True war and combat stories Books

Book SynopsisThe remarkable autobiography of the last great wartime icon.Born Vera Welch on 20 March, 1917 in the East End of London, Dame Vera Lynn's career was set from an early age - along with her father, who also did a turn', she sang in Working Men's Clubs from just seven years old. She had a successful radio career with Joe Loss and Charlie Kunz in the 1920s and 30s, but it was with World War II that she became the iconic figure that captured the imagination of the national public.Her spirit and verve, along with her ability to connect with the men fighting for their country and those left behind praying for their loved ones, made her the Forces' sweetheart'. Performing the songs that she will always be associated with, such as We'll Meet Again' and Yours', Vera toured Egypt, India and Burma to entertain the troops and bring them a sense of back home'.Her career after the war flourished, with hits in the US and the UK, but Vera was never able to leave behind her wartime role and was deeply a

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Book SynopsisSpoken from the Front is the story of the Afghan Campaign, told for the first time in the words of the servicemen and women who have been fighting there. With unprecedented access to soldiers of all ranks, as well as pilots, reservists, engineers, medics, Royal Military police, mechanics, cooks and other military personnel, Andy McNab has assembled a portrait of modern conflict like never before. This is the full experience of our troops on the ground and in the air. The horrors, cruelties, drudgery, excitement and banter of these soldiers'' lives combine to form a chronological narrative of all the major events in Helmand during the British Army''s time there. From their action-packed, dramatic, moving and often humorous testimonies in interviews, diaries, letters and emails written to family, friends and loved ones, emerges a 360-degree picture of guerrilla warfare up close and extremely personal. It is as close to the real thing as you can get.Trade ReviewAndy McNab allows us a glimpse into the traumatic, and often heartbreaking, world on the frontline in Afghanistan...This is how it really is * Warington Guardian *Tells the tales of hardship and heroism from Afghanistan in the words of the British people themselves * Lancashire Evening Post *Sometimes harrowing, occasionally amusing, always uplifting * Good Book Guide *

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Book SynopsisTHE UNTOLD STORY OF BRITAIN'S MOST SECRETIVE SPECIAL FORCES UNITJune 1942. The shadow of the Third Reich falls across Europe. In desperation, Winston Churchill and his chief of staff form an unusual plan - a new commando unit made up of Jewish refugees. This top secret unit becomes known as X Troop. Others simply call them a suicide squad.From British internment camps, to the beaches of Normandy, the battlefields of Italy and Holland, and the hellscape of Terezin concentration camp, Leah Garrett follows this band of brothers who will stop at nothing to defeat the Nazis.'A thrilling, stirring story' Daily Telegraph'Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew' The TimesTrade ReviewX Troop is brilliantly researched, utterly gripping history * Alex Kershaw, author of The First Wave *Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew * The Times *This is Inglourious Basterds but much better. Because it is the real story of clandestine Jewish fighters wreaking havoc against the Nazi war machine * Norman Ohler, author of Blitzed *This dramatic, previously untold story of extraordinary covert valour and victory takes readers all across the European front... A rousing and redefining portrait of an, until now, overlooked group of dedicated warriors * Booklist *A compelling read... Garrett's evocation of the tension and drama of the many clandestine operations in Europe undertaken by X-Troopers is gripping * Sydney Morning Herald *Gripping... Garrett's chief strength is her ability to relight the lamps of the past so that they glow anew -- James Owen * The Times *Leah Garrett's X Troop is brilliantly researched, utterly gripping history: the first full account of a remarkable group of Jewish refugees-a top-secret band of brothers-who waged war on Hitler -- Alex Kershaw, New York Times best-selling author of The Longest Winter, The Bedford Boys, and The LiberatorThis is Inglorious Basterds-but much better. Because it is the real story of clandestine Jewish fighters wreaking havoc against the Nazi war machine -- Norman Ohler, New York Times best-selling author of Blitzed and The BohemiansA compelling read . . . Garrett's evocation of the tension and drama of the many clandestine operations in Europe undertaken by X-Troopers is gripping * Sydney Morning Herald *Part history and part mystery, X-Troop: The Secret Jewish Commandos of World War II tells a compelling and little known story about an improbable group of "British" soldiers who made an important contribution to the war effort. Their transformation from interned "enemy aliens" to soldiers with high security clearances is fascinating -- Deborah E. Lipstadt, author of Antisemitism Here and Now

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Book Synopsis'Inspiring and very moving. A hero on so many levels' Bear Grylls'The astonishing journey ... and the service dog that helped him recover ... A tale that will inspire and amaze' Waterstones.comWhen special forces soldier Jason Morgan awoke from a months-long coma, he was told he'd never walk again. Discovered face-down in a Central American swamp after a jungle mission gone wrong, he had a smashed spine,collapsed lungs and countless broken bones. It was a miracle he'd even survived.Months of painful surgery followed, with Jason's life balanced on a knife-edge. Released from hospital in a wheelchair and plagued by memory loss, Jason's life fell apart. Left alone to raise his three infant sons, all hope seemed gone,until Jason met Napal, a handsome-as-hell black Labrador provided by a very special charity. With this one incredible dog at their side, Jason's life and that of his family would never be the same again. With Napal's help Jason was able to conquer his paralysis, eventually completing a marathon and winning numerous medals in the Wounded Warrior Games. More than that, this amazing service dog helped heal a family and taught Jason to be the father his kids needed him to be. A Dog Called Hope is the moving and heart-warming story of how Jason rediscovered his life's mission, his strength as a father and, through his beloved dog, his hope. It's the story of the closeness between one man and one dog like no other, and how this mesmerizing duo changed countless lives. Inspirational, tear-jerking and laugh-out-loud uplifting, this is a story that will brighten any day and warm every heart.

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Book SynopsisThrough conflicts in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, this is the vivid memoir of British sniper Craig Harrison.It takes a tough mindset to be a successful sniper, to be able to dig in for days on your own as you wait for your target, to stay calm on a battlefield when you yourself have become the target the enemy most want to take out. Craig Harrison has what it takes and in November 2009 in Afghanistan, under intense pressure, he saved the lives of his comrades with the longest confirmed sniper kill - 2,475 metres, the length of twenty-five football pitches.In The Longest Kill, his unflinching autobiography, Craig catapults us into the heat of the action as he describes his active service in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, and gives heart-stopping accounts of his sniper ops as he fought for his life on the rooftops of Basra and the barren hills of Helmand province. Craig was blown up by an IED in Afghanistan and left battling severe PTSD. AfterTrade ReviewFor any sniper, being able to place a projectile on a target at distance in combat can be a challenging task. There are a ton of factors that need to be taken into account for long distance shooting in order to achieve impact. For fellow sniper Craig Harrison, he truly went above and beyond and took the sniper's craft to a whole new high: placing a round on his targets at a distance exceeding a mile and a half (2475 m) while operating in the Helmand Provence, Afghanistan--a place I know all too well. It was an amazing shot that any sniper would be proud of and The Longest Kill is an amazing account of his impressive career. Congrats to Craig Harrison! * Nicholas Irving, former special operations sniper and New York Times bestselling author of The Reaper *

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Book SynopsisThe Hess affair requires an understanding of a variety of disciplines and practices: Wartime aviation, political history and human psychology to name but three. Harris and Wilbourn have over an extended period tried to learn as much as possible about all relevant aspects of what is in concert a complicated subject, one that has not yet been satisfactorily explained even after more than 80 years. In the past there have been works that have concentrated on single aspects of the affair; usually in great detail, but in Conspiracy, Calamity and Cover-up the authors’ work on the individual components provides the best ever yet plausible explanation of the affair as a whole. Official secrecy on the grounds of ‘National Security’, obfuscation and downright lying have all played a part in preserving the truth behind the flight. Through dogged perseverance and endeavour Harris and Wilbourn now present what they believe is the ultimate truth behind the affair.Trade Review"... clearly the culmination of all their years of diligent research, and they leave no proverbial stone unturned in their quest to answer exactly what happened and why... if you are looking for an insightful and informative read that comprehensively addresses the Hess saga then look no further." History of War

