Five of the Few: Survivors of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz Tell Their Story (Signed)

Darlow, Steve

ISBN 10: 1904943586 / ISBN 13: 9781904943587

Edité par Grub Street, London, UK, 2009

A propos de cet article

First edition, second printing. 254pp, central section of black and white photographic plates. Blue cloth-covered boards, silver titles on spine. 8vo. Lightly bumped spine ends and top front corner. Signed by author on title page. Internally neat, clean, bright and tight. Dust jacket has some shelf wear, light chipping to edges, mirrors book damage, price unclipped. The pilots relate personal stories that have never before been published, talking engagingly of their service life, combats, losses, injuries, friendships and fears.

N° de réf. du vendeur 009719

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Five of the Few: Survivors of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz Tell Their Story (Signed)
• Éditeur: Grub Street, London, UK
• Date de parution: 2009
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 1904943586
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9781904943587
• Reliure: Hardcover
• Illustrateur: Callaway, Tim
• Édition: 1st Edition.
• Impression: 2nd Impression
• État de l'article: Very Good
• État de la jaquette: Very Good
• Signé: Signé par l'auteur
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • War, Military History and Weapons

A propos de ce titre

Synopsis

Churchill's 'Few' will forever be remembered by history as men who thwarted the seemingly invincible German war machine, when all seemed lost. They countered the full force of the Luftwaffe in the daylight battles during the summer of 1940, and in the night skies of the winter and spring of 1940/41. They were at the time, and still are, perceived as knights of the air, as our heroes. Now, five distinguished RAF airmen, four pilots and one radar operator/navigator, who fought that air battle during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, have recounted their experiences in detail to author Steve Darlow. Their stories have never before been published, and they talk engagingly of their service life, combats, losses, injuries, friendships and fears - flying Spitfires, Hurricanes, Blenheims, Beaufighters and Havocs. One pilot tells of the time he fell victim to the enemy - 'My Spitfire stopped being a flying machine, it became a lump of metal. I was going down with it and I couldn't get out. I broke the seat by standing on it. The pressure throwing me into the bottom was terrific...' A Beaufighter radar operator remembers being involved in shooting down a German aircraft - 'He took a vertical dive, struck the ground and exploded with a shower of incendiaries. I felt like a child with a new toy. I had at last proved myself but for some reason I suddenly felt a little sad.' But Five of the Few is not just about the experiences of these men during 1940/41. They would also distinguish themselves in subsequent air campaigns - night defence of the UK, offensive operations over the continent and support to D-Day and beyond. In between the aerial combats and ground attack operations, promotions, decorations and command responsibilities would come their way. But not all would make it through safely to the end of the war. One would end up behind barbed wire. Collectively "Five of the Few" is a war story of youth maturing, through aspiration and idealism, courage and bravado, fear and heroism, memory and reflection. It is a reminder of why so much was owed, and still is, by so many to so few.