal specifically with the night bombers, the air defence of the base areas, and the naval co-operation activities. Wide use of maps will be made throughout this and subsequent volumes together with a considerable number of photographs integrated into the text. Long awaited by many, if any work can be said to be comprehensive and definitive, this is it.
£42.50
University of Chester Press War Torn: Manchester, its Newspapers and the
Book Synopsis
£14.99
Chiselbury Publishing Singpore: The Battle That Changed The World
Book SynopsisWhen Singapore fell to the Japanese on 15 February 1942, it was a devastating blow to the Allies, the British Empire and signalled a significant turning point in history. It was the greatest defeat for Britain since Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown in the American War of Independence. Its impact was arguably even greater.
£10.44
Chiselbury Green Beach
Book SynopsisIn 1942 radar expert Jack Nissenthall volunteered for a suicidal mission to join a combat team who were making a surprise landing at Dieppe in occupied France. .His choice was to succeed or die. The story of what happened to him and his bodyguards in nine hours under fire is one of World War II's most terrifying true stories of personal heroism.
£9.02
Legend Press Ltd Misdefending the Realm: How MI5's incompetence
Book Synopsis
£17.00
Helion & Company Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces
Book Synopsis
£35.00
Helion & Company Barbarossa Derailed: Volume 3: The Battle for
Book Synopsis
£44.96
Helion & Company Hitler’S Last Levy in East Prussia: Volkssturm
Book Synopsis
£15.26
Helion & Company Rikugun: Guide to Japanese Ground Forces
Book Synopsis
£35.00
Helion & Company Shadow Factories: Britain’S Production Facilities
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Nine Elms Books My Sea Lady: An Epic Memoir of the Arctic Convoys
Book SynopsisDuring WWII sea convoys were the lifeblood of the Allied war effort. They were integral to the ultimate defeat of Germany on both fronts. My Sea Lady stands out as one of the most remarkable testaments of those dark days of the war at sea and the Atlantic and the Arctic convoys. HMS Lady Madeleine found herself part of both battles, under the command of 38-year-old Lieutenant Graeme Ogden. His diaries, rediscovered decades later, describe the harrowing experiences of those years, spent on ocean voyages fraught with storms, ice bergs and sub-zero temperatures, let alone the constant threat of a determined and elusive enemy. This evocatively illustrated edition of My Sea Lady confronts the horrors of war as seen through Ogden’s keen eye and is full of bittersweet humour and charming anecdotes. It wasn’t until 2012 that those who served so courageously aboard the forgotten convoys in the far North during WWII were recognised with the belated, though welcome, introduction of the Arctic Star campaign medal.Table of ContentsIntroduction vii; Foreword ix; Preface xi; Book one; The Narrative 1; Book two; Danger in the Sun 91; Book three; Clouds and Darkness 143; Epilogue 185; Appendix 186;
£10.44
Helion & Company Hitler'S Fremde Heere Ost: German Military
Book Synopsis
£44.96
Carnegie Publishing Ltd Lancaster at War: life in the city in World War
Book SynopsisFrom pre-war murmurings to postwar memorials, John Fidler’s engaging account of Lancaster in World War II draws on first-hand recollections, newspaper articles and museum resources to tell the tale of how the city fared with dignity and resilience in this most difficult of times. • A wonderful insight into the character of the people of Lancaster • Perfect reading, whether for those old enough to remember, or for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the city • A great stocking filler or extra birthday gift!Table of ContentsChapter 1: LANCASTER IN 1937 Chapter 2: THE COMING OF WAR Chapter 3: MILITARY SERVICE Chapter 4: EVACUEES Chapter 5: THE HOME GUARD AND THE ROYAL OBSERVER CORPS Chapter 6: AIR RAID PRECAUTIONS Chapter 7: THE `PHONEY WAR’ ENDS Chapter 8: CASUALTIES Chapter 9: MEDALS AND DECORATIONS Chapter 10: LANCASTER SCHOOLS Chapter 11: HMS LANCASTER Chapter 12: A CRITICAL YEAR Chapter 13: THE TURN OF THE TIDE Chapter 14: MILITARY SUCCESSES Chapter 15: VICTORY IN SIGHT Chapter 16: 1945 Chapter 17: PEACE AT LAST Chapter 18: RECOLLECTIONS Chapter 19: POST-WAR AUSTERITY Chapter 20: MEMORIALS
