Product Description

Throughout the Second World War, thousands found themselves cut off behind the lines in Nazi occupied Europe - soldiers were left stranded on beaches after the chaotic evacuation of Dunkirk, airmen flying operations against the Germans were blasted out of the sky by flak and fighters. They were alone and on the run in enemy territory with just one goal - to get back to Britain and to safety. Some made solitary treks through hundreds of miles of enemy territory, others attempted precarious sea crossings in stolen boats. Many placed their lives in the hands of brave civilians who risked the wrath of a brutal regime if they dared to offer assistance. Life for the evaders hung in the balance and if they were to survive they had to rely on guile and sheer luck. John Nichol and Tony Rennell tell the dramatic story of the heroes who made it home ... and those who did not.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16244 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 544 pages

Review
Such humanity …a proficient and sensitive account of the best and worst of human behaviour under unbearable pressure (The Telegraph )

Gripping, moving and thoughtful. The excellent team of Nichol and Rennell have done it again (Fighter Boys )

Andy McNab, author of Bravo Two Zero
'A riveting and revealing account of World War II bravery . . . I
loved it'

Saturday Telegraph
`Such humanity . . . a proficient and sensitive account of the
best and worst of human behaviour under unbearable pressure'

Customer Reviews

A superb book!
If you are interested in the Second World War, then I promise you that here is one title you will not want to miss!

This exciting and often very moving volume provides the reader with hours of excellent reading and a fascinating insight into the world of escape and evasion in wartime Europe, where no less than a quarter of a million allied soldiers, sailors and airmen found themselves in captivity following failing to be evacuation at Dunkirk or after being shot down during bombing raids over enemy held territory. Amazingly between 3000 and 5000 of these men actually managed to avoid capture, remained free and many remarkably made it back to Britain to "fight another day" too. This is their story!

John Nichol - one of the co-authors of this excellent book, is no stranger to being on the run in enemy territory - whilst serving as a member of the crew of a RAF Tornado during the First Gulf War, he was "shot down", subsequently captured and became a Prisoner of War, therefore he is able to relate to those brave men of sixty years ago and is suitably qualified to co-write this volume.
Pain-staking research, wading through massive amounts of archive material together with the collation of many eye witness accounts has resulted in a publication that not only explains how allied servicemen found themselves behind enemy lines in the first-place, but continues to cover tales of sheer determination and cunning evasion also. It recalls acts of extraordinary heroism amongst the ordinary men, women and sometimes the children of occupied France, Belgium and Holland, who risked their lives and those of their families and friends in operating safe houses and setting up escape routes to bring our boys back to safety. Not all escapes were successful or without cost however, as the book also proves by providing the reader with rare first hand accounts of torture and interrogation and life in the gaols and concentration camps of the notorious Gestapo and their Nazi colleagues.
This engrossing volume provides a unique insight into a very different aspect of the war. It is without a doubt a must for researchers and enthusiasts bookshelves and is exceptional value at only twenty pounds .

A Rollercoaster ride!
I am not one who normally undertakes writing a review, but having read this book I felt compelled to put 'pen to paper'. The book describes how allied servicemen caught in occupied Europe during the Second World War turned evader in trying to return to England, in short scoring a 'home run' against the Germans and their allies.

The book is compelling, riveting and your emotions sway at the turn of each page. You will undergo the exhilaration and relief of the service men evading capture and 'experience',through eyewitness statements the tension and fear of those who helped the evaders home. The testimonies in this book are as raw sixty-five years on as if they had been written in the immediate aftermath of the war. As a generation we forget that some service personnel and their civillian helpers are still living the hell that was the Second World War. This book reminds us of that and serves as a tribute to their unstinting courage and fortitude in the face of adversity which included incarceration in the concentration camps.

Unquestionably one of the best books I have ever read. Insomniacs be prepared for more sleepless nights if you read this book at bedtime!

Good exploration of the escape system
Following the recent genre of retelling history through the words and recollections of those who were there, this book adds further quality information to the WW2 researcher and particularly to the battlefield professional. It carefully examines the aftermath of battle in the air for the large number of allied aircrew who were taken prisoner and who made the courageous decision to escape. How they evaded capture and for many how they eventually made it back to Britain is skilfully examined. It is not a list of the escapes or a reference book but it adds colour and personal detail to the escapers and how they survived. Also how their `helpers' in occupied Europe risked all to assist them. A very readable book in a narrative style with pace and drama.


Mike McCarthy
Editor, "The Battle Guide"
Guild of Battlefield Guides