Rupert Matthews's Blog, page 28
September 10, 2013
RAF Bomber Command hits Brest
On 24 July there took place one of the most daring raids of the war, certainly it was the one that earned Bomber Command more medals than any other single action. A total of five Distinguished Service Orders (DSO), 26 Distinguished Flying Crosses (DFC) and 20 Distinguished Flying Medals (DFM) were awarded for an action that lasted less than an hour.
At this stage in the war, Atlantic convoys were being hit often and severely by German U-boats. Even worse, from the Royal Navy’s point of view, was the threat posed by Germany’s big surface warships. Any one of these ships were so powerful that they could sink an entire convoy in less than half an hour. The mere fact that one was at sea was enough to cancel all convoys in the area.
In June 1941 reconnaissance aircraft photographed three warships – Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen – in the occupied French port of Brest. At the request of the Navy, Bomber Command made an effort to bomb the ships at night. Pilot Officer Arthur Ashworth of 75 Squadron later said of this mission:
“On the 18th of June we took off for another attack on Brest, this time trying to hit the 'Scharnhorst’. We spent a considerable time over the target area and finally established, by the light of one of our flares, that the Scharnhorst was not berthed where we had been briefed to find her. However, there was another large ship in the harbour and this we attacked. On the way home we got ourselves lost by misidentifying our landfall. As a consequence we flew through the balloon barrage at Bristol. It was just breaking daylight when this happened and there was quite a bit of anxiety in that aircraft until we were clear. My log book records only that we were lost and came through the balloon barrages, but for this particular flight I was awarded the D.F.C.”
Ashworth was being modest. The contemporary account in the London Gazette reads
“Although the target was obscured, Pilot Officer Ashworth flew over the area for a considerable time finally dropping flares immediately both north and south of the target, which enabled him to see and attack his objective. He also aimed one bomb at an unidentified vessel of 10,000 tons which was observed to be entering the docks. Pilot Officer Ashworth made eight surveying runs, at times at an extremely low altitude and in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. He displayed outstanding skill, courage and infinite care in his efforts to bomb accurately.”
from "RAF Heroes of Bomber Command, Norfolk" by Rupert Matthews.
At this stage in the war, Atlantic convoys were being hit often and severely by German U-boats. Even worse, from the Royal Navy’s point of view, was the threat posed by Germany’s big surface warships. Any one of these ships were so powerful that they could sink an entire convoy in less than half an hour. The mere fact that one was at sea was enough to cancel all convoys in the area.
In June 1941 reconnaissance aircraft photographed three warships – Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen – in the occupied French port of Brest. At the request of the Navy, Bomber Command made an effort to bomb the ships at night. Pilot Officer Arthur Ashworth of 75 Squadron later said of this mission:
“On the 18th of June we took off for another attack on Brest, this time trying to hit the 'Scharnhorst’. We spent a considerable time over the target area and finally established, by the light of one of our flares, that the Scharnhorst was not berthed where we had been briefed to find her. However, there was another large ship in the harbour and this we attacked. On the way home we got ourselves lost by misidentifying our landfall. As a consequence we flew through the balloon barrage at Bristol. It was just breaking daylight when this happened and there was quite a bit of anxiety in that aircraft until we were clear. My log book records only that we were lost and came through the balloon barrages, but for this particular flight I was awarded the D.F.C.”
Ashworth was being modest. The contemporary account in the London Gazette reads
“Although the target was obscured, Pilot Officer Ashworth flew over the area for a considerable time finally dropping flares immediately both north and south of the target, which enabled him to see and attack his objective. He also aimed one bomb at an unidentified vessel of 10,000 tons which was observed to be entering the docks. Pilot Officer Ashworth made eight surveying runs, at times at an extremely low altitude and in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire. He displayed outstanding skill, courage and infinite care in his efforts to bomb accurately.”
from "RAF Heroes of Bomber Command, Norfolk" by Rupert Matthews.