£7.59
Carnegie Publishing Ltd You Must Endure: The Lancashire Loyals in
Book SynopsisThe time was 7.40 p.m., the date 15 February 1942. The light was fading fast, the Allied forces were encircled, and the bombardment was relentless, as Singapore fell to the Japanese. Discarding their weapons, the Lancashire Loyals quietly withdrew to their quarters, where they ‘composed themselves as best they could for the silent ordeal of the night, numbed and galled by the bitterness of enforced surrender’. So began three and half years of incarceration at Keijo POW camp in Korea. This is the previously untold story of the brave Lancastrians who endured, told by Chris Given-Wilson, whose father was one of those captured. It is a story of brutality, starvation and disease, but also one of survival, determination and creativity. Among the many ways the prisoners sought to keep their spirits up were the staging of surprisingly sophisticated shows, complete with Gloria d’Earie, the resident female impersonator; the growing of fresh vegetables to improve their health; and the regular publication of Nor Iron Bars (co-edited by the author’s father), with its satirical portrayals of camp life. Copies of this banned journal were successfully concealed from the guards to be smuggled home, and can be seen at the Lancashire Infantry Museum. Chris Given-Wilson writes with warmth and humour, to reveal both the best and the worst of human nature. This book should be read by everyone, but perhaps especially all proud Lancastrians.Table of ContentsPreface vii Principal sources xi Abbreviations and illustrations xii Chapter 1: Lion City 1 Prisoner stories: ‘James’ 15 Chapter 2: Fukai Maru 17 Prisoner stories: Gunner Starkey 31 Chapter 3: Endurance 35 Prisoner stories: Bombardier Butler 55 Chapter 4: Insincerity 59 Prisoner stories: Dr Mizuguchi 71 Chapter 5: Rank 75 Prisoner stories: Artists 91 Chapter 6: Mainichi 97 Prisoner stories: ‘Their Nibs’ 113 Chapter 7: ‘Not necessarily to Japan’s advantage’ 119 Prisoner stories: ‘My first uncensored letter for three and a half years!’ 126 Retrospect: ‘The hinge of fate’ 129 Bibliography 138 Endnotes 140
£9.49
Helion & Company Caen Controversy: The Battle for Sword Beach 1944
Book Synopsis
£18.95
Helion & Company Divided Loyalty: Britain'S Polish Ally During
Book Synopsis
£16.96
Arc Publications Poetry of the Holocaust: An Anthology
Book SynopsisThis powerful, unique collection contains poems written not only by members of Jewish communities in Europe (representing the largest group persecuted by the Nazis), but also poems by people who were targeted on other grounds. Some belonged to political or religious groups who openly opposed the Third Reich, or they were homosexual, or members of communities such as Sinti and Roma, or they were perceived by the Nazis as disabled. The work in this anthology originates from across Europe, and has been translated from many different languages. Most translations are specifically for the anthology, or have not appeared elsewhere. This wide-ranging volume gives a sense of the variety of Holocaust victims, and their poetic responses to the Holocaust; from the haunting to the primal. It covers the Holocaust in three distinct time periods; At the Beginning; Life in, Ghettos, Camps, Prisons and the Outside World; Life Afterwards.