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Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.A TOP TEN SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER''His best book yet'' The Times''Macintyre''s page-turner is a dazzling portrait of a flawed yet driven individual who risked everything (including her children) for the cause'' Sunday TimesDISCOVER THE INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY OF THE SPY WHO ALMOST KILLED HITLER - FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE SPY AND THE TRAITORUrsula Kuczynski Burton was a spymaster, saboteur, bomb-maker and secret agent. Codenamed ''Agent Sonya'', her story has never been told - until now.Born to a German Jewish family, as Ursula grew, so did the Nazis'' power. As a fanatical opponent of the fascism that ravaged her homeland, Ursula was drawn to communism as a young woman, motivated by the promise of a fair and peaceful society. From planning an assassination attempt on Hitler in Switzerland, to spying on the Japanese in Manchuria, to preveTrade ReviewMacintyre does true-life espionage better than anyone else -- John Preston * Evening Standard *Think John le Carré at his early best - but fact not fiction * Daily Express *This impeccably researched account of her double life spans continents and is brilliantly compelling * Sunday Mirror *Macintyre's page-turner is a dazzling portrait of a flawed yet driven individual who risked everything (including her children) for the cause * Sunday Times *The best true spy story I have ever read -- John le Carré on 'The Spy and the Traitor'Thrilling...Macintyre will have you hooked to her life's every twist and turn -- Lucy Knight * Times/Sunday Times Books of the Year *Macintyre has found a real-life heroine worthy of his gifts as John le Carré's nonfiction counterpart * New York Times *This book is classic Ben Macintyre...quirky human details enliven every page... it is Macintyre's own vivid retelling of her perilous professional, personal and political life that make Agent Sonya such an accessible spy story. * Spectator *He has the unerring gift of uncovering those astonishing truths that make even the best novelists of espionage seem both earthbound and artificial in comparison * Daily Telegraph *His best book yet -- The TimesHe...spins gloriously through one of the most extraordinary private lives of the 20th century * Daily Mail, Book of the Week *In Agent Sonya, Macintyre has pulled off his most remarkable trick: he leaves us admiring, and even cheering for, the woman at the heart of his story, someone who not only wanted to destroy our democracy but helped Russia get a nuclear bomb. She is the strongest character of all in Macintyre's bestselling series of wartime tales... I raced through the pages to keep up with the plot * Evening Standard *

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Book SynopsisA family story of blood and memory and the haunting power of the past.2018 WINNER OF THE CHRISTOPHER EWART-BIGGS MEMORIAL PRIZE2017 WINNER OF THE NON-FICTION IRISH BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERAfter nearly three decades reporting conflict from all over the world for the BBC, Fergal Keane has gone home to Ireland to tell a story that lies at the root of his fascination with war. It is a family story of war and love, and how the ghosts of the past return to shape the present.Wounds is a powerful memoir about Irish people who found themselves caught up in the revolution that followed the 1916 Rising, and in the pitiless violence of civil war in north Kerry after the British left in 1922.It is the story of Keane's grandmother Hannah Purtill, her brother Mick and his friend Con Brosnan, and how they and their neighbours took up guns to fight the British Empire and create an independent Ireland. And it is the story of another Irishman, Tobias O'Sullivan, who fought against them as a policeman because he believed it was his duty to uphold the law of his country.Many thousands of people took part in the War of Independence and the Civil War that followed. Whatever side they chose, all were changed in some way by the costs of violence. Keane uses the experiences of his ancestral homeland in north Kerry to examine why people will kill for a cause and how the act of killing reverberates through the generations.Trade Review‘Few books this year have been as moving Keane’s account of his family’s experience during the conflicts that tore Ireland apart… Keane writes with an impeccable eye for details and a profound sensitivity to human suffering’ Books of the Year, Sunday Times, Dominic Sandrook ‘While Keane is acutely aware of the allure and the danger of myth, he also has an objective reporter’s eye for the human tragedies of those caught up in the heightening viciousness … Ireland has not always borne in mind all its dead. To its great credit, this deeply absorbing book does’ The Times ‘Couldn’t put down the brilliant, moving, eye-opening book Wounds by Fergal Keane. You don’t need interest in Irish history to be swept away by characters who leap off page, facing impossible choices in the struggle for dignity and independence’ Samantha Power, author of A Problem from Hell ‘A fine and troubling book … Keane is a gifted writer whose scarifying experiences in war zones have not coarsened his humanity. Nor does his emotional reaction to terrible cruelty lessen his determination to tell the truth. He admits here to just one bias: “a loathing of war and of all who celebrate the killing of their fellow men and women”. He has unsparingly used his family history to show how many of us, in certain circumstances, might be killers and worse. Even in our own backyards’ Sunday Times

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A beguiling tale of espionage and double-dealing in the years leading up to World War II. . . . Drabkin’s expertly narrated yarn, based on a trove of recently declassified documents, is constantly surprising, and it’s just the thing for thriller fans who enjoy kindred fictions of the Alan Furst variety. Strap in for a narrative that demands a suspension of disbelief—and richly rewards it." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) "[H]istorian Drabkin debuts with a riveting account of Frederick Rutland (1886–1949), a British WWI hero who spied for the Japanese on the eve of WWII. As a celebrated naval aviator . . . Rutland developed a taste for publicity and a lifestyle beyond his reach. Overlooked in the peacetime British military, he offered his services to the Japanese Navy . . . The Japanese later helped Rutland relocate to Los Angeles to spy on the U.S. Navy and develop an agent network. With the Japanese government funding his lavish lifestyle, he rubbed elbows with the most famous English actors in Hollywood at the time, including Alan Mowbray and Boris Karloff, . . . and Charlie Chaplin, whose former butler Toraichi Kono became a key player in Japan’s espionage network. . . . Drabkin writes with a novelist’s flair, roving between far-flung ritzy settings (Hollywood, London, Tokyo) and notable personages (from J. Edgar Hoover to Amelia Earhart). Readers will be swept up." — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "Thanks to recently declassified FBI files, Drabkin discovered why the UK, US, and Japan would prefer to keep their dealings with Frederick Rutland, aka 'Agent Shinkawa,' secret forever. . . . The life of a spy has never seemed so addictive or harrowing. Drabkin takes an evenhanded approach, portraying Rutland as complicated—equal parts hero and villain. This winning and dramatic biography pierces the veil of secrecy surrounding historical events." — Booklist “A rip-roaring ride through the world of espionage and the tortured existence of a deeply flawed man who spent years of his life trying to redeem himself. Drabkin makes the biggest moments of the 20th century come vividly alive through his storytelling.” — Kate Andersen Brower, New York Times bestselling author of The Residence and First Women “An incredible story of British WWI hero ‘Rutland of Jutland’ and his fascinating life spying for Japan before WWII. Frederick Rutland traveled the world and mingled with Hollywood celebrities, all while the FBI, MI5, and the Office of Naval Intelligence watched him closely. A reminder of a lesson learned long before 9/11 that when law enforcement agencies, intelligence agencies, and allies do not work together, the consequences can be deadly.” — Jeffrey Trussler, vice admiral (retired) US Navy and former director of Naval Intelligence “What a fascinating tale this is—of espionage, of aviation, of heroism and betrayal, of class boundaries in the US and the UK. It is a dramatic story from the pre–World War II era with resonance today.” — James Fallows, National Book Award–winning author of National Defense and former White House staffer “Beverly Hills Spy is an unforgettable story—class politics, the interim between World Wars, heroes, traitors, espionage—set among the backdrop of Golden Age Hollywood. Readers will be shocked to learn the untold tale of Frederick Rutland, and the instrumental role he played in the attack on Pearl Harbor.” — Kirk Wallace Johnson, author of The Feather Thief and The Fishermen and the Dragon “Expertly researched and written with flair, Beverly Hills Spy sheds fresh light on how one of the 20th century’s greatest cataclysms came to pass. Centered on the morally murky exploits of a war hero who loved the high life too much, Ronald Drabkin’s book crackles with rich details about the paranoia and misunderstandings that poisoned relations between the United States and Japan. All narrative history should be this revelatory, and this compelling.” — Brendan I. Koerner, author of The Skies Belong to Us and Now the Hell Will Start "A masterpiece of espionage nonfiction, Beverly Hills Spy takes readers through the exploits of famed aviation pioneer Frederick Rutland. But was Rutland a hero or traitor? Ronald Drabkin’s take on the story is filled with intrigue that will leave readers guessing why one of the greatest naval aviators of all time decided to help the Japanese Navy's attack on Pearl Harbor and how Rutland was connected to WWII secrets of Hollywood’s elite." — Brett Velicovich, author of Drone Warrior and Fox News contributor “By using previously overlooked sources from three countries, Ronald Drabkin reveals the compelling story of one of the early twentieth century’s most important yet least-known spies. Frederick Rutland’s story carries important lessons about the nature of intelligence gathering in peacetime—and how it can be combatted. It also raises questions about how governments can best protect their secrets while preserving and protecting civil rights, even in wartime.” — Bradley W. Hart, author of Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States

