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On the night of 19/20 September 1944, a force of 227 Avro Lancasters and ten de Havilland Mosquitoes was dispatched to attack the German towns of Mönchengladbach and Rheydt. The Master Bomber for the raid was none other than Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar. Along with his navigator, Squadron Leader James Warwick DFC, Gibson was flying Mosquito KB627 of 627 Squadron from RAF Coningsby, where he was serving as the Base Operations Officer.By this stage of the Second World War, Gibson was arguably one of the most famous of all the Allied aviators. Aged just 26, few in the country, if not across the Allied world as a whole, would not have heard his name or seen a picture of his face. It was his leadership of the daring Dambusters Raid, Operation Chastise, in May 1944 that firmly propelled him into the public's eye - and ultimately led to his award of the Victoria Cross.Gibson need not have been flying that fateful night. Following his involvement in the attack on the Ruhr dams, and a subsequent goodwill lecture tour of the United States, Gibson, a veteran of 170 or more operational sorties, would have been entitled to a less front-line role. Churchill, for example, had hoped that Gibson would stand for election as a Member of Parliament. Gibson, however, was soon agitating a return to flying duties - resulting in his participation in the attack on Mönchengladbach and Rheydt.The raid was a success. Throughout the operation, Gibson's instructions over the target were easily heard and gave no hint of impending trouble. It was during the return leg that something went wrong. At around 22.30 hours on the 19th, Gibson's Mosquito slammed into the ground at Steenbergen in the Netherlands; both men on board were killed.Witnesses on the ground reported hearing an aircraft flying low, observing that its cockpit was illuminated, and then, seconds later, the violent sight and sounds of its final moments. The cause of the crash has been the subject of intense speculation ever since. Had Gibson and Warwick fallen to the guns of a German night fighter, or, tragically, 'friendly fire' from an Allied bomber? Was it mechanical failure or possibly pilot error that had led to the disaster?Like the disappearance of Glenn Miller or Rudolf Hess' flight to Britain, the death of Guy Gibson VC, one of Britain's greatest wartime heroes, is among the Second World War's most intriguing mysteries. How could one of the RAF's most experienced pilots have simply fallen from the sky over Occupied Europe without explanation. In The Death of Guy Gibson the author sets out answer that very question.

The Royal Naval Commandos had one of the most dangerous and important tasks of any unit in World War II - they were first onto the invasion beaches and they were the last to leave. The Commandos remarkable story - from their early formation and their training to the invasions they spearheaded - is told through a series of brilliantly linked anecdotes. Each tale is one of extraordinary courage and should ensure the legacy of the Commandos is not forgotten. Beachhead Assault includes a Foreword by Man and Boy author Tony Parsons, whose father was a Royal Naval Commando who fought at Elba. It also contains a preface by Ken Oakley, Chairman of the Royal Naval Commando Association.

A fun and inspirational children's story about the young Harry Houdini's attempts to walk the tightrope.

Investigates and describes the experience of the ordinary Roman soldier from recruitment through every aspect of his career with the legions.

This book explores the true story of the preparation, implementation, and consequences of the U-2 reconnaissance flights over the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and Cuba between 1956 and 1962.

A new history of British Rail Engineering Limited (BREL), one of Britain's biggest and shortest lived engineering companies.

Find out about the children's games produced as wartime propaganda.

Examines Wellington's campaign of 1811 in the Peninsular War.

An unusual autobiography of one man's wartime service as a member of RAF groundcrew.

