Download or read book Croydon Airport and the battle for Britain 1939 1940 written by and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 166 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A History of Croydon Airport Croydon Airport and the battle for Britain 1939 1940 written by Bob Learmonth and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Battle of Britain 1940 written by Dilip Sarkar and published by Air World. This book was released on 2020-05-30 with total page 599 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Affectingly written . . . a bittersweet memorial to the unheralded casualties of 1940 and their loved ones.” —Michigan War Studies Review The summer of 1940 remains a pivotal moment in modern British history that still inspires immense national pride and a global fascination. The Fall of France was catastrophic. Britain stood alone and within range of German air attack. America, with its vast resources, was neutral, Hitler’s forces unbeaten, the outlook for Britain bleak. As Winston Churchill rightly predicted, “The Battle of Britain is about to begin.” Famously, Churchill mobilized the English language, emboldening the nation with rousing rhetoric. In this darkest of hours, Churchill told the people that this was, in fact, their “Finest Hour,” a time of unprecedented courage and defiance. Connecting the crucial battle with Shakespeare’s heroic Henry V and Agincourt, Churchill also immortalized Fighter Command’s young aircrew as the “Few”—to whom so many owed everything. The Few comprised nearly 3,000 aircrew, 544 of which gave their lives during the Battle of Britain’s sixteen weeks of high drama. Arguably, however, the fighting went on both before and after the official dates of the battle, and many, including civilians, seamen, and ground staff, gave their lives whose names are not included among the Few, a fact not overlooked in this groundbreaking book. In this unique study, veteran historian Dilip Sarkar explores the individual stories of a wide selection of those lost during the “Finest Hour,” examining their all-too-brief lives and sharing their tragic stories, told here in full for the first time. Also included is the story of a German fighter pilot, indicating the breadth of investigation involved. Researched with the full cooperation of the families concerned, this work is a crucial contribution to the Battle of Britain’s bibliography.
Download or read book RAF and USAAF Airfields in the UK During the Second World War written by Geoff Mills and published by Fonthill Media. This book was released on 2022-03-31 with total page 1069 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Shortly after the end of the Second World War, the United Kingdom was described as one vast aircraft carrier anchored off the coast of Europe. During a seven year period 500 airfields were constructed to serve the needs first of the RAF and later the USAAF as they carried the war to German-occupied Europe. The airfields that were constructed took many different forms from training airfields and Advanced Landing Grounds to grass fighter airstrips and vast complexes used to accommodate heavy bombers. This book charts the history of each Second World War airfield in and around the UK providing a unique insight in to the construction, operational life and post-war history of each airfield. Alongside detailing the history of each airfield, this work comprehensively records the details of each unit that operated from airfields around the UK. The information provided in this meticulously researched book is supported by a wealth of 690 photographs providing an illustration into the life of each wartime station.
Download or read book Britain and World War II September 1939 December 1940 written by and published by . This book was released on 1945 with total page 24 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Croydon Airport written by Mike Hooks and published by History Press. This book was released on 2002-10 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Croydon Airport, opened as a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome in 1916, had a short but important history before closing in 1959 after being replaced by Heathrow as London's main airport. One of Europe's most important airports in the inter-war period, Croydon witnessed the development of air transport from converted military aeroplanes through to the de Havilland Albatross and H.P. 42 airliners that were in services at the start of the Second World War. Private flying also took off in the inter-war period, initially using RAF-surplus types like the Avro 504K. These were gradually replaced by new designs for club and private use from manufacturers such as de Havilland, Miles, Percival and several smaller companies. Pleasure flying came to an end in 1939 but was resumed again in 1945. Within the pages of Croydon Airport - The peaceful Years are almost 300 images showing the wide variety of aircraft to use the airport in its peacetime periods.
Download or read book Letters from the Few written by Dilip Sarkar and published by Air World. This book was released on 2020-08-30 with total page 483 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fascinated by the Battle of Britain from an early age, as a young man Dilip Sarkar realized that recording and sharing the Few’s memories was of paramount importance. At the time, back in the mid-1980s, membership of the Battle of Britain Fighter Association was well populated and the then Honorary Secretary, the now late Wing Commander Pat Hancock DFC, OBE, supported Dilip’s research by forwarding letters to individual pilots of interest. Those members of the Few included a wide-range of personalities, from famous airmen like Group Captain Peter Townsend and Air Marshal Sir Denis Crowley-Milling, to the ‘also rans’, as Battle of Britain Hurricane pilot Peter Fox famously described himself and peers. Indeed, it was Peter’s ‘also rans’ that were of the greatest interest to Dilip, who recognized that whilst many famous and distinguished pilots had either published personal memoirs or had biographies written about them, lesser-lights had no platform to record and share their experiences. This Dilip became dedicated to resolving. For many years, Dilip enjoyed prolific correspondence with the Few. These letters – hundreds of them – now represent a unique primary source, confirming the incredibly close relationship the author enjoyed with his heroes and high esteem in which they likewise held him. Over the years, Dilip’s published work has enormously benefited from his unique knowledge of the people involved through this very personal association, the memories collated providing his books a real ‘human’ touch. As the Few sadly fade away, it is only now that the significance of Dilip’s correspondence, industry and archive arising are becoming truly apparent. In Letters From The Few, Dilip shares with us, for the first time, a small selection of his correspondence with Battle of Britain fighter pilots, providing us an inspirational insight into the immeasurable value of this research and personalities involved.
Download or read book Sources for the History of London 1939 45 written by Heather J. Creaton and published by Twayne Publishers. This book was released on 1998 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Military Airfields of Britain Southern England written by Ken Delve and published by Crowood. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 449 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Entries cover every military airfield within the counties, from WW1 to the present day and comprise: Brief history of the airfield, construction and use including decoy sites; comprehensive list of flying units with dates and aircraft types; list of HQ units based at the airfield; details of memorials; maps and plans of almost every airfield; location details; selection of period photographs. The airfields of Southern England like Biggin Hill, Kenley and Hawkinge played host to the greatest part of the action of the Battle of Britain. Farnborough, birthplace of British aviation, lies in Hampshire and many regional airfields played host to vital anti-submarine patrols during WW1.
Download or read book Tally Ho written by R W Foster and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2009-03-23 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A memoir of the life and World War II service of Battle of Britain veteran, RAF fighter pilot Bob Foster. Bob Foster's flying years began shortly before WWII, when he learned to fly with the RAFVR. Called up for war service in September 1939, he completed his training and was posted to 605 Squadron, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes. By early September 1940 he and his Squadron were in the thick of the air fighting over southern England, operating from Croydon. Surviving the Battle, he later became an instructor, but shortly after joining 54 Squadron, which had Spitfires, he and his unit were sent to Australia to defend the Darwin area from Japanese incursions. Awarded the DFC for his efforts, he returned to the UK and was given an assignment with a RAF public relations outfit, ending up in Normandy within three weeks of the invasion of 1944. Often serving right up in the front lines, Bob saw the war at very close hand, and then quite by chance became one of the first, if not the first, RAF officer to enter Paris with the liberating French army, and again, by chance, was in General de Gaulle's triumphant procession down the Champs-Élysées. His memoir is an entertaining collection of stories and reminiscences of two distinct areas of WWII, which also shows how luck often shaped the lives of the fighter pilots involved. Bob Foster later became a successful sales manager with Shell-Mex and BP, as well as serving with the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. He now lives with his wife Kaethe near Bexhill in East Sussex.
Download or read book IRA Terror on Britain s Streets 1939 1940 written by Dick Kirby and published by Pen and Sword True Crime. This book was released on 2021-04-14 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It is little known today that, in January 1939, the IRA launched a bombing campaign, codenamed The S - or Sabotage - Plan on mainland England. With cynical self-justification, they announced that it was not their intention to harm human life but in just over a year, more than 300 explosive devices resulted in 10 deaths, 96 injuries and widespread devastation. London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and many other towns and cities were targeted. On 25 August 1939, detectives in London defused three devices set to detonate that afternoon at 2.30 and arrested four terrorists. At the same time an identical bomb exploded in Coventry city centre killing five civilians and injuring 50, the highest body count of the campaign. Numerous arrests were made nationwide but ill-trained personnel and additional national security resulting from the threat of Nazi invasion caused the campaign to falter and fade away in early 1940. The author, a former detective, is well qualified to write this book, having spent 18 months in Northern Ireland combatting terrorism, for which he was commended by the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Lord Imbert, for displaying ‘courage, dedication and detective ability’.
Download or read book Directory of Museums Galleries and Buildings of Historic Interest in the UK written by Keith W. Reynard and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2004-03-01 with total page 3653 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This unique and important directory incorporates some 3,200 entries. It covers all types and sizes of museums; galleries of paintings, sculpture and photography; and buildings and sites of particular historic interest. It also provides an extensive index listing over 3,200 subjects. The directory covers national collections and major buildings, but also the more unusual, less well-known and local exhibits and sites. The Directory of Museums, Galleries and Buildings of Historic Interest in the United Kingdom is an indispensable reference source for any library, an ideal companion for researcher and enthusiast alike, and an essential purchase for anyone with an interest in the cultural and historical collections of the UK. Features include: * Alphabetically listed entries, which are also indexed by subject for ease of reference * Entries include the name and address of the organization, telephone and fax numbers, email and internet addresses, a point of contact, times of opening and facilities for visitors * A breakdown of the collections held by each organization, giving a broad overview of the main collection as a whole * Details of special collections are provided and include the period covered as well as the number of items held.
Download or read book The Battle of London 1939 45 written by Jerry White and published by Random House. This book was released on 2021-11-04 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Endlessly fascinating. . . White is such a brilliant historian' Mail on Sunday Lasting for six long years, the Blitz transformed life in the capital beyond recognition, marking a time of almost constant anxiety, disruption, deprivation and sacrifice for Londoners. With the capital the nation's frontline during the Second World War, by its end, 30,000 inhabitants had lost their lives. While much has been written about 'the Myth of the Blitz', its riveting social history has often been overlooked. Unearthing what it was actually like for those living through those tempestuous years, Jerry White paints a fascinating portrait of the daily lives of ordinary Londoners, telling the story through their own voices. 'As a history of the capital in wartime, it is probably unsurpassable' Sunday Telegraph 'An impressive history of the capital at war. . . White, an accomplished chronicler of London's history, tells it with brio and a confident mastery of the sources' Literary Review
Download or read book Croydon Airport written by Douglas Cluett and published by . This book was released on 1980 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Men of the Battle of Britain written by Kenneth G. Wynn and published by Frontline Books. This book was released on 2021-01-18 with total page 778 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Tells about various details of data, squadrons, training, life path, passport photos and more. This supplement contains addition for about 350(!) airmen.” —Aviation Book Reviews Since it was first published in 1989, Men of the Battle of Britain, the complete third edition of which was published in 2015, has become a standard reference book for academics and researchers interested in the Battle of Britain. This remarkable publication records the service details of every airman who took part in the Battle of Britain, and who earned the Battle of Britain Clasp, in considerable detail. Where known, an individual’s various postings and their dates are included, as are promotions, decorations, and successes claimed while flying against the enemy. There is also much personal detail, often including dates and places of birth, civilian occupations, dates of death and place of burial or, for those with no known grave, place of commemoration. There are many wartime head-and-shoulders photographs. Inevitably, the passage of time ensures that there is a constant reevaluation of the wealth of information contained within Men of the Battle of Britain. At the same time, since the 2015 edition it has been possible to expand many individual entries, some 330 in total, to give some idea of the wider social context around the aircrew who earned the Battle of Britain Clasp. This has been achieved by reference to existing sources, including information supplied by The Few themselves and their relatives over many years, as well as new research. This invaluable supplement to the 2015 edition ensures that these additions and revisions are available to all researchers, historians, enthusiasts and general readers.
Download or read book Croydon Airport written by Douglas Cluett and published by Hyperion Books. This book was released on 1980-01-01 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beretter om Croydon lufthavn uden for London i perioden 1928-1939.
Download or read book Advent Of War 1939 40 written by Roy Douglas and published by Springer. This book was released on 1979-02-08 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