September 9, 2013
The Cycling Skeleton
Quite why a spectral skeleton riding a a bike should be seen in the in lane outside the church is quite unclear,
The ghostly skeleton of Woodhorn might stand for the ghosts of Northumberland. It is utterly mysterious, bizarre, unexplained and yet it exists. Frightening and alarming though t it may be, the ghost goes about its own business without seeming to so much as notice the mere mortals that it frightens so much. And so the ghosts wander about Northumberland adding their own mystery to this most mysterious of counties.
From "Mysterious Northumberland" by Rupert Matthews
Buy your copy at Amazon or a bookshop
This book concentrates on all aspects of the supernatural, paranormal and mysterious in the county of Northumberland. Ghosts, myths, legends, big cats, witchcraft, sacred wells and the little people all feature in the book. Among the mysterious place to feature are: Bamburgh Castle - a number of different ghosts are said to lurk here, including the very active lady in the central keep. This is also the supposed location of the Lost Hand of St Oswald. Elsdon - home to the notorious Brown Man of the Moors, an elemental spirit is in here as is the site of a Fairy Market, with a fairly long legend attached The book is arranged by subject, though each and every area of Northumberland is covered to give a wide geographical spread around the county.
The ghostly skeleton of Woodhorn might stand for the ghosts of Northumberland. It is utterly mysterious, bizarre, unexplained and yet it exists. Frightening and alarming though t it may be, the ghost goes about its own business without seeming to so much as notice the mere mortals that it frightens so much. And so the ghosts wander about Northumberland adding their own mystery to this most mysterious of counties.
From "Mysterious Northumberland" by Rupert Matthews
Buy your copy at Amazon or a bookshop
This book concentrates on all aspects of the supernatural, paranormal and mysterious in the county of Northumberland. Ghosts, myths, legends, big cats, witchcraft, sacred wells and the little people all feature in the book. Among the mysterious place to feature are: Bamburgh Castle - a number of different ghosts are said to lurk here, including the very active lady in the central keep. This is also the supposed location of the Lost Hand of St Oswald. Elsdon - home to the notorious Brown Man of the Moors, an elemental spirit is in here as is the site of a Fairy Market, with a fairly long legend attached The book is arranged by subject, though each and every area of Northumberland is covered to give a wide geographical spread around the county.
September 8, 2013
Henry VIII and the Great Debasement
My mate Lee Rotherham has a book out
Having taxed his kingdom into penury and borrowed more than he could pay back, Henry VIII flailed around looking for a way of raising more cash so that his extravagant spending could continue unabated.
The coinage was in silver. Even during the height of the Crown’s difficulties in the previous century, monarchs had (in the main) avoided tampering with the amount of silver in the coins. Currency was, give or take a small fraction, what it was worth at face value, and everyone whether buyers at home or merchants abroad knew the value of English coin.
That changed.
It had been tried before, the last time being undertaken by Edward IV, but that had been back in 1464-5 and on a different scale. Henry himself had tinkered back in 1526. This time, however, the process would last a decade and well into the next reign (indeed, with the separately-run Irish coinage the policy would last until Elizabeth’s accession).
Its impact was serious. Inflation followed, as people doubted the intrinsic value in any coin. The relative value of gold in relation to silver coins tumbled, leading to a flight of the former and an influx of the latter. Bad money drove out surviving good. Specie not species, ie demanding payment in a recently minted coin which had less silver in it. Not payment in chickens. Face values of newly minted coins were not respected overseas, meaning that English merchants who used them operated at a loss. Crown debts became worth less than private debts, since the Government’s agents could force payment on creditors in a specie of their choosing.
Not for nothing was it known as the Great Debasement. One economist has suggested that over one and a quarter million pounds of the real value of the bullion was lifted by the mint, as four fifths of the silver value and a quarter of the gold were removed. In a sense, it was the Quantitative Easing of its times. As stealth taxes go, it proved an enduring spectre on private wealth in England and Ireland for decades, requiring major monetary reform to overcome.