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Book SynopsisThe story of the photographic intelligence work undertaken from a country house at Medmenham, Buckinghamshire, is one of the great lost stories of the Second World War . At its peak in 1944, almost 2,000 British and American men and women worked at the top-secret Danesfield House, interpreting photographs - the majority stereoscopic so they could be viewed in 3D - to unlock secrets of German military activity and weapons development. Millions of aerial photographs were taken by Allied pilots, flying unarmed modified Spitfires and Mosquitos on missions over Nazi Europe. it was said that an aircraft could land, the photographs be developed and initial interpretation completed within two hours - marking the culmination of years of experiments in aerial intelligence techniques.Their finest hour began in 1943, during the planning stages of the Allied invasion of Europe, when Douglas Kendall, who masterminded the interpretation work at Medmenham, led the hunt for Hitler''sTrade ReviewA fascinating and scholarly account of a secret slideshow of the war. * Daily Express *Gripping * The Good Book guide *Extensive and detailed * Army Rumour Service *

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Book SynopsisAged 21, Harry was one of the youngest helicopter pilots to serve in the Falklands war. Following two tours as a Royal Navy pilot, Harry moved to Asia in 1988 with his wife Kate to work in finance. He returned to the UK in 1997 took a 1st class degree in Psychology from Bristol University and started what has become Britain's most successful local relationship project, Bristol Community Family Trust, teaching practical relationship skills to thousands of couples.

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Book SynopsisEscape from Paris is the true story of a small group of U.S. aviators whose four B-17 Flying Fortresses were shot down over German-occupied France on a single, fateful day: July 14, 1943, Bastille Day. They were rescued by brave French civilians and taken to Paris for eventual escape out of France. In the French capital, where German troops walked on every street and Gestapo agents hid around every corner, the flyers met a brave Parisian resistance family living and working in the Hôtel des Invalides, a complex of buildings and military memorials, where Nazi officials had set up offices. Hidden in the complex the Americans, along with dozens of other downed Allied pilots and resistance operatives, hatched daring escape plots. The danger of discovery by the Nazis grew every day, as did an unlikely romance when one of the American airmen begins a star-crossed wartime romance with the twenty-two-year old daughter of the family sheltering him-a noir tale of war, courage and despe

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Book SynopsisAfter nearly twenty years of SAS operations, including a never before published role in the infamous Bravo Two Zero patrol, Bob Shepherd retired from the military to work as an advisor on the international commercial security circuit. Certain his most dangerous days were behind him, Bob settled into a sedate life looking after VIPs. Then 9/11 happened . . . Bob found himself back in war zones on assignments far more perilous than anything he had encountered in the SAS: from ferrying journalists across firing lines in The West Bank and Gaza to travelling to the heart of Osama bin Laden’s Afghan lair. As part of a two-man team, Bob searched for ITN Correspondent Terry Lloyd’s missing crew in Basra, Iraq, while in Afghanistan he was forced to spend the night as the only Westerner in Khost - with a $25,000 bounty on his head. As the War on Terror escalated, Bob contended with increasingly sophisticated insurgents. But the most disturbing

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Book Synopsis''An unpretentious Aussie''s experiences in one of the most ramshackle and soul-destroying military organisations on Earth.'' COURIER-MAILA real-life boy''s own adventure, MARCHING WITH THE DEVIL is a hell-raising account of five years in the infamous French Foreign Legion.''In 1894 a French Foreign Legion General said, Legionnaires, vous etes faits pour mourir, je vous envoie la ou on meurt. Legionnaires, you are made for dying, I will send you where you can die. When I was in my mid-teens and first read those words they were powerful and confronting. I read them as a challenge and an invitation. The words, and the feelings they evoked, remained with me until I was ready. On 20 May 1988, I enlisted in the French Foreign Legion.''Searching for something he wasn''t finding in his life in Australia, David Mason joined the French Foreign Legion. This is a frank account of how Mason came first in basic training, trained other Legionnaires, went to Africa, did sniper, commando and medic training and took part in two operations, both in the Republic of Djibouti where a civil war nearly crippled the nation. It tells of his daily life in the Legion, in the training regiment, in Africa and with the Legion''s Parachute Regiment. But more than this: it reveals his disillusionment, frustration and disappointment with the much mythologised Legion, and how the Legion today is not what it seems - or could be. Now part of the HACHETTE MILITARY COLLECTION.''Remarkable'' THE AGETrade Review‘Since its creation in 1831, the French Foreign Legion has become the stuff of myth, fiction and dreams... Anyone thinking of joining up would be well advised to read this book first.’ * The Sun Herald *‘Remarkable... It's hard not to think it a shame that a man of such obvious gifts should have wasted them on the legion, just so as not to have to feel like a quitter, even if this book was the result.’ * The Age *‘Marching with the Devil quickly turns into an insightful and honest account of an unpretentious Aussie's experiences in one of the most ramshackle and soul-destroying military organisations on Earth.’ * Courier Mail *‘A strangely compulsive read about one man’s quest for self knowledge.’ * Men's Health Magazine *‘Mason left a comfortable life in Australia to test himself in the crucible of the legion, and he writes about it 20 years after his service time necessary to give himself the distance and context he needed to write about an extraordinary and painful experience.’ * Sunday Mail Brisbane *‘It’s a rollicking, readable memoir of extreme adventures.’ * Burnie Advocate *

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Book SynopsisWar in the Wilderness is the most comprehensive account ever published of the human aspects of the Chindit war in Burma. The Chindit expeditions behind Japanese lines in occupied Burma 1943–1944 transformed the morale of British forces after the crushing defeats of 1942.

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Book Synopsis ''A great and inspiring book from Doncaster''s bravest son. Read it in a day'' - Jeremy Clarkson ''Ben is the embodiment of positive thinking. What he has achieved, in large part through willpower, is nothing short of miraculous. An inspiration to us all'' - Ant Middleton The story of Ben Parkinson MBE, the most injured soldier to have survived Afghanistan ---What were you doing when you were 22? Where were you in the world? What did you want to do with your life?Ben Parkinson was a 6''4 Paratrooper. He was in Afghanistan fighting for his country. He wanted to always be a soldier, to be a father and to get home in one piece. But we don''t always get what we want. So the question is: how do we react when that happens? Easy:You find something new to fight for.Ben Parkinson MBE is an inspiration to everyone. He suffered 37 injuries when his Land Rover hit a mine in Helmand in 2006, includiTrade ReviewIt will move you - not just to tears but fury...a brilliantly visceral and detailed account * The Times *One of many reasons for reading this military memoir and self-help guide is to remind yourself what a proper hero looks like ... Losing The Battle, Winning The War is that rare thing - a book that's recommended unreservedly * Mirror *

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Book SynopsisNew B-format paperback - What motivated men to fight for an enemy that had invaded their own country? These are last voices of the Flemish Waffen-SS; there are very few left and they tell their story with absolute candour. After 70 years, why would they not?

