Product Description

Drawing material from the Imperial War Museum's extensive aural archive, Joshua Levine brings together voices from both sides of the Blitz and the Battle of Britain to give us a unique, complete and compelling picture of this turbulent time. In June 1940, British citizens prepared for an imminent German onslaught. Hitler's troops had overrun Holland, Belgium and France in quick succession, and the British people anticipated an invasion would soon be upon them. From July to October, they watched the Battle of Britain play out in the skies above them, aware that the result would decide their fate. Over the next nine months, the Blitz killed more than 43,000 civilians. For a year, the citizens of Britain were effectively front-line soldiers in a battle which united the country against a hated enemy. We hear from the soldiers, airmen, fire-fighters, air-raid wardens and civilians, people in the air and on the ground, on both sides of the battle, giving us a thrilling account of Britain under siege. With first-hand testimonies from those involved in Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain, Black Saturday on 7th September 1940 when the Luftwaffe began the Blitz, to its climax on the 10th May 1941, this is the definitive oral history of a period when Britain came closer to being overwhelmed by the enemy than at any other time in modern history.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12091 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

From the Publisher
Dunkirk and the Threat of Invasion.
Part One of a landmark oral history - narrated by Simon MacCorkindale

From the Back Cover
Joshua Levine has delved deep into the Imperial War Museum Sound Archive to unearth previously unpublished accounts of an extraordinary period of history – the Blitz and the Battle for Britain. We hear first-hand testimonies from the soldiers, airmen, fire-fighters, air raid wardens and civilians, people in the air and on the ground, giving us a thrilling account of Britain under siege.

DUNKIRK AND THE THREAT OF INVASION

On the day that Winston Churchill replaced Neville Chamberlain as Prime Minister, Germany invaded Holland and Belgium. Despite all the efforts of the Allied armies, Hitler’s powerful Panzer divisions smashed their way through to the French coast. For the retreating British Expeditionary Force, Dunkirk was the only practical point of departure, and on May 26th the order for total evacuation – Operation Dynamo – was given. Over succeeding days the ‘miracle’ of Dunkirk took place, and almost half a million troops were rescued from the beaches. Meanwhile in Britain belated preparations were going on for the expected invasion – the Battle for Britain had begun.

About the Author
Joshua Levine practised as a barrister for several years before becoming an actor and writer. His plays have been performed on the London stage and on BBC Radio 4, and he has scripted a television documentary about eighteenth-century London for BBC2. He was the primary researcher for Forgotten Voices of the Great War and Forgotten Voices of the Second World War. This is his first book.

Customer Reviews

Forgotten Voices - Essential Reading
This volume in the Forgotten Voices series is just excellent (aren't they all ?). The book starts off with recollections of the Dunkirk evacuation (the contempt the RAF were held in by the army after events in France,is evident !)& the subsequent threat of Nazi invasion,as Hitler planned Operation Sealion.Then we arrive at the Battle of Britain & finally accounts of the Blitz.
There are, as ever with these books, some very moving testimonies (the stories related by those who witnessed death, injury & destruction during the bombings of London & Coventry,are particularly emotional)
The recollections of the pilots from both sides involved in the Battle Of Britain is fascinating,engrossing & enthralling (there but for the grace of God & all that).
As ever, I marvel at the courage, dedication,selflessness & sacrifice that are evident in the pages of these books. This does not paper over the "darker" side of the "Blitz spirit" - there are stories which touch on theft, black marketeering & assaults on women but what does shine through is the fact that in the majority of cases the British people seemed to exhibit quite frankly, unbelievable spirit & bravery in the face of huge, almost unimaginable (for later generations),unfathomable adversity.
All in all, a marvellous slice of British wartime history - a must.

With a pinch of salt
At the heading to one chapter an anonymous contributor states that a woman on seeing incendiaries falling over London, puts up her umbrella and goes out 'singing in the rain'. As 'singing in the rain' was made in 1952, it quite probably isn't true! I also don't believe the one about the RAF pilot being killed by farm workers who wouldn't accept he was British. he only had to tell them to where to go, so to speak.

Perhaps memories are becoming a little fuzzy with time.

My Dad really enjoyed this book
I bought this book for my dad. He had already read one of the others and wanted this one. From what he's told me he enjoyed it a lot.