An intimate perspective on war and leadership, blending historical analysis with personal insights and human stories from the front lines.The events are set out not just from a high command perspective but from grass-roots, with all the human suffering, trauma, compassion and even survival. There is real compassion and human understanding, especially in Bosnia, with sufferings of all sides.The writing is attractive and very readable, modest, self-effacing, honest, with hints of P G Wodehouse(!), and intimate. Readers will feel involved and brought into author's confidence - and this is a gift of good authorship.There are deep and important themes apart from immediate policy and action, notably the nature of war and warfare as a fundamental human condition, the real-life horror of war, and self-sacrifice. And examination of leadership is very impressive, with the trust which is vital to success. A chapter on 'surprise' in political and military history is fascinating for historians. Technology is a vital theme and covered for the lay reader to grasp and even cyber technology. The chapters on relations with other arms, government bodies including the MOD and distinguished colleagues, and all ranks, are highly informative and reveal what to some is a secret world.

Discover the realities of Victorian England that informed the famous Dickens characters.

The Mysterious Death of Katherine Parr dives into the calamitous and tumultuous events leading up to the last hours of a once powerful queen and the bizarre happenings that followed her passing.

Deeply research unit history of one of Canada's premier armoured regiments in World War Two.

The career of this leading Nazi is admirably described here in words and copious images.

Gabriele Esposito discusses these remarkable warriors of the steppes, analysing what made them such formidable opponents to their neighbours over the centuries.

The first book devoted exclusively to exploring the development and use of aircraft designed specifically for high-altitude operations in WW2.

A Dictionary of True Crime is a guide to the most compelling cases of extreme and violent crime in the writing files, from the 17th century to present day.

Details the growth of the British Fascist movements in the 1920s.

The Combat History of the 17th SS Panzer Grenadier Division Gotz von Berlichingen.

Unparalleled research on the most elite military formation in the German war machine.

Step back in time to visit, and survive, this most popular era in English history.

"On Hanukkah, Uncle Haim the carpenter made Gil and Nurit a wooden dreidel. This was no ordinary dreidel."It is Hanukkah, and brother and sister Gil and Nurit have just been given a wooden dreidel; a special one, made just for them by their uncle. The children soon discover just how special this dreidel really is when they uncover its secret, hidden compartment.Gil and Nurit discuss which of their own things they should hide inside. Gil then decides that he will take the dreidel to his school Hanukkah party and offer a prize to the person with the best idea. But as he prepares to leave, the dreidel is nowhere to be found. When he fetches his jacket in the closet, however, he is met with a great surprise!The Extraordinary Dreidel is a light-hearted, family-focused story for children that will educate them about the traditions of Hanukkah and their place within the holiday. Aviel Basil's colorful, eye-catching illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this enjoyable, meaningful tale.

Between the Oder and the Elbe, the first of two volumes exploring the Battle for Berlin, examines the last months of the Third Reich and the defense of Berlin. It describes in detail the German attempts to stem the Soviet tide at the Oder River and the Russian drive on Germany's capital and Hitler's increasingly frantic and delusional efforts to halt the onslaught of the Red Army. Streams of German soldiers and civilians desperately tried to flee the city before it was surrounded. Their fate if captured by the Russians was too horrible to imagine.This account mixes the descriptions of the overall military situation with many personal accounts of small unit actions. The desperation, fear and resolve of the soldiers often turned to admirable feats of bravery as well as acts of cowardice and brutality. Hope for a last minute alliance with the Western Powers encouraged the Germans to defend to the limit of human endurance. Ultimately, the dashing of such an alliance and the possibility of capture by the Soviets drove many soldiers and civilians to suicide. The reader has the opportunity here to relive the last days of the Third Reich, as seen through the eyes of the German soldiers and the foreign volunteers who fought before and in Berlin. In one of the ironic incidents of the war, as German soldiers were trying to bypass Berlin to the north, a force of French Waffen-SS troops was trying to enter the city to defend it!

A unique, educational tale for young children, telling the story of the creation of the world.

Teaches children gratitude and acceptance for the little things in life.

This is the story of how the various Saxon kingdoms were forced by circumstances to unite - effectively becoming England.

Authentic, dramatically realistic, showing the tragedy of a generation thrown into a hopeless battle. A priceless treasure against which other memoirs pale in comparison. Lech Dzikiewicz