Lesson from history: If you run an extended deficit and blow all your savings, sooner or later you will run out of ways to pay for it.
from "A Fate Worse than Debt" by Lee Rotherham
Buy your copy at Amazon or a bookshop
As the UK talks of cuts and austerity, this book explores for beginners the true scale of our financial problems, and some of the controversies behind modern spending. Warning: do not read if you suffer from high blood pressure, or lack a sense of humour in a crisis. Among the questions answered are: What is the difference between Deficit and Debt? How much does the United Kingdom Government really owe? Who is Scotland's forgotten debt genius? How big could you build a new Hadrian's Wall from Pound coins paid out of Britain's debt? Why was Britain's first civil war two thousand years ago triggered by debt repayments? How did WW2 US airmen unexpectedly help bail out Britain's war effort? What was the Geddes Axe, and how far did it swing? What can a wombat's posterior warn us of? How big is our creek today and is there a paddle? Launched to coincide with the Coalition Government's "make or break" 2013 Budget, this book puts the country's financial problems firmly under the microscope. It explains what is going on and why in terms the layman can understand - and will find absolutely terrifying. Possibly the most important book about government you will ever read.
Having taxed his kingdom into penury and borrowed more than he could pay back, Henry VIII flailed around looking for a way of raising more cash so that his extravagant spending could continue unabated.
The coinage was in silver. Even during the height of the Crown’s difficulties in the previous century, monarchs had (in the main) avoided tampering with the amount of silver in the coins. Currency was, give or take a small fraction, what it was worth at face value, and everyone whether buyers at home or merchants abroad knew the value of English coin.
That changed.
It had been tried before, the last time being undertaken by Edward IV, but that had been back in 1464-5 and on a different scale. Henry himself had tinkered back in 1526. This time, however, the process would last a decade and well into the next reign (indeed, with the separately-run Irish coinage the policy would last until Elizabeth’s accession).
Its impact was serious. Inflation followed, as people doubted the intrinsic value in any coin. The relative value of gold in relation to silver coins tumbled, leading to a flight of the former and an influx of the latter. Bad money drove out surviving good. Specie not species, ie demanding payment in a recently minted coin which had less silver in it. Not payment in chickens. Face values of newly minted coins were not respected overseas, meaning that English merchants who used them operated at a loss. Crown debts became worth less than private debts, since the Government’s agents could force payment on creditors in a specie of their choosing.
Not for nothing was it known as the Great Debasement. One economist has suggested that over one and a quarter million pounds of the real value of the bullion was lifted by the mint, as four fifths of the silver value and a quarter of the gold were removed. In a sense, it was the Quantitative Easing of its times. As stealth taxes go, it proved an enduring spectre on private wealth in England and Ireland for decades, requiring major monetary reform to overcome.
Lesson from history: If you run an extended deficit and blow all your savings, sooner or later you will run out of ways to pay for it.
from "A Fate Worse than Debt" by Lee Rotherham
Buy your copy at Amazon or a bookshop
As the UK talks of cuts and austerity, this book explores for beginners the true scale of our financial problems, and some of the controversies behind modern spending. Warning: do not read if you suffer from high blood pressure, or lack a sense of humour in a crisis. Among the questions answered are: What is the difference between Deficit and Debt? How much does the United Kingdom Government really owe? Who is Scotland's forgotten debt genius? How big could you build a new Hadrian's Wall from Pound coins paid out of Britain's debt? Why was Britain's first civil war two thousand years ago triggered by debt repayments? How did WW2 US airmen unexpectedly help bail out Britain's war effort? What was the Geddes Axe, and how far did it swing? What can a wombat's posterior warn us of? How big is our creek today and is there a paddle? Launched to coincide with the Coalition Government's "make or break" 2013 Budget, this book puts the country's financial problems firmly under the microscope. It explains what is going on and why in terms the layman can understand - and will find absolutely terrifying. Possibly the most important book about government you will ever read.
September 6, 2013
The most notorious witch in Cornwall
The most notorious witch of Cornwall was Madgy Figgy, who lived at Tolpedn near Penwith at some indeterminate date. She was said to have consorted with a coven of witches at St Levan in her youth, but in later years to have operated alone. She is said to have been a master of the black arts, but to have specialised in second sight - that is the business of prediction.