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Book SynopsisField Marshall Khalifa Haftar is the controversial central figure in the fight for control of post-Gaddafi Libya. Haftar appears to have come from nowhere, controlling the Libyan tribes and gaining international support. Is he a rogue commander with terrorist tendencies, or the only hope for a democratic government? A first-ever look at his story.

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Book SynopsisThousands of miles away from where her son was deployed, a powerful premonition is devastatingly confirmed by a knock on the door from two faceless strangers bearing the news that her son had stepped on an improvised explosive device in the poppy fields of Afghanistan. He had lost both of his legs and suffered multiple other injuries, including partial amputation of all the fingers of his left hand. For 48 days she stood at his bedside, praying and willing him to pull through.Not only did he survive against all odds, but in time he began to test the limits of his new capabilities and undertook the first of, what would prove to be, many physical challenges. Just 18 months after injury, and as part of a team of four servicemen, he rowed across the Atlantic Ocean for the first time.Told mostly from a mother's perspective with contributions from Cayle, the genesis of the book was in the diary she kept while he was in a medically induced coma. It is the story of an extraordinarily brave man

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Book SynopsisAn intensely moving personal record of the experiences of children who were evacuated in World War IITrade Review'This vivid collection of memories recreates the whole traumatic story' * New Statesman *'Unique ... Wicks has caught all the pathos and the humour of those traumatic times in a moving book' * Yorkshire Evening Post *'An absorbing and frequently touching compilation of personal testimonies' * The Listener *

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Book Synopsis''Captures the confusion, black humour, raw courage and sheer exhilaration of combat brilliantly'' THE TIMES''Read this account of his stint with the 26-man strong X Platoon in the sweltering jungle, living on grubs, outnumbered 80 to one, battling heavily armed rebels with bamboo sticks and home-made grenades, and you''ll be asking the question... Why wasn''t he given TWO MCs?'' SUNDAY SPORT2,000 blood-crazed rebels. 26 elite British soldiers. One man''s explosive true story.Airlifted into the heart of the Sierra Leone jungle in the midst of the bloody civil war in 2000, 26 elite operators from the secret British elite unit X Platoon were sent into combat against thousands of Sierra Leonean rebels.Notorious for their brutality, the rebels were manned with captured UN armour, machine-guns and grenade-launchers, while the men of X Platoon were kitted with pitiful supplies of ammunition, malfunctioning rifles, and no body armour, grenades Trade ReviewSergeant Steve Heaney captures the confusion, black humour, raw courage and sheer exhilaration of combat brilliantly. This book is one of the best accounts of low-level tactical soldiering since Fred Majdalany's WW2 classic Patrol. But Heaney tells a broader tale that has rarely been captured so well... I commend it to the professional soldier and layman alike. * THE TIMES *'... read this account of his [Steve Heaney] stint with the 26-man strong X Platoon in the sweltering jungle, living on grubs, outnumbered 80 to one, battling heavily armed rebels with bamboo sticks and home-made grenades, and you'll be asking the question... Why wasn't he given TWO MCs?' -- Jon Wise * Sunday Sport *

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Book SynopsisFor three decades one of the most secretive units in the British military has been a mystery force known as X Platoon.Officially there was no X Platoon. The forty men in its elite number were specially selected from across the Armed Forces, at which point they simply ceased to exist. X Platoon had no budget, no weaponry, no vehicles and no kit - apart from what its men could beg, borrow or steal from other military units.For the first time a highly decorated veteran of this specialised force - otherwise known as the Pathfinders - reveals its unique story. Steve Heaney became one of the youngest ever to pass Selection, the gruelling trial of elite forces, and was at the cutting edge of X Platoon operations - serving on anti-narcotics operations in the Central American jungles, on missions hunting war criminals in the Balkans, and being sent to spy on and wage war against the Russians.The first non-officer in the unit''s history to be award the Military Cross, Trade ReviewThis fast-paced book is difficult to put down. * Military History Monthly *

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Book SynopsisThe tale of an all-black battalion whose crucial contributions at D-Day have gone unrecognised to this day.Trade Review‘Utterly compelling.’ -- Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation‘Compelling … a welcome addition to our understanding of the war and the American military.’ -- Washington Post

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Book SynopsisFrom Diana Darke, the acclaimed author of My House in Damascus and The Merchant of Syria, comes the extraordinary true story of a heroic ambulance driver who created a cat sanctuary in the midst of war-torn Aleppo.I''ll stay with them no matter what happens. Someone who has mercy in his heart for humans has mercy for every living thing.When war came to Alaa Aljaleel''s hometown, he made a remarkable decision to stay behind, caring for the people and animals caught in the crossfire. While thousands were forced to flee, Alaa spent his days carrying out perilous rescue missions in his makeshift ambulance and building a sanctuary for the city''s abandoned cats. In turn, he created something unique: a place of tranquility for children living through the bombardment and a glimmer of hope for those watching in horror around the world. As word of Alaa''s courage and dedication spread, the kindness of strangers enabled him to feed thousandsTrade ReviewThe Last Sanctuary in Aleppo is a gentle, easy read... awe-inspiring and heart-­warming... The tragic stories are leavened in part by Aljaleel's gentle sense of humour. * The National (AE) *The cat man of Aleppo, Mohammad Aljaleel, touched the hearts of millions * BBC News *

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Book SynopsisThe Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club tells the complete story of the US Naval air campaign during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1975, where the US Seventh Fleet, stationed off the Vietnamese coast, was given the tongue-in-cheek nickname ''The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club''.On August 2, 1964, USS Maddox became embroiled in the infamous ''Gulf of Tonkin incident'' that led directly to America''s increased involvement in the Vietnam War. Supporting the Maddox that day were four F-8E Crusaders from the USS Ticonderoga, signalling the start of the US Navy''s commitment to the air war over Vietnam.The Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club was the nickname for the US Navy''s Seventh Fleet, Task Force 77, stationed off the coast of Vietnam which, at various points throughout the war, comprised as many as six carriers with 70100 aircraft on board. The Seventh Fleet played an essential role in supporting operatTrade ReviewThe Vietnam War was my war, by which I mean I fought in it, and I can say that Thomas Cleaver in his Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club examines the war in an unparalleled way through the lens of aviation and its aviators. He illustrates the inevitable agony and sacrifice, thrill and triumph of the young men immersed in that saga. It all makes for a riveting read. -- Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, US Army (Ret.), soldier, diplomat and late Professor of Government and Public Policy at the College of William and MaryTom Cleaver has captured the dramatic history of Naval Aviation’s combat record in Vietnam in a manner worthy of the classic historical novel. From the first shot fired in the Tonkin Gulf in August 1964 to the final salvo in January 1973, Tom weaves an accurate tale, full of the color and fury of battle, courage, suspense, and thrill of victory – as experienced and portrayed on both sides of the conflict. -- Captain Roy Cash, Jr., USN (Ret.), Former CO, Top GunTom Cleaver’s book is a superb study of Naval Aviation's experiences during the Vietnam War. Tom’s in-depth focus and analysis of personal inputs from aircrews on both sides of the conflict coupled with the ever-changing political environment make it a high-powered book that is difficult to put down. -- Rear-Admiral James A. “Jim” Lair, USN (Ret.), former commanding officer, USS AmericaWith equal measures of aeronautical detail, historical perspective, and gripping action, Tom Cleaver has crafted an authoritative and balanced account of the Navy’s Vietnam air war. Readers will be amazed by the recall and revelations of the Naval Aviators interviewed, profiled and portrayed. This is a gripping narrative combined with a definitive historical and technical reference. -- David Sears, author of 'Such Men as These: The Story of the Navy Pilots Who Flew the Deadly Skies over Korea'This gripping narrative that grabs the attention from the very first page is complimented with an eight-page section of mainly colour photographs and several maps. It will appeal greatly to both the general reader as well as aviation ‘buffs.’ Highly recommended.” -- Andy Thomas * Flypast Magazine *Table of ContentsList of Maps and Illustrations Foreword by Captain Roy Cash, Jr., USN (Ret) Introduction 1. Shooting at Flying Fish 2. Naval Aviation’s Revolutionary New Sword 3. Opponents 4. The Rules of Engagement 5. Rolling Thunder, 1965–68 6. Air Combat, 1964–66 7. Air Combat, 1967–68 8. Alpha Strike 9. Spads vs. MiGs 10. "The Forrest Fire" 11. Top Gun 12. Interregnum, 1968–72 13. A New War 14. Operation Linebacker, 1972 15. Three DFCs in Seven Days 16. End Game, April 1975 17. Southeast Asian Finale Bibliography Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisA remarkable collection of accounts of intrepid American aircrew shot down over enemy lines during World War II and how they got away. To be an airman in the Eighth Air Force flying over the war-torn skies of Europe required skill, tenacity, and luck. Those who were shot down and evaded capture needed all of that and more if they were to make it back to friendly lines. These are their stories. Each is compiled from the original intelligence debrief written by the pilots or aircrew themselves. Bill Yenne details how a spider web of escape routes sprang up, created by the local Résistance. Downed airmen were clothed, given false papers, and hidden so they could be smuggled back to England. These efforts were then supplemented by Allied intelligence agents. But the risks remained the same. Capture could mean death. Their accounts are sometimes funny, often heartbreaking. P-47 pilot Joel McPherson feigned appendicitis and was able to escape from the locaTrade ReviewIn The Ones Who Got Away, Bill Yenne deftly weaves the individual stories of American airmen into an epic adventure tale of downed aviators on the run and the French, Belgian, and Dutch civilians who risked everything to help them dodge the Gestapo and escape occupied Europe. * Steve K. Bailey, author of 'Target Hong Kong' *Table of ContentsList of Plate Section Illustrations Maps Introduction Part One: Strangers in a Strange Land 1. The Lay of This Treacherous Land 2. Herding Wildcats 3. Many Paths to Freedom Part Two: Riding the Tail of a Comet 4. Hounded Houndsmen 5. Christmas in Limbo 6. Undocumented Fools At Large 7. A Menacing New Year 8. Unexpected Detours 9. In Hostile Hands 10. Long and Winding Roads Part Three: The Man on the Bicycle 11. May Day Over Saint-Nazaire 12. Lines on the Map 13. Bombard Our House With Chocolate 14. Perils of the Pyrenees 15. New Lives, Later Lives Part Four: Black Tuesday Boys 16. Inside the Third Reich 17. Desperate Fugitives 18. Shipwrecked Brothers 19. Not an Easy Road 20. Riding the Comet 21. False Starts, and Meeting the Fox Hunter 22. Homeward Bound Part Five: Long Roads from Regensburg 23. A Rough Start to a Long Day 24. Tales of a Shillelagh and a Double Agent 25. A Milk Run Turns Sour 26. To Brussels and Beyond 27. Unexpected Threats 28. The Belgian Waiting Game 29. This is Your Life Part Six: Bandits of the Dordogne 30. A Journey Formidable 31. Hollywood Maquisards 32. We Thought He Was a Madman 33. Over the Wall 34. A Bandit’s Life for Me 35. Danger All Around 36. Waiting for the Right Moment 37. D-Days 38. Unsettled Lives Part Seven: Reflections of Silver Screens 39. Leading from the Front 40. Suspicious Characters 41. Moving in Circles 42. Hollywood on the Seine 43. Operation Overlord 44. Hollywood Calling Part Eight: Lightning Struck Twice 45. Aces Among the Wolves 46. Aces Down 47. Back into Combat 48. Déjà Vu, Again and Again 49. A Haunted Life Part Nine: Betrayal and Triumph 50. Dobie’s Boys 51. A Valuable Asset 52. Jake and Marty 53. Running Through the Woods 54. Into a World of Intrigue 55. A Safe House Most Unsafe 56. A Dungeon Most Medieval 57. Sleight of Hand 58. Improbable Twists of Fate 59. Mornings After 60. Years After Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisFirst-hand experiences - the stories are written by soldiers who describe what happened to them during the war therefore the stories were written while the images were fresh in their minds.

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Book SynopsisThis is the vivid memoir of a young man who served with both Coastal Command and Bomber Command throughout the Second World War. Having joined the RAFVR before the war, Peter Russell was mobilised in August 1939 and, after training, became operational with Coastal Command's 233 Squadron flying Lockheed Hudsons from Leuchars, Aldergrove and St Eval in Britain's battle for survival in the Atlantic. After fourteen months Peter was rested and tasked with training navigators for the impending enlargement of Bomber Command. In 1944 he joined 625 Squadron flying Lancasters against targets in Germany and Occupied Europe. Russell took command of B' Flight and was promoted to squadron leader. His memories of the many raids, his crew and operational flying during this period until the end of the war are gripping recounted in Flying in Defiance of the Reich. After the German surrender, Peter headed for the Far East, joining Shield Force which was tasked with conducting a strategic night bombing offensive against the Japanese mainland. However, before it could become operational the war was brought to an abrupt conclusion with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Peter's unit was, therefore, redirected to relieve Hong Kong, in which the RAF undertook a purely land operation. The final chapters give a unique insight into how Japanese military rule was replaced, once again, by British law and order.

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Book SynopsisDarkly funny, shockingly honest, Brothers in Arms is an unforgettable account of a soldier's tour of Afghanistan, the brutal reality of war – every scary, exciting moment – and the bonds of friendship that can never be destroyed.‘If you could choose which two limbs got blown off, what would you go for?’ Danny said. ‘Your arms or your legs?’In July 2009, Geraint (Gez) Jones was sitting in Camp Bastion, Afghanistan with the rest of The Firm – Danny, Jay, Toby and Jake, his four closest friends, all junior NCOs and combat-hardened infantrymen. Thanks to the mangled remains of a Jackal vehicle left tactlessly outside their tent, IEDs were never far from their mind. Within days they’d be on the ground in Musa Qala with the rest of 3 Platoon – a mixed bunch of men Gez would die for. As they fight furiously, are pushed to their limits, hemmed in by IEDs and hampered by the chain of command, Gez starts to wonder what is the point of it all. The bombs they uncover on patrol, on their stomachs brushing the sand away, are replaced the next day. Firefights are a momentary victory in a war they can see is unwinnable. Gez is a warrior – he wants more than this. But then death and injury start to take their toll on The Firm, leaving Gez with PTSD and a new battle just beginning.'Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour.' – Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way Out'A gritty, brutal book about men at war. Raw and real. Brilliant.' – Tom Marcus, author of Soldier SpyTrade ReviewA stunning account of war that gives a detailed look into the psyche of the twenty-first century British infantryman. Jones writes of his brothers and their Afghan experience, from its adrenalin-filled highs to the many lows, with passion and candour. The pace is unrelenting, whilst the epilogue stands as the sobering full stop for a generation of soldiers who campaigned in Iraq and Afghanistan. -- Major Adam Jowett, bestselling author of No Way OutA gritty, brutal book about men at war. Raw and real. Brilliant. -- Tom Marcus, bestselling author of Soldier Spy and Capture or KillAt times darkly funny, at times tragic, this is a powerful and honest book about the British soldier, about the reality of conflict and the struggles some face when they come home. -- Brian Wood MC, bestselling author of Double CrossedPowerful, raw and poignant, but also darkly funny in places. * The Times Magazine *

