Is Book Accurate?

Discussion in 'Books, Films, TV, Radio' started by Arberist, Dec 26, 2013.

  1. Arberist

    Arberist Junior Member

    I am at present reading, "The Real Dad's Army".The War Diaries of Col. Rodney Foster.
    In it it is claimed Hitler tried to invade England and lost 70,000 troops in the channel? Is this accurate? Properganda? Hear say?
    Also mentioned is the "fact" that England sent balloons to Germany from the British south coast which released bombs over Berlin? Again, first I have heard of it, though I have read the Japanese did something similar to the USA.

    Any thoughts please?
     
  2. belasar

    belasar Junior Member

    I looked it up on Amazon and there is a book with that title, but without the subtitle.

    As to its two 'facts' the first is completely bogus. The second might have been one of Churchill's '50 brilliant ideas, of which 5 might have been practical'. I have never heard of any actual operational use of balloons to drop bombs on Germany.

    Either this is someone's idea of a joke or very bad history.
     
  3. Rich Payne

    Rich Payne Rivet Counter Patron 1940 Obsessive

    Barrage balloons used to break lose regularly. Heaven knows where they all came down ! They weren't armed though... :)
     
  4. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    I have read this book - it claims to be an actual diary and seems reasonably accurate in many respects. The balloons bombing occupied Europe has been covered in Britain at War magazine so would seem to be true. As far as the German invasion "claim" is concerned - I seem to recall that this was a record of rumours that were circulating at the time rather than a statement of fact.
    Noel
     
  5. redtop

    redtop Well-Known Member

    Copy and Paste from Wiki

    During August the corpses of about forty German soldiers were washed up at scattered points along the coast between the Isle of Wight and Cornwall. The Germans had been practising embarkations in the barges along the French coast. Some of these barges put out to sea in order to escape British bombing and were sunk, either by bombing or bad weather. This was the source of a widespread rumour that the Germans had attempted an invasion and had suffered very heavy losses either by drowning or by being burnt in patches of sea covered with flaming oil. We took no steps to contradict such tales, which spread freely through the occupied countries in a wildly exaggerated form and gave much encouragement to the oppressed populations.

    – Winston Churchill
     
  6. Arberist

    Arberist Junior Member

    Many thanks for the replies.
    I thought the ballon story sounded similar to tales of spies being dropped in enemy terrotory during The Great War, although had read of Japan using balloons to bomb USA during The Second World War.
    Great result, it is informative to know the source of the invasion rumour.
     
  7. PsyWar.Org

    PsyWar.Org Archive monkey

    There was the RAF's 'M' Balloon Unit which operated from Walmer in Kent. However, the balloons did not drop bombs but propaganda leaflets.
    A rather dull history of their activities here: http://www.psywar.org/pdf_mballoon.pdf

    For more on the invasion that never was: http://www.psywar.org/sibs.php

    The Col. doesn't mention dropping wooden bombs on fake airfields does he?

    Lee
     
  8. Elefant

    Elefant Junior Member

    Good find redtop
     
  9. Arberist

    Arberist Junior Member

    Excellent links. Thank you.
     
  10. Noel Burgess

    Noel Burgess Senior Member

    Hope members don't mind me resurrecting this thread - because I have found the "Britain at War" article about the offensive use of balloons:
    In September 1940 quite a number of Barrage Balloons broke loose in storms - these flew over Denmark & Sweden and the trailing cables caused damage to overhead electric cables. A weapon was developed but the Air Ministry was not interested so it was (as is so often the case)taken up by the Royal Navy - specifically the Boom Defence Service.
    2 types of balloon were used; spherical balloons of 6.5ft and 10ft diameter; roughly half of the balloons released relied purely on trailing a steel cable to interfere with power cables, the other half also included some form of incendiary or explosive device. Balloon releases started in March 1942 and ended in September 1944 during which time 99,142 balloons were released and the article suggests that regular disruptions to high voltage electric supply were caused in Germany and occupied countries.
    Noel
     
  11. Mark Hone

    Mark Hone Senior Member

    The '70,000' dead in the channel is presumably a reference to the persistent legend that the Germans attempted an invasion or raid on the East Anglian Coast near the secret British base at Shingle Street but were beaten off by the sea being set alight. This legend, which appears to have no basis in fact, has been covered in one or two previous threads on this forum.
     

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