£13.49
Helion & Company A Most Enigmatic War: R.V. Jones and the Genesis
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Pushkin Press Flatlands
Book Synopsis'Beautifully-written, and highly evocative of the remote Lincolnshire landscape, the Second World War and the two people whose loneliness brings them together for a life-changing time... Full of quiet drama and sorrow at loss, cruelty and mortality' Amanda Craig 'Compelling and beautifully intimate. A classic piece of storytelling' Toby Litt 'A haunting and lyrical novel' Maggie Brookes, author of The Prisoner's Wife In the depths of wartime, a friendship takes wing Freda is a twelve-year-old evacuee from the East End, sent to live with a farming family deep in the lonely landscape of the Fens. Philip is an artist and a conscientious objector, living in a remote lighthouse on the shores of the Wash. The two outcasts come together amid the wild beauty of the wetlands, beneath skies filled with migrating birds and crisscrossed by Nazi bombers. As the world is consumed by war, they form a friendship that will change the course of both their lives.Trade Review''Flatlands is a haunting and lyrical novel about loneliness and the compensations of the natural world, art and unlikely friendships. The characters of an unhappy evacuee from the East End and a conscientious objector will draw you in as they search for some kind of peace in the wide open landscapes of the fens and the story moves them to their own inevitable crises.'' - Maggie Brookes'Praise for Sue Hubbard's previous work:' - .'Beautifully written and wholly knowledgeable... A triumph of literary and artistic understanding, a tour de force: masterly, moving' - Fay Weldon'A writer of genuine talent' - Elaine Feinstein'Lyrical, highly visual and beautifully observed' - John Burnside
£15.29
Grub Street Publishing Lightning Boys: True Tales from Pilots of the
Book SynopsisIn an international study, the Lightning was voted the fifth most popular military aircraft of all time. It has many thousands of devotees who are a ready market for this entertaining book which relates the highs and lows, the dramas and the demands of those who operated this iconic aircraft from the sharp end. Tales include the recollections of an aerobatic display pilot, an implausible yet true account of telepathic communication, and an extraordinary episode when a Lightning pilot on an exchange programme with the French air force became embroiled in a mid-air collision. An unverified yet probably genuine world record is also revealed in one of the chapters. In addition to the 16-page photo section, the book features a unique sketch from renowned aviation artist Chris Stone – who is a former Lightning pilot. The style, scope and pace of the writing will appeal to the general reader as well as to the enthusiast.Trade Review`Richard Pike is to be congratulated on this fascinating compilation of true tales. Four out of five stars.' Aeroplane; `A superb selection of over twenty first-hand Lightning stories, this is bound to be eagerly snapped up by fans of English Electric's astounding fighter.' Flypast Magazine; `An enlightening canter around the crew room. I recommend it as a good read both to aviators in general and to the Lightning fraternity in particular.' Royal Air Force Historical Society; `This fascinating book delivers 22 stories which will no doubt convince the reader that this aircraft was indeed unique... Highly recommended.' Air Mail; `Lightning Boys is an anthology of breathless and often breathtaking tales.' Eastern Daily Press
£11.69
Grub Street Publishing Stuka Attack: The Dive-Bombing Assault on England
Book SynopsisThe Junkers 87 Stuka was an iconic weapon of World War Two and an aircraft name that was, and still is, instantly recognised worldwide. Its roles in Poland and the Battles of France and the Low Countries are almost legendary, but in the UK its import during the Battle of Britain is one that has never been covered in any specific detail. Here, Andy Saunders takes a critical look at every operation by Ju87s against British targets in 1940 including those on land and at sea. Each raid is charted, covering all aspects of the attacks including participants, defending RAF fighters and those on the receiving end. Myth and reality and truth and legend are all examined and analysed in this highly illustrated new book, which adds to our knowledge of one of the most significant periods in the whole of British history.
£11.69
Grub Street Publishing Dowding's Despatch: The Leader of the Few's 1941
Book SynopsisIn September 1946, the London Gazette published a despatch from Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh C T Dowding that was titled simply: The Battle of Britain. Written and submitted to the Air Ministry in 1941, this document became the very framework for the accepted Battle of Britain narrative which has been established across the following eighty years. Set out by the leader of the 'Few' himself, its authoritative tone could surely be considered a definitive outline of the battle, how it was fought and the eventual outcome. It even retrospectively set the dates for the commencement and conclusion of the campaign. In this work, Andy Saunders takes a critical look at Dowding's despatch and analyses the facts and details contained in that important document. He also puts 'flesh on the bones' of the matters that the former commander-in-chief of RAF Fighter Command outlines, adding intriguing historical detail and perspective to the 1946 publication. Additionally, Andy looks at the behind-the-scenes machinations at the highest levels of government and Air Ministry before the despatch finally saw the light of day. As a historical document, Dowding's London Gazette despatch is worthy of the critical analysis and factual expansion which the author provides in what is a uniquely different look at the Battle of Britain, with illustrations throughout.
