Synopses & Reviews
Review
Graham Pitchfork has unearthed some remarkable stories of evaders and their helpers, which will remind other generations, and those in the future, of just what the human spirit is capable of, and sacrifices that people are prepared to make, at times of great adversity. This excellent book is a fitting memorial to all those who evaded and to their helpers. Air Chief Marshal Sir Lewis Hodges
Synopsis
The stories of many POW escapees are well known, but what about those who miraculously evaded capture in the first place and returned to fight another day?
This compelling book tells some of the epic stories of the thousands of shot-down airmen, including Canadians from across the country, who got out from behind enemy lines in Europe, the Far East, and Africa during the Second World War. Based on special first-hand interviews and new research into official debriefing documents held at Britain's National Archives, many of these accounts have never been published before. This books explores the pivotal role of military intelligence in the training, support, and organization of escape and evasion; it also features rare photographs of the evaders and their helpers.
Synopsis
The epic stories of some of the thousands of shot-down airmen, including many Canadians, who got out from behind enemy lines in the Second World War.
About the Author
Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork, MBE, served in the RAF for 36 years and was subsequently a director of Military Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence. His previous books include Men Behind the Medals and The Buccaneers.
Table of Contents
Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; PART ONE: The Escape and Evasion Organization; One Evasion; Two The MI 9 Organization; Three Preventive Training; Four Escape Aids; PART TWO: North-West Europe; Five Introduction; Six France and Belgium; Seven Holland; Eight Scandinavia; PART THREE: The Middle East and Mediterranean; Nine Introduction; Ten The Western Desert; Eleven Greece; Twelve Italy; Thirteen Poland; PART FOUR: The Far East; Fourteen Introduction; Fifteen Environment and Training; Sixteen Burma; Seventeen South-East Asia; Epilogue; Appendix; Bibliography; Index