On certain stormy days she would climb up to a stone formation above Porth Loe and sit down on a natural rocky seat, now known as Madgy Figgy’s Chair. From there she would gaze out to sea. If she began to rub her hands and cackle with glee, the locals knew that a wreck was imminent. It was never entirely clear if Madgy Figgy was merely foreseeing the disaster, or if she was causing it with her magic. Either way, a wreck inevitably followed her glee.
The locals would gather on the cliffs to await the wreck. They were always careful never to go down to start searching the shore for valuables until Madgy Figgy had first taken everything she wanted. Only then could the ordinary people move in.
One day a foreign ship - some say she was Portuguese - came ashore after Madgy Figgy had been sitting in her fatal chair. Among the debris thrown ashore was the body of a young, beautiful woman wearing a fabulous collection of jewels. As soon as she saw the body, Madgy Figgy stopped short and glared. She summoned a group of local men, ordering them to carefully remove the jewels without damaging them in any way. The jewels were put into a stout box and the woman’s body buried on top of the cliffs. Madgy Figgy stood over the grave in silence for some time, then gazed out over the stormy seas. “It takes one to know one” she declared, then stalked off home.
That night the awestruck locals saw a strange, eerie blue light emerge from the grave of the beautiful stranger. The light drifted over the hills to Madgy Figgy’s Chair and hovered there a while before moving on to alight on the roof of the witch’s house. Every night for three months the weird blue light was seen. Nobody dared ask Madgy Figgy what was going on. The old witch did not seem too bothered.
Then there came to Porth Loe a dark stranger who spoke not a word of English, but who paid for his lodgings and meals in good gold coins. Although he had never been seen before, the stranger seemed to know where he was going. One evening he walked up the hill to the spot where the beautiful stranger lay buried. He stood on the clifftop as if waiting.
When the eerie blue light appeared, the stranger watched it carefully then followed it to first to Madgy Figgy’s Chair and then down to her cottage. As he approached, Madgy Figgy appeared in the doorway. The two gazed wordlessly at each other for long minutes. Then Madgy Figgy nodded and went back inside. A few moments later she was back with the small wooden box containing the jewels in her hands. Without a word she handed them over. The stranger nodded, then turned and left.
from "Mysterious Cornwall" by Rupert Matthews
On certain stormy days she would climb up to a stone formation above Porth Loe and sit down on a natural rocky seat, now known as Madgy Figgy’s Chair. From there she would gaze out to sea. If she began to rub her hands and cackle with glee, the locals knew that a wreck was imminent. It was never entirely clear if Madgy Figgy was merely foreseeing the disaster, or if she was causing it with her magic. Either way, a wreck inevitably followed her glee.
The locals would gather on the cliffs to await the wreck. They were always careful never to go down to start searching the shore for valuables until Madgy Figgy had first taken everything she wanted. Only then could the ordinary people move in.
One day a foreign ship - some say she was Portuguese - came ashore after Madgy Figgy had been sitting in her fatal chair. Among the debris thrown ashore was the body of a young, beautiful woman wearing a fabulous collection of jewels. As soon as she saw the body, Madgy Figgy stopped short and glared. She summoned a group of local men, ordering them to carefully remove the jewels without damaging them in any way. The jewels were put into a stout box and the woman’s body buried on top of the cliffs. Madgy Figgy stood over the grave in silence for some time, then gazed out over the stormy seas. “It takes one to know one” she declared, then stalked off home.
That night the awestruck locals saw a strange, eerie blue light emerge from the grave of the beautiful stranger. The light drifted over the hills to Madgy Figgy’s Chair and hovered there a while before moving on to alight on the roof of the witch’s house. Every night for three months the weird blue light was seen. Nobody dared ask Madgy Figgy what was going on. The old witch did not seem too bothered.
Then there came to Porth Loe a dark stranger who spoke not a word of English, but who paid for his lodgings and meals in good gold coins. Although he had never been seen before, the stranger seemed to know where he was going. One evening he walked up the hill to the spot where the beautiful stranger lay buried. He stood on the clifftop as if waiting.