£21.25
Helion & Company Hitler'S Swedes: A History of the Swedish
Book Synopsis
£23.75
Helion & Company Dubno 1941: The Greatest Tank Battle of the
Book Synopsis
£18.95
Grub Street Publishing Luftwaffe Fighter Pilot: Defending The Reich
Book SynopsisWithin weeks of war being declared, Wolfgang Fischer had volunteered to join the Luftwaffe and spent nearly five of the succeeding six years of hostilities in uniform. During this time, he was given a succession of postings varying from a long-range recce unit; as a decoder in a met office in occupied France; to a bomber squadron; and as a flying instructor, before joining a squadron of the famous Richthofen Geschwader in Italy, from where he was shot down in his FW 190 by Mustangs en route to Normandy. By now a Leutnant, he survived to fly offensive rocket attacks over Gold Beach on D-Day, only to be shot down again on D + 1, and captured and sent first to a hospital in the UK, then into captivity in the USA. He was finally repatriated in April 1946. Expertly translated and edited by John Weal, this is a worthy accompaniment to Norbert Hannig's Luftwaffe Fighter Ace (9781911667223) also available in paperback.
£11.69
Monsoon Books Pai Naa: The True Story of Englishwoman Nona
Book SynopsisNona Baker stayed behind in the Malayan jungle during WWII and was adopted by Chinese guerrillas. Against all odds, this remarkable, brave young woman, known as Pai Naa (White Nona), remained in the jungle for three years, avoiding capture by the Japanese and betrayal by spies.
£8.54
Helion & Company Monty'S Functional Doctrine: Combined Arms
Book Synopsis
£27.38
Helion & Company 50th at Bay - the Years of Defeat: A History of
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Helion & Company Commanding Far Eastern Skies: A Critical Analysis
Book Synopsis
£21.25
Helion & Company Enduring the Whirlwind: The German Army and the
Book Synopsis
£18.95
Imperial War Museum Weird War Two
Book SynopsisWelcome to Weird War Two, a catalogue of the weird, the wonderful and the downright eccentric, from deep within IWM's Second World War archives.
£9.49
Birlinn General Nightmare at Scapa Flow: The Truth About the
Book Synopsis"The place where the German U-boat sank the British battleship Royal Oak was none other than the middle of Scapa Flow, Britain's greatest naval base! It sounds incredible..." - William L Shirer, journalist, 18 October 1939 Sinking the battleship HMS Royal Oak in the Royal Navy’s home anchorage, with the loss of more than 800 of her crew, was Germany’s first shattering blow against Britain in the 1939-45 war. Within six weeks the long-standing German dream of breaching the defences of Scapa Flow had been achieved. After years of misinformation, propaganda and conspiracy theories, this meticulously researched book reveals what really happened.
£9.36
Y Lolfa Wales' Unknown Hero - Soldier, Spy, Monk
Book SynopsisThe astonishing story of Henry Coombe-Tennant (1913-89), who served in the British Army in World War II, escaping from a POW camp, joining Special Forces and aiding the French Resistance, before working for the British Secret Service in Baghdad and ending his days as a Benedictine monk! Over 30 photographs and maps.Trade Review"Bernard Lewis has written an engaging biography of a man of great gifts which is of both historical and personal value to the reader." - The Guards Magazine "A real life Welsh James Bond." - Neil Prior, BBC News The astonishing biography of Henry Coombe-Tennant (1913–89), whose family lived at Cadoxton Lodge near Neath and created Port Tennant at Swansea. Henry's mother, Winifred Coombe-Tennant, was a well-known suffragette, political campaigner and psychic medium, and he was the result of her extra-marital affair with the brother of the Prime Minister. According to Winifred, her spirit-world contacts claimed that Henry was to become the ‘New Messiah’, bringing peace to a troubled world. After Eton, Cambridge and China (having taught himself Mandarin), Henry went into the Welsh Guards, before being captured during World War II, escaping from his POW camp and making it back to Britain. He then joined Special Forces, parachuting into occupied France to assist the Resistance. Post-war, he served with NATO and then MI6, becoming ‘our man in Baghdad’ after a bloody revolution in Iraq. Converting to Catholicism in the early 1960s, he ended his days as a Benedictine monk at Downside Abbey near Bath. An incredible life and a fascinating read, this is the untold story of a forgotten Welsh hero. -- Publisher: Y LolfaTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 7 1. A New Messiah 9 2. The Wise One 21 3. Unhappy at Eton 32 4. A Success at Cambridge 43 5. The Welsh Guards 58 6. Into Battle 68 7. Prisoner of War 84 8. Over the Wire 101 9. On the Run 115 10. Special Forces 140 11. Behind Enemy Lines 153 12. Advancing on Germany 177 13. The Palestinian Mandate 203 14. Inside Intelligence 218 15. A Benedictine Monk 234 Select Bibliography 253 Index 256
£12.34