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Book Synopsis'The wartime spy career of Mathilde Carré - aka "the Cat" and "Agent Victoire" - is so extraordinary it almost defies belief' The TimesAn exhilarating true story of espionage, resistance, and one of WW2's most charismatic double-agents.Occupied Paris, 1940. A woman in a red hat and a black fur coat hurries down a side-street. She is Mathilde Carré, codenamed 'the Cat', later known as Agent Victoire - charismatic, daring and a spy.These are the darkest days for France, yet Mathilde is driven by a sense of destiny that she will be her nation's saviour. Soon, she is at the centre of the first great Allied intelligence network of the Second World War.But as Roland Philipps shows in this extraordinary account of her life, when the Germans close in, Mathilde makes a desperate and dangerous compromise. Nobody - not her German handler, nor the Resistance and the British - can be certain where her allegiances now lie...'A truly astonishing story, meticulously and brilliantly told' Philippe Sands, author of The Ratline'Gripping... Enough plot twists and moral ambiguity to satisfy any spy novelist' SpectatorTrade ReviewThe wartime spy career of Mathilde Carré - aka 'the Cat' and 'Agent Victoire' - is so extraordinary it almost defies belief * The Times *Enough plot twists and moral ambiguity to satisfy any spy novelist ... At its heart this is a book about the moral dilemmas involved in living under the perverting conditions of war and occupation ... Philipps does a fine job of setting the scene inside France, and building up the tension in this increasingly gripping wartime story, and all that follows ... a deeply humane book -- Clare Mulley * Spectator *What a read! What a fascinating character! I was gripped from the first page to the last. A truly astonishing story, meticulously and brilliantly told -- Philippe Sands, author of The RatlineA wonderful, atmospheric book: a miraculous portrait of a flawed human being, and a masterful account of the moral quagmire of wartime France and Britain -- Carmen Callil, author of Bad FaithRoland Philipps tells Victoire's story with skill and compassion, and reveals that for all her betrayals, she deserves more understanding than she received in her lifetime -- Artemis Cooper, author of Patrick Leigh Fermor

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Book Synopsis'DEVASTATINGLY AFFECTING' THE TIMES'EMOTIONALLY COMPELLING' OBSERVERIn 1933, as Hitler came to power, schoolteacher Anna Essinger hatched a daring plan: to smuggle all her pupils out of Nazi Germany under the nose of the Gestapo.The - mostly Jewish - children who escaped found a safe haven in Anna's new school, a rundown manor house in southern England, until the outbreak of war in 1939 raised terrifying new dangers. Despite her growing blindness, Anna continued rescuing children throughout the war. Many had lost their families and witnessed unimaginable horrors. But she was determined to instil the belief in all those under her care that there was still a life worth fighting for. 'By turns heartbreaking and inspiring, I could not stop reading this remarkable book' JOSH IRELAND, author of Churchill & Son 'A celebration of what the human spirit can achieve' RABBI JULIA NEUBERGER Trade Review**Praise for The School That Escaped the Nazis**A devastatingly affecting book. [Cadbury's] chapters alternate between the nightmarish experiences of Jewish children in the Third Reich, and a kind of earthly paradise. . . Bunce Court! I keep saying the name to myself because it encapsulates all that is gentle and comically charming about wartime England. * The Times *Emotionally compelling. . . Cadbury has constructed a lively and compelling narrative * Observer *A stirring account of a German schoolteacher's efforts to build an oasis for children fleeing the Nazi advance across Europe . . . Impressively researched and vividly told, this is a captivating portrait of courage and resilience in the face of unspeakable horror. * Publishers Weekly *Extraordinary . . . Cadbury researched her book meticulously and spoke to many people with first-hand knowledge of the school and the horrors of Nazism. A wealth of references will allow other researchers to explore the same sources and references. * Who Do You Think You Are Magazine *I just loved this book. It's full of hope in terrible times, a recognition of how children develop, and how they experience pain and anxiety, and it tells the story of a remarkable woman who made hope possible and nurtured every child in her school. It's a celebration of what the human spirit can achieve. * BARONESS JULIA NEUBERGER *Anna Essinger's wartime school for Jewish refugees reminds us of the lifelong impact which one person's compassion and imagination can make on others - even in the darkest of times. Cadbury's story packs a real emotional punch. * CAROLINE SHENTON, author of National Treasures *What gives this book its immediacy and freshness is the fact that Deborah Cadbury has spoken to so many of the witnesses to a phenomenal story. The woman who brought an entire school to Kent from Germany, and saved so many children from the Nazis, was a completely heroic figure. This story is an uplifting reminder of how courage, high virtue and intelligence can overcome even the most appalling odds. At many points, with tearful eyes, I cheered - it is a book which stirs up deep emotion, and high admiration, for the author as well as its subject. * A N WILSON *A moving and meticulously documented account of how one woman first rescued and then educated hundreds of Jewish children from the horrors of Nazi Europe. A powerful story of hope at a time of tragedy and one which even though set more than eighty years ago sadly has a resonance today. * ALEX GERLIS, author of Best of Our Spies and Agent in Berlin *An inspiring, well-researched life portrait of a spectacularly heroic teacher * Kirkus *By turns heartbreaking and inspiring, I could not stop reading Deborah Cadbury's remarkable book. -- Josh Ireland, author of CHURCHILL & SONAn astonishing book. It is a both a granular catalogue of unbelievable cruelty and at the same time a testament to the determination of hundreds of thousands of kind, compassionate people of every nationality who stood up to the evils of Nazism in defence of children. But the book is not just that. It describes a woman of great guile and incredible organizational talent who outwitted Eichmann, Himmler and that whole shower of bandits whose talents for murder knew no bounds. * SIR JOHN CARR ***PRAISE FOR DEBORAH CADBURY**A gripping story beautifully told * Jane Ridley on QUEEN VICTORIA'S MATCHMAKING *From the pen of a writer of skill and style, this surprising narrative leaves you wanting more -- Paula Byrne * The Times, on QUEEN VICTORIA'S MATCHMAKING *Irresistible. This is history brought bang up to date in the hands of a master storyteller * Juliet Nicolson on CHOCOLATE WARS *Engaging and scholarly, confident and compassionate -- Kate Colquhoun * Daily Telegraph on CHOCOLATE WARS *An affecting human story, fluent and highly readable * Hilary Mantel on THE LOST KING OF FRANCE *Absolutely stupendous... This is history as it should be. I can't praise it highly enough * Alison Weird on THE LOST KING OF FRANCE *

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Book SynopsisA brilliantly vivid Second World War memoir by one of 'the Few' Spitfire fighter pilots.Following the D-Day landings, Battle of Britain hero Tom Neil was assigned as an RAF liaison to an American fighter squadron. As the Allies pushed east, Neil commandeered an abandoned Spitfire as his own personal aeroplane. Erasing any evidence of its provenance and stripping it down to bare metal, it became the RAF's only silver Spitfire. Alongside his US comrades, he took the silver Spitfire into battle until, with the war's end, he was forced to make a difficult decision. Faced with too many questions about the mysterious rogue fighter, he contemplated increasingly desperate measures to offload it, including bailing out mid-Channel. He eventually left the Spitfire at Worthy Down, never to be seen again.THE SILVER SPITFIRE is the first-hand, gripping story of Neil's heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire.Trade ReviewAn icon of battle as well as one of the most successful pilots, Neil is uniquely qualified to tell a story that is both the ultimate military epic and also distinctly personal. * MILITARY TIMES *Tom Neil is one of the last of the Few * BEST OF BRITISH, DAILY EXPRESS *The first-hand, gripping story of Neil's heroic experience as an RAF fighter pilot and his reminiscences with his very own personal Spitfire. * ROYAL AIR FORCE NEWS *Amusing and enjoyable. * GOOD BOOK GUIDE *

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Book SynopsisThe mighty struggle for the Somme sector of the Western Front in the second half of 1916 has come to be remembered for the dreadful toll of casualties inflicted on Britain’s ‘New Armies’ by the German defenders on the first day of the offensive, 1 July. The battle continued, however, throughout the autumn and only came to a close in the bitter cold of mid-November. The British plan relied on the power of artillery to suppress and destroy the German defences; the infantry were tasked with taking and holding the German trenches, but minimal resistance was anticipated. Both sides incurred major losses, however; German doctrine emphasised that the first line had to be held or retaken at all costs, a rigid defensive policy that led to very high casualties as the Germans threw survivors into ad hoc, piecemeal counterattacks all along the line. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and based on meticulous reassessment of the sources, this engaging study pits the volunteers of Kitchener’s ‘New Armies’ against the German veterans who defended the Somme sector in the bloody battles of July–November 1916.Table of ContentsIntroduction /The opposing sides /Serre: 1 July 1916 /Guillemont: 30 July 1916 /Thiepval: 26-27 September 1916 /Analysis & conclusion /Unit organizations /Orders of battle /Bibliography /Index

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Book Synopsis'All the power and intrigue of a cinematic thriller ... immersive, dramatic, and historically edifying' KirkusMoscow in the late 1970s: one by one, CIA assets are disappearing. The perils of American arrogance, mixed with bureaucratic infighting, had left the country unspeakably vulnerable to ultra-sophisticated Russian electronic surveillance.. The Spy in Moscow Station tells of a time when-much like today-Russian spycraft was proving itself far ahead of the best technology the U.S. had to offer.This is the true story of unorthodox, underdog intelligence officers who fought an uphill battle against their government to prove that the KGB had pulled off the most devastating and breathtakingly thorough penetration of U.S. national security in history.Incorporating declassified internal CIA memos and diplomatic cables, this suspenseful narrative reads like a thriller-but real lives were at stake, and every twist is true as the US and USSR attempt to wrongfoot each other in eavesdropping technology and tradecraft. The book also carries a chilling warning for the present: like the State and CIA officers who were certain their "sweeps" could detect any threat in Moscow, we don't know what we don't know.

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Book SynopsisMany of the most famous escapes in history took place during the Second World War. These daring flights from Nazi-occupied Europe would never have been possible but for the assistance of a hitherto secret British service: MI9. This small, dedicated and endlessly inventive team gave hope to the men who had fallen into enemy hands, and aid to resistance fighters in occupied territory. It sent money, maps, clothes, compasses, even hacksaws - and in return coded letters from the prisoner-of-war camps and provided invaluable news of what was happening in the enemy's homeland. Understaffed and under-resourced, MI9 nonetheless made a terrific contribution to the Allied war effort. First published in 1979, this book tells the full, inside story of an extraordinary organisation.

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Book SynopsisThe Special Air Service – the SAS – are known to be the greatest elite fighting force in the world. This book focuses on the most famous operations undertaken by the SAS from its inception during the Second World War to the present day, describing in dramatic detail the unit’s most daring and memorable missions in trouble spots across the world. Revelatory and gripping, the author weaves together the extraordinary true stories of this brave fighting force, wherever they are in action. From missions on home shores to Iraq, Sierra Leone, the Falkland Islands, Europe, Libya, Malaya, Afghanistan and more, SAS Battle Ready brings together both the history of the unit and some of its most powerful moments.From hostage rescues to ambushes, from sabotage to jungle warfare and from pitched battles to reconnaissance, it hasn’t always gone according to plan but the courage and devotion to duty revealed within show just what it takes to be an SAS soldier.

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Book SynopsisThe epic story of how the Second World War was won.On 4 January 1945, General ‘Blood and Guts’ Patton confided gloomily to his diary, ‘We can still lose the war.’ The Nazis were attacking in Eastern France, Luxembourg and Belgium. General Eisenhower’s allied armies had lost over 300,000 men in battle (with a similar number of non-battle casualties) and they were still in the same positions they had first captured three months before. Would the German will to resist never be broken?Veteran military historian Charles Whiting assembled individual stories from the frontline as the war entered its last bloody, but ultimately victorious phase. From material such as diaries, interviews and battalion journals he vividly builds up a picture of the soldiers and combatants. As the greatest conflict of them all came to its epic crescendo, those on the ground knew that paths that lead to glory could also lead to death…Perfect for fans of Anthony Beevor, Richard Overy and Damien Lewis.

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Book Synopsis'A no holdout account of the Falklands War from a man who was in the fight.' Andy McNabTony Hoare always knew he wanted to be in the SAS and so, after working his way through the ranks, he passed arduous SAS selection in 1978.Less than four years later, Tony and his team were sent to the Falklands, just off the coast of Argentina, where tensions were rising and war was on the horizon. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened over the course of the next 12 weeks, as the Falkland Islands became a battleground between the British and Argentinians. As helicopters crashed and ships sank, Tony battled across treacherous terrain to help reclaim the islands from a fearsome enemy.This is a thrilling account of the Falklands from a trooper who saw it all.Trade Review'There is no higher accolade than a fellow solider wanting you to be beside them in the fight. Tony is the real deal and a personal hero of mine. All soldiers would have wanted him alongside them when things got brutal. This is a no holdout account of the Falklands War from a man who was in the fight' -- Andy McNab

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Book SynopsisSeptember 1940: In the midst of the Second World War, The Luftwaffe unleashed a series of devastating raids on Southampton, all but destroying its Spitfire factories.But production didn’t stop. Instead, manufacturing of this iconic fighter moved underground, to secret locations staffed by women, children and non-combatant men. With little engineering experience between them, they built a fleet of one of the greatest war planes that has ever existed.This is their story.

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Book SynopsisOf every 100 operational airmen in the Second World War, nearly seven were killed flying in England and more than three severely injured in crashes. With a total of 12,398, the number of non-operational casualties was significant. Operational casualties were of course chillingly grim – over 56,000 airmen died in the war.George Culling was a 19-year-old Lancaster navigator whose own experiences often involved battling tricky and dangerous conditions. Fascinated by the ever-present dangers for airmen even well away from combat, he has collated tales from comrades and combined them with his own to preserve some of the unexpected, inconvenient, dangerous, and often downright bizarre experiences that frequently typified daily life for airmen in the Second World War.