When the eerie blue light appeared, the stranger watched it carefully then followed it to first to Madgy Figgy’s Chair and then down to her cottage. As he approached, Madgy Figgy appeared in the doorway. The two gazed wordlessly at each other for long minutes. Then Madgy Figgy nodded and went back inside. A few moments later she was back with the small wooden box containing the jewels in her hands. Without a word she handed them over. The stranger nodded, then turned and left.
from "Mysterious Cornwall" by Rupert Matthews
August 29, 2013
The Ghostly Cyclist
Like most B roads, the Seaham Road was more busy with traffic than with passersby, so I slipped into the Copt Hill Inn to see if they knew anything about the ghost. There was a warm welcome when I entered and everyone present was most interested. But a ghostly White Lady nearby? Nobody had heard of her.
“There is a phantom cyclist, though”, volunteered one drinker who gave every appearance of being a regular. “Not seen him myself, but you do hear stories. Seems he rides his bike up this hill really slowly, then suddenly pulls out in front of oncoming cars. Of course, the driver slams the brakes on or swerves. Most think they have hit the cyclist and hop out to see if he needs an ambulance. But there is never anyone there. It’s just a ghost like. Well, you know. That’s the story.”
from "Haunted Sunderland" by Rupert Matthews.
Buy your copy on Amazon or at a bookshop
This is a fascinating collection of over 100 stories of ghostly encounters from Sunderland and its surrounding settlements, including Cleadon, Boldon, Hylton and Rythorpe. It features many local landmarks, including the Sunderland Empire, Hylton Castle and Souter Lighthouse, and features stories ranging from the poltergeist of Havelok Road, who caused chaos in the 1950s, to the account of Wicked Lady Peat, who was so evil that when her house caught fire, not one person went to her aid. Exploring everything from pubs and churchyards to collieries, Haunted Sunderland will appeal to anyone interested in the supernatural history of the area.
“There is a phantom cyclist, though”, volunteered one drinker who gave every appearance of being a regular. “Not seen him myself, but you do hear stories. Seems he rides his bike up this hill really slowly, then suddenly pulls out in front of oncoming cars. Of course, the driver slams the brakes on or swerves. Most think they have hit the cyclist and hop out to see if he needs an ambulance. But there is never anyone there. It’s just a ghost like. Well, you know. That’s the story.”
from "Haunted Sunderland" by Rupert Matthews.
Buy your copy on Amazon or at a bookshop
This is a fascinating collection of over 100 stories of ghostly encounters from Sunderland and its surrounding settlements, including Cleadon, Boldon, Hylton and Rythorpe. It features many local landmarks, including the Sunderland Empire, Hylton Castle and Souter Lighthouse, and features stories ranging from the poltergeist of Havelok Road, who caused chaos in the 1950s, to the account of Wicked Lady Peat, who was so evil that when her house caught fire, not one person went to her aid. Exploring everything from pubs and churchyards to collieries, Haunted Sunderland will appeal to anyone interested in the supernatural history of the area.
August 21, 2013
Book Review
A review of a book by my old mate Lee Rotherham "A Fate Worse than Debt" has appeared on The Commentator website.
http://www.thecommentator.com/article...
http://www.thecommentator.com/article...
August 20, 2013
Drachma of Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great, as depicted on a silver drachma coin issued early in his reign. Alexander is shown here wearing the lion’s head helmet that was traditionally worn by the demi-god Herakles (Hercules). The Macedonian royal family claimed to be descended from Herakles. Never before had a mortal been portrayed on a coin. The move by Alexander was a bold departure from tradition.
from "Alexander the Great at the Battle of the Granicus" by Rupert Matthews.
Buy your copy at Amazon or your local bookshop
In this, the third book of Spellmounts Campaign in Context series, Rupert Matthews looks to the first major campaign of Alexander the Great. One of the most famous generals all time, Alexander was just 20 when he led his army into battle at Granicus. Despite his youth and his army being heavily outnumbered, he was victorious, and it was this victory that allowed him to conquer Asia Minor. The course of this key battle remains controversial, owing to conflicting accounts in contemporary sources. As with his previous titles in the series, Rupert Matthews carefully balances the evidence from textual sources with knowledge of the battlefield and reconstructed weaponry in order to explain the events of the battle to the general reader, and the context in which it took place.
from "Alexander the Great at the Battle of the Granicus" by Rupert Matthews.
