Just finished a couple from the haul I got at the airshow over the weekend: Escape Fever - Harding - WRONG WAR ALERT - Superb account from an FE2B Observer about his capture and subsequent escape from a POW camp in 1917. Real Boys Own stuff, thoroughly enjoyable. Airmen Anonymous - Trevor Holman - More a short booklet really about the authors experiences as a groundcrew wireless technician, servicing Halifax IIIs and Lancasters of 35 Pathfinder squadron. Nice to shine a bit of light on the unsung people behind Bomber Command but obviously not the most exciting of memoirs. PM me if anybody wants this one as it's headed for a charity shop otherwise.
Just finished "The Thames at War" Saving London from the Blitz by Gustav Milne, about the organization that worked to save London from the posibility of flooding if the Luftwaffe had managed to seriously damage the Thames flood defences. Very interesting
Wrong war again, but just finished Night Raiders of the Air - AR Kingsford. He was night bombing pilot with 100 squadron during the final year of the war. Plenty of graphic descriptions including being torpedoed and sunk on a troop ship not long after he'd signed up. Usual derring do type memoir, but also plenty of lines about the horrendous casualty rates including those who cracked under the strain.
Finished Corps Commander by Horrocks. To be honest, I was disappointed by it. I was hoping for more of Horrocks' actions and personal experience, even as a general, rather than yet another telling of the war in Northwest Europe. I was interested to see that he criticized Montgomery a few times, but for instance did not do so to Lt General Gavin. At the time of writing I think Monty must still have been alive, though it was released a year after his death. Gavin was still alive.
Just finished this. Very highly recommended Sgt Pilot POW account. Derek went through a hell of a lot in his four years of captivity, escaping from a train, being sent to a labour camp, escaping again, surviving the brutal forced run to Stalag VI towards the end of the war and finally slipping off during the final forced march. An essential book for the POW aficionados amongst us.
I’ve read this one, I remember enjoying it. Peter Bull was the bloke laughing his head off in the background of Dr Strangelove during one of Sellers monologues.
I'm reading Middlebrooks book in conjunction with Vol. 14 of the Official German History of WW1: "Der Weltkrieg 1914 bis 1918. Die militärischen Operationen zu Lande. 14,1 Die Kriegführung an der Westfront im Jahre 1918" . Digital copies of this series are available over here: Der Weltkrieg 1914 bis 1918
I read this some years ago. I remember when he was called up to the navy he says he said goodbye to his civilian clothes, only to say hello to them later as the navy didn't have a uniform to fit him!
Well, despite being partway through some other books, it looks like the next thing I'm reading is my dad's copy of The Cruel Sea.
Read a few books from Bruhn now. He does a very workmanlike job of covering aspects of naval warfare often ignored. His two books on minelayers are personal favourites. This one looks up to his usual good work.