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Book SynopsisBrought to you by Penguin.Aiden Aslin joined the Ukrainian marines in 2018, compelled to defend his adopted homeland from the growing threat of Russian invasion. In February 2022, as Russia mounted a full-scale offensive, Aiden and his unit were stationed at the frontline at Mariupol.Pinned down at a Mariupol steelworks, after a month-long siege and running out of supplies, Aiden was part of the mass surrender of over a thousand Ukrainian troops, in April 2022. Then his real ordeal began.Singled out for his British passport, Aiden was interrogated, tortured, stabbed, turned into a propaganda zombie, tried by a kangaroo court and then sentenced to death. A victim of a catalogue of abuses of international law, Aiden struggled to cling on to any hope of survival. Certain that he was going to be executed, he was eventually freed in a prisoner exchange and permitted to return home.In Putin's Prisoner, Aiden will tell the full, harrowing story of his time fighting in Putin's war, of his six months in Russian captivity, and of his hardened resolve to defend the freedoms of the people of Ukraine.©2023 Aiden Aslin & John Sweeney (P)2023 Penguin AudioTrade ReviewA great read. An amazing story. * Jeremy Vine *Engaging and horrifying in equal measure. A powerful story and insight into modern war. * Soldier *Horrifying, heart-rending, inspiring. Five stars. * Army Rumour Service *Both a warning and a message of hope. Aslin survived to tell his story - and we should listen. * Irish Independent *An absolutely incredible book. * Rig Biz Podcast *

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Book SynopsisThe artist and writer Yevgenia Belorusets was in her hometown of Kyiv when Russia's invasion of Ukraine began on the morning of February 24, 2022. For her and millions of Ukrainians, reality changed overnight. She set out to document the war and its effects on the ordinary residents of the country: the relentless sound of sirens and gunfire; intense moments of connection and solidarity with strangers; the struggle to make sense of a good mood on a spring day. Published each day in German by the newspaper Der Spiegel and in English by ISOLARII, War Diary had an immediate impact worldwide. Issued here with a new preface and more recent entries by the author, it stands as a unique monument to the devastation and resilience of a city under siege.Trade Review'How do you remain an artist at such a moment of terror? One answer might come in the form of Belorusets's war diary which she began publishing as the invasion started and which has gained the appreciation of writers like Margaret Atwood and Miranda July' - Atlantic'The surreal circumstances Belorusets depicts, both in her writing and in the accompanying photographs, set against the drama of war are quietly disturbing. A compelling portrait of a nation under siege as well as the inspiring resilience of ordinary Ukrainians' - Kirkus Reviews

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Book SynopsisPaul Bruce was a tough, idealistic young trooper in the SAS when he was dispatched to Northern Ireland at the height of the troubles. His top secret mission was to execute IRA suspects in cold blood. Bruce and his SAS comrades shot down one terrified victim after another, leaving their bodies to be buried in deep, unmarked woodland graves. In this historic book, the author reveals where his victims lie secretly buried as well as chronicling the mental breakdown of crack SAS troops ordered to carry out the dirtiest job in a secret war.

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Book SynopsisAcclaimed author Andrey Kurkov gives powerful insight into life in Kyiv following the 2013 protests and before the 2022 Russian invasion.-16°C, sunlight, silence. I drove the children to school, then went to see the revolution. I walked between the tents. Talked with rev­olutionaries. They were weary today. The air was thick with the smell of old campfires. Ukraine Diaries is acclaimed writer Andrey Kurkov's first-hand account of the ongoing crisis in his country. From his flat in Kyiv, just five hundred yards from Independence Square, Kurkov can smell the burning barricades and hear the sounds of grenades and gunshot. Kurkov's diaries begin on the first day of the pro-European protests in November 2013, and describe the violent clashes in the Maidan, the impeachment of Yanukovych, Russia's annexation of Crimea and the separatist uprisings in the east of Ukraine. Going beyond the headlines, they give vivid insight into what it's like to live through - and try to make sense of - times of intense political unrest, on the path to the current crisis.Trade ReviewAndrey Kurkov's Ukraine Diaries offer a unique personal insight into one of the world's most complex trouble spots. The fact that Kurkov lives in the heart of Kiev, and the fact that he can write so well, give an eloquence and immediacy to his account of day to day life in the teeth of a crisis. This is history, with feeling -- Michael Palin[Kurkov writes] in the style of an informed but convivial flaneur, and his entries crackle with irony and humour -- Marcus Tanner * Independent *Controlled rage and wry wit, nicely captured in Sam Taylor’s translation… Kurkov’s diaries are valuable * The Economist *As his diaries make clear, real life has outstripped his blackly comic fiction for surreal detail, political cynicism and latent menace -- Ben Hoyle * The Times, Book of the week *The power...lies in the interweaving of the extraordinary and the mundane -- John Thornhill * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisJules Verne is the author of many classic, world-famous novels such as Around the World in 80 Days and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. In this brand-new translation of The Blockade Runners, Verne moves seamlessly between Scotland and the southern states of the US during the American Civil War. With the southern harbours effectively sealed by the North, Scottish industrialist James Playfair must run a daring Federalist blockade of a Charleston harbour in an effort to trade supplies for cotton and to rescue a young girl's father, held prisoner by the Confederates. As the blockade grows tighter, will Playfair risk all to save the man, or will he head back to Scotland in safety with his hold full of precious cotton? The Blockade Runners is a translation of Les Forceurs de Blocus (1871). As a novella, it was originally included along with A Floating City in the first English and French editions.Trade ReviewThe Blockade Runners is a superbly constructed novella. - IAN THOMPSONThe Blockade Runners belongs to the period when the inspiration of the author was growing in power. - CHRISTIAN ROBIN, Verne ScholarVerne's is a tale of love and honour that also manages to concern itself with the abolition of slavery, though with the lightest of touches. It rockets along, aided by Karen Loukes's clean-limbed translation. - THE GUARDIAN This lively work… cuts a steam-powered dash through the Atlantic waves. - THE GUARDIAN

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Book SynopsisThe RAF Halton Apprenticeship Scheme has a deserved reputation for excellence. The brainchild of MRAF Hugh Trenchard, the founder of the Royal Air Force, it took the ‘traditional’ idea of an apprenticeship and interpreted it in a novel way. It allowed teenage boys from any social background or geography to learn a technical trade that would equip them for their future lives, within and beyond the RAF. It also gave the best an opportunity to become pilots and break into the once public-school-dominated officer class. Of the 50,000 boys trained as apprentices, seventeen won the Sword of Honour at Cranwell, and more than 1,200 were commissioned with 110 achieving Air Rank. Eighteen have been knighted, with well over 1,000 others being honoured at various levels of state. More than a hundred Halton Boys served as pilots in the Battle of Britain (and many more as airframe/engine fitters and armourers), including the mercurial Don Finlay, the former Olympic hurdler. Others like Gerry Blacklock and Pat Connolly flew bombers on perilous missions over Western Europe or took part in the famous ‘Dams’ Raid. Then there were the three men murdered for their part in the Great Escape, and those who battled and survived years as prisoners of the Japanese in the Far East. In the jet era, ex-apprentice Graham Hulse became an ‘ace’ in Korea, serving with an American fighter squadron, and Mike Hines went on to become OC 617 Squadron after having first flown operations during the Suez crisis. Others like Charles Owen became a pioneer commercial jet pilot, and Peter Goodwin had the misfortune of being captured in the first Gulf War and used as a human shield. Some forged successful careers beyond the RAF, like Lawrie Haynes, who was on the main board at Rolls-Royce and is now chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, and Eugene Borysuik – one of the many Polish apprentices trained at Halton, who enjoyed a successful career at GEC. And there were many others beyond air and ground crew including policemen, government officials and even bishops whose careers started with the Halton family. This is the story of Halton told through and by the boys who were there and who are still proud to be called ‘Trenchard Brats’.

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times bestseller. A miraculous true-life Second World War survival story that is being featured on the BBC's ONE SHOW (The show attracts on average a daily audience of 5 million viewers) with a ten minute dramatised documentary to be broadcast in early October 2018. A Daily Mail true life story feature is in development. Further review and BBC radio coverage Trade Advertising to accompany the release `I could see that still no one had been able to get out from the cockpit. It must have been at this moment that I thought I was going to die because I became remarkably calm'. Trapped inside a burning Lancaster bomber, 20,000 feet above Berlin, airman John Martin consigned himself to his fate and turned his thoughts to his fiancee back home. In a miraculous turn of events, however, the twenty-one-year-old was thrown clear of his disintegrating airplane and found himself parachuting into the heart of Nazi Germany. He was soon to be captured and began his period as a prisoner of war. This engaging and compulsively readable true-life account of a Second World War airman, who cheated death in the sky, only to face interrogation and the prospect of being shot by the Gestapo, before having to endure months of hardship as a prisoner of war.

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