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Jun 14th, 2026
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Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,224 Likes: 7
Has a lot to Say!
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Has a lot to Say!
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,224 Likes: 7 |
Just finished reading:
Max Hastings
The Secret War: Spies, Codes and Guerrillas 1939-1945
Very interesting - explodes one or two myths and also adds a lot of detail into how espionage actually worked in that war. It also details some blunders. Quite a long book but well worth the effort if you are interested in the subject.
Max Hastings does good work so I will add this to my list Paul. In fact I've just noted that Max writes the foreword to my copy of Maquis.
1968 4/4 1600
1950 Auster J5B
Kitfox S5 Outback
Jodel D9
1988 Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009
Member of the Inner Circle
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Member of the Inner Circle
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,009 |
My fascination with WW2 is not so much with the fighting...although I do enjoy Max Hastings and got his Armageddon on my bedside table...but with the immediate aftermath and the struggle to recover. I've just started Savage Continent by Keith Lowe.
Jays
Former Morgan owner. Gone but hopefully not forgotten!
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646
Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646 |
Anyone read this- forgotten voices- Dunkirk . Very upsetting in fact you have to put it down and try not to cry as it's about our own relatives and what they suffered in buckets . Not read it, but I will now. Dunkirk is an astonishing chapter of our history, and the main man behind the evacuation, Admiral Bertram Ramsay remains one of the most unsung heroes of WWII. I am a huge admirer of Ramsay. Having retired in 1938, he returned to active duty in 1939 as Flag Officer Dover and it was he who led Operation Dynamo, evacuating 340 000 British and French troops. He was extremely forceful in making a reluctant Admiralty provide ships and was instrumental in the success of the operation. He went on to organize the Torch landings on North Africa, then the Operation Husky landings in Sicily and was C in C allied naval forces for the Normandy Landings (Operation Neptune), having over 6000 ships under his command on 6th June 1944. Following the invasion he set up his headquarters at the Chateau d'Hennemont, just outside Saint Germain en Laye. (The Chateau went on to become the school my kids attended). He was tragically killed on 2nd Jan 1945 when the aircraft which was taking him to a meeting with Monty in Brussels skidded on ice taking off and all aboard were killed. He is buried in the cemetery in Saint Germain en Laye. Few men can have made such a massive individual contribution to the Allied success in the war, yet nobody has heard of him. A few years ago, we organized a ceremony in the cemetery to honour him. The Paris RNR, the French Navy, the Anciens Combatants, the Royal Navy, The Prefect and the Mayor were all present or represented. We're trying to get a plaque put up on the Chateau d'Hennemont in his honour. On a more personal level, in 1940 my late Godfather, Capt CB Alers Hankey RN or "Hurricane Hank" was Captain of the destroyer Vanquisher. Vanquisher made 7 trips to Dunkirk in 5 days, much of it under fire, rescuing in excess of 3500 troops. Hank was awarded the DSC and a mention in dispatches for his actions. He had to be taken off the ship suffering from exhaustion.
Giles. Mogless in Paris.
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 5,210
Charter Member
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Charter Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 5,210 |
Anyone read this- forgotten voices- Dunkirk . Very upsetting in fact you have to put it down and try not to cry as it's about our own relatives and what they suffered in buckets . Not read it, but I will now. Dunkirk is an astonishing chapter of our history, and the main man behind the evacuation, Admiral Bertram Ramsay remains one of the most unsung heroes of WWII. I am a huge admirer of Ramsay. Having retired in 1938, he returned to active duty in 1939 as Flag Officer Dover and it was he who led Operation Dynamo, evacuating 340 000 British and French troops. He was extremely forceful in making a reluctant Admiralty provide ships and was instrumental in the success of the operation. He went on to organize the Torch landings on North Africa, then the Operation Husky landings in Sicily and was C in C allied naval forces for the Normandy Landings (Operation Neptune), having over 6000 ships under his command on 6th June 1944. Following the invasion he set up his headquarters at the Chateau d'Hennemont, just outside Saint Germain en Laye. (The Chateau went on to become the school my kids attended). He was tragically killed on 2nd Jan 1945 when the aircraft which was taking him to a meeting with Monty in Brussels skidded on ice taking off and all aboard were killed. He is buried in the cemetery in Saint Germain en Laye. Few men can have made such a massive individual contribution to the Allied success in the war, yet nobody has heard of him. A few years ago, we organized a ceremony in the cemetery to honour him. The Paris RNR, the French Navy, the Anciens Combatants, the Royal Navy, The Prefect and the Mayor were all present or represented. We're trying to get a plaque put up on the Chateau d'Hennemont in his honour. On a more personal level, in 1940 my late Godfather, Capt CB Alers Hankey RN or "Hurricane Hank" was Captain of the destroyer Vanquisher. Vanquisher made 7 trips to Dunkirk in 5 days, much of it under fire, rescuing in excess of 3500 troops. Hank was awarded the DSC and a mention in dispatches for his actions. He had to be taken off the ship suffering from exhaustion. Something I must read too. My father was part of the Dunkirk evacuation having escaped from Arras when it was surrounded by the Germans. He got to the beach late and just missed the ship he should have been on, I think he said it was the Samaria, but was lucky as this was blown up. He then spent the next 24 hours in freezing old waters before being picked up. He was one of the lucky ones.
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,587
Charter Member
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Charter Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,587 |
It also covers the other evacuations along the French coast which went on for weeks after Dunkirk . Remember the Lancastria with 7500 on board and 3500 never survived , no wonder it was kept a secret for some time after due to effect on morale.
Geneva 2016 plus 8' The Green Godess' 4 side exits .
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Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,549 Likes: 67
Charter Member
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Charter Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 5,549 Likes: 67 |
O.K. chaps, I will be one of the first to admit I enjoy popular fiction. I avidly read anything by Lee Childs, Martina Cole, Wilber Smith & John Grisham. As for non fiction I am trying to read all of Maurice Grifiths books about sailing on the E.Coast in the '30's. Most of them have been out of print for years so it's hunt the second hand book shops. 
Here for a good time not a long time!!
Reg
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,545 Likes: 132
Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 9,545 Likes: 132 |
Just finished....James Hunt biography by Maurice Hamilton. A Christmas gift. A good read despite having already read a lot about him.
Before that Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre. Telling the true story of Eddie Chapman, a dubious character who was recruited by Nazi Germany and parachuted into Britain. He immediately gave himself up and became a double agent. It reminded me of The Man Who Never Was written by Ewan Montagu who was a naval intel officer and came up with the idea about the Allied deception about the Sicily invasion. It was made into a film in 1956
Last edited by sospan; 07/02/17 09:16 PM.
Plus Four MY23 Furka Rouge
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,587
Charter Member
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Charter Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 5,587 |
Just finished....James Hunt biography by Maurice Hamilton. A Christmas gift. A good read despite having already read a lot about him.
Before that Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre. Telling the true story of Eddie Chapman, a dubious character who was recruited by Nazi Germany and parachuted into Britain. He immediately gave himself up and became a double agent.
The Eddie Chapman story was on tv a couple of years ago, amazing story or the complex nature of spies in occupied Europe.
Geneva 2016 plus 8' The Green Godess' 4 side exits .
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646
Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646 |
Before that Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre. Telling the true story of Eddie Chapman, a dubious character who was recruited by Nazi Germany and parachuted into Britain. He immediately gave himself up and became a double agent. It reminded me of The Man Who Never Was written by Ewan Montagu who was a naval intel officer and came up with the idea about the Allied deception about the Sicily invasion. It was made into a film in 1956
Ben Macintyre's Operation mincemeat is an updated version of "the man that never was". It's a much more comprehensive and satisfactory account than Montagu's original book, in that Montagu wasn't able to explain how we knew that the Germans had taken the bait because the Ultra Secret was still just that. Incidentally, Ewen Montagu was the officer who implemented the plan, but the idea was Ian Fleming's.
Giles. Mogless in Paris.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646
Needs to Get Out More!
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Needs to Get Out More!
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8,646 |
The WWII topic inspires me to recommend Leo Marks' account of his war as the code master for the SOE; "Between silk and cyanide". Truly one of the best books I have ever read. https://www.amazon.com/Between-Silk-Cyanide-Codemakers-1941-1945/dp/068486780XWhen I was given it by my Mum for Xmas one year, I thought "Mmm. That looks quite big, and maybe a bit heavy going as it'll all be about codes; I'll leave it for the holidays". I took it on holiday with me and could not put it down.
Giles. Mogless in Paris.
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