Author: Richard C. Smith
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1909166731
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 212
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Book Description
The author of Hornchurch Scramble continues the fascinating study of the RAF airfield and its pilots after the Battle of Britain in World War II. Volume Two of this account begins when Hornchurch was at the forefront in taking the fight to the enemy, being heavily involved in the Sweeps and Circuses of 1941. Next came the Dieppe raid in 1942 by which time Hornchurch was truly international with Czechs, Belgians, French and New Zealanders all flying from there. Action was continuous and famous characters abounded, people like Harry Broadhurst and Paddy Finucane, and as with the first book, the author is particularly adept at expressing their views, experiences and recollections. Other events during the war where the base was predominant include the audacious German Channel Dash, Operation “Starkey” with the Americans, forming Mobile Radar Units for D-Day, and countering the V-1 menace. Post-war it served as an Air Crew Selection Center, from 1948-1956, and thousands of people passed through, some famous like Max Bygraves and Norman Tebbit, who tell their stories. With numerous photographs from private collections, this second volume maintains the excellence of the first to give the complete history through the eyes of those who were there.
Author: Christina J.M. Goulter
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1135204543
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 406
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Book Description
The "forgotten offensive" of the title is RAF Coastal Command's offensive against German sea-trade between 1940 and 1945. The fortunes of the campaign are followed throughout the war, and its success is then evaluated in terms of the shipping sunk, and the impact on the German economy.
Author: G H Bennett
Publisher: Seaforth Publishing
ISBN: 1399077929
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 342
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Book Description
The War for England's Shores examines the Kriegsmarine's S-Boat offensive along the English Channel and the North Sea from 1940 to 1945, together with British and, later, Allied responses to nullify that threat. Very fast, and armed with torpedoes and mines, S-Boats posed a serious threat to the convoys that were forced to run close along the British coast on a daily basis. Despite the significance of this campaign and the real threat to the whole British war economy, it has been, until now, strangely overlooked by historians. Indeed, the book highlights issues around the maritime identity of those states and navies that see themselves in oceanic terms, at the expense of engagement with, and operations in, coastal waters. Using an array of archival materials from Britain, Germany and the USA, The War for England’s Shores examines why the Germans failed to make the most of this opportunity to disrupt British trade. G H Bennett analyzes how the British slowly countered the threat by embracing new technologies and developing a system of sea control that gradually forced the German S-Boat arm from the offensive against Britain's coastal convoys, and on to the defensive in the months leading up to the invasion of France. The author also looks at the S-Boat campaign along these convoy routes in the context of present-day interest in littoral warfare, so that the work has a vital and current appeal and offers significant and surprising insights. The book offers an unparalleled exploration of a key moment in the development of coastal warfare, and will appeal to historians and enthusiasts as well as defense analysts and naval personnel.
Author: Dilip Sarkar
Publisher: Air World
ISBN: 1399058002
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 357
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Book Description
In this unprecedented series exploring the big story of the Battle of Britain, renowned historian Dilip Sarkar investigates the wider context and intimate details of the epic aerial conflict in the summer of 1940 from all sides. In so doing, he gives due acknowledgement to the roles of Bomber and Coastal Commands in addition to the fabled Few of Fighter Command. This unique narrative draws upon a lifetime of research, the author having enjoyed a long relationship with survivors and the relatives of casualties; his innumerable interviews and first-hand accounts collated, in addition to privileged access to personal papers, providing essential human interest to this inspirational story. In this the fourth volume, Battle of Britain: Airfields Under Attack, Dilip continues to examine the fighting on a day-by-day, combat-by-combat basis from 19 August until 6 September 1940. It is a period in which we saw the Luftwaffe’s bombing of the all-important 11 Group airfields intensify, culminating in ‘The Hardest Day’ of 18 August 1940, which saw both sides lose more aircraft than any other day throughout the whole Battle of Britain. The tensions and problems between Fighter Command’s 11 and 12 Groups also intensified. It was a situation that eventually led to Squadron Leader Douglas Bader criticising Fighter Command tactics, proposing the use of ‘Big Wings’, contrary to the System of Air defense and strategy involved, gaining the support of his 12 Group commander, Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory. Given its later significance, this is investigated in depth. Through diligent research, combined with crucial official primary sources and personal papers, Dilip unravels many myths, often challenging the accepted narrative. This is not simply another dull record of combat losses and claims – far from it. Drawing upon unique first-hand accounts from a wide-range of combatants and eyewitnesses, along with Daily Home Intelligence Reports and numerous other primary sources, this book forms part of what is likely to be the first and last such comprehensively woven account of this epic air battle.
Author: Peter Jacobs
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1473811775
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 224
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Book Description
As part of the Aviation Heritage Trail series, the airfields and interest in this book are concentrated in a particular area—in this case Kent, Surrey, East Sussex, Essex and Greater London. The South east of England emerged from six years of war with a rich diversity of RAF bomber and fighter airfields used by the 2nd Tactical Air Force, both before and after the D-Day landings. Much of this proud legacy is now threatening to disappear. However, the tourist can combine visits to an abundance of disused and active airfields, country houses and museums with countless attractions, imaginative locations and broadland and coastal hideaways that have no equal.The airfields and other places of interest include Northolt, Manston, Sculthorp, Dunsfold, Swanton Morley, Hunsdon, Gravesend, Detling, Biggin Hill, Kenley, Redhill, Gatwick, Heston, Hornchurch, Chailey, Coolham, Horne, West Malling and Newchurch.This book looks at the history and personalities associated with each base, what remains today and explores the favourite local wartime haunts where aircrew and ground crew would have sought well-deserved entertainment and relaxation. Other museums and places that are relevant will also be described and general directions on how to get them included.
Author: Dilip Sarkar
Publisher: Air World
ISBN: 1399057936
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 243
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Book Description
In this unprecedented series exploring the big story of the Battle of Britain, renowned historian Dilip Sarkar investigates the wider context and intimate details of the epic aerial conflict in the summer of 1940 from all sides. In so doing, he gives due acknowledgement to the roles of Bomber and Coastal Commands in addition to the fabled Few of Fighter Command. This unique narrative draws upon a lifetime of research, the author having enjoyed a long relationship with survivors and the relatives of casualties; his innumerable interviews and first-hand accounts collated, in addition to privileged access to personal papers, providing essential human interest to this inspirational story. In this the third volume, Battle of Britain: Attack of the Eagles, Dilip continues to examine the fighting on a day-by-day, combat-by-combat basis between 13 and 18 August 1940. This period began on ‘Eagle Day’ and the start of the Luftwaffe’s ‘Eagle Attack’ on Fighter Command. This period of intense fighting saw the defeat of the much-vaunted Stuka dive-bomber and the great attack on north-east England on 15 August 1940. It was during the aerial combats the following day that Flight Lieutenant James Brindley Nicolson’s Victoria Cross winning action took place over Southampton. All of these actions, and many others, are critically analyzed. Through diligent research, combined with crucial official primary sources and personal papers, Dilip unravels many myths, often challenging the accepted narrative. This is not simply another dull record of combat losses and claims – far from it. Drawing upon unique first-hand accounts from a wide-range of combatants and eyewitnesses, along with Daily Home Intelligence Reports and numerous other primary sources, this book forms part of what is likely to be the first and last such comprehensively woven account of this epic air battle.
Author: Douglas C. Dildy
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1472820584
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 92
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Book Description
In August 1940, the Luftwaffe began an operation to destroy or neutralize RAF Fighter Command, and enable Hitler to invade Britain that autumn. It was a new type of air warfare: the first ever offensive counter-air campaign against an integrated air defence system. Powerful, combat-proven and previously all-conquering, the German air force had the means to win the Battle of Britain. Yet it did not. This book is an original, rigorous campaign study of the Luftwaffe's Operation Adlerangriff, researched in Germany's World War II archives and using the most accurate data available. Doug Dildy explains the capabilities of both sides, sets the campaign in context, and argues persuasively that it was the Luftwaffe's own mistakes and failures that led to its defeat, and kept alive the Allies' chance to ultimately defeat Nazi Germany.
Author: Donald Caldwell
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 0811710777
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 370
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Book Description
*Day-by-day account of a German fighter squadron, one of only two Luftwaffe units to spend the entire war in the West *Covers the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, the Dieppe raid, and more *JG 26 was known as "The Abbeville Boys" and seen by the Allies as an elite squadron *Unit flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s AUTHOR: Donald Caldwell has spent more than twenty -five years researching aviation history. ILLUSTRATIONS: 75 b/w photographs
Author: Donald Caldwell
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 1461751209
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 355
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Book Description
Day-by-day account of a German fighter squadron, one of only two Luftwaffe units to spend the entire war in the West Covers the Battle of France, the Battle of Britain, the Dieppe raid, and more JG 26 was known as "The Abbeville Boys" and seen by the Allies as an elite squadron Unit flew Messerschmitt Bf 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s
Author: Alistair MacLean
Publisher: Popular Culture Ink
ISBN: 9780831744496
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 360
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Book Description
Table of contents: Fair stood the wind for France / H.E. Bates -- How Brigadier Gerard won his medal / Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- The Invaders (from The Last enemy) / Richard Hillary -- The War of the worlds / H.G. Wells -- All quiet on the western front / Erich Maria Remarque -- The Battle of Borodino (from War and peace) / Leo Tolstoy -- Catch 22 / Joseph Heller -- Buller's guns / Richard Hough -- Arctic convoy (from H.M.S. Ulysses) / Alistair MacLean -- The Red badge of courage / Stephen Crane -- Escape from Colditz (from They have their exits) / Airey Neave -- Goodbye to all that / Robert Graves -- The Moon's a balloon / David Niven -- The Warrior's soul / Joseph Conrad. (cont) -- Fly for your life / Larry Forrester -- The Naked and the dead / Norman Mailer -- The Reason why / Cecil Woodham Smith -- The Affair at Coulter's Notch / Ambrose Bierce -- The Fort at Zinderneuf (from Beau Geste) / P.C. Wren -- The Cruel sea / Nicholas Monsarrat -- Waterloo (from Vanity fair / W.M. Thackeray -- Enemy coast ahead / Guy Gibson V.C. -- Into battle (from Her privates we) / Frederic Manning -- Acknowledgements.