Buy your copy at Amazon or your local bookshop
In this, the third book of Spellmounts Campaign in Context series, Rupert Matthews looks to the first major campaign of Alexander the Great. One of the most famous generals all time, Alexander was just 20 when he led his army into battle at Granicus. Despite his youth and his army being heavily outnumbered, he was victorious, and it was this victory that allowed him to conquer Asia Minor. The course of this key battle remains controversial, owing to conflicting accounts in contemporary sources. As with his previous titles in the series, Rupert Matthews carefully balances the evidence from textual sources with knowledge of the battlefield and reconstructed weaponry in order to explain the events of the battle to the general reader, and the context in which it took place.
August 2, 2013
Siege of Lachish
My old mate Andrew May has an ebook out - The Siege of Lachish .
Buy your copy on Amazon
Product Description
In 701BC Sennacherib of Assyria marched his army to crush a rebellion in Judah. The city of Lachish was among the cities to be attacked and the siege proved to be a classic action of its time.
The Siege of Lachish is unique among battles of the ancient near east in that we have an account from both sides of the action. The version of the defenders appears in the Bible, while the Assyrian version was unearthed when the royal palace of Nineveh was excavated in the 19th century.
Sennacherib unleashed on the walled city all the most modern techniques of siege warfare that the mighty Assyrian Empire could produce. Archers rained arrows on the defenders while mighty rams smashed at the walls and complex picks prised the stonework apart.
In this fully illustrated book, military analyst Andrew May describes the action, explains the course of the siege and looks at the aftermath of one of the Bible's great battles.
Contents
Chapter 1 - The Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib
Chapter 2 - The Rebel: King Hezekiah of Judah
Chapter 3 - Sennacherib's Campaign against Judah
Chapter 4 - The Siege of Lachish
Chapter 5 - Aftermath
About the Author
Andrew May is a former defence scientist with an MA from Cambridge University and a PhD from Manchester University. His thirty year career spanned academia, the civil service and the defence industry. He has worked on advanced technology research in Farnborough, strategic planning in Whitehall and operational analysis for a large defence company. He is now based in the South-West of England where he works as a freelance writer and blogger.
Buy your copy on Amazon
Product Description
In 701BC Sennacherib of Assyria marched his army to crush a rebellion in Judah. The city of Lachish was among the cities to be attacked and the siege proved to be a classic action of its time.
The Siege of Lachish is unique among battles of the ancient near east in that we have an account from both sides of the action. The version of the defenders appears in the Bible, while the Assyrian version was unearthed when the royal palace of Nineveh was excavated in the 19th century.
Sennacherib unleashed on the walled city all the most modern techniques of siege warfare that the mighty Assyrian Empire could produce. Archers rained arrows on the defenders while mighty rams smashed at the walls and complex picks prised the stonework apart.
In this fully illustrated book, military analyst Andrew May describes the action, explains the course of the siege and looks at the aftermath of one of the Bible's great battles.
Contents
Chapter 1 - The Assyrian Empire under Sennacherib
Chapter 2 - The Rebel: King Hezekiah of Judah
Chapter 3 - Sennacherib's Campaign against Judah
Chapter 4 - The Siege of Lachish
Chapter 5 - Aftermath
About the Author
Andrew May is a former defence scientist with an MA from Cambridge University and a PhD from Manchester University. His thirty year career spanned academia, the civil service and the defence industry. He has worked on advanced technology research in Farnborough, strategic planning in Whitehall and operational analysis for a large defence company. He is now based in the South-West of England where he works as a freelance writer and blogger.
July 30, 2013
A Fate Worse Than Debt A Fate Worse Than Debt by Lee Rotherham
As the UK talks of cuts and austerity, this book explores for beginners the true scale of our financial problems, and some of the controversies behind modern spending. Warning: do not read if you suffer from high blood pressure, or lack a sense of humour in a crisis. Among the questions answered are: What is the difference between Deficit and Debt? How much does the United Kingdom Government really owe? Who is Scotland's forgotten debt genius? How big could you build a new Hadrian's Wall from Pound coins paid out of Britain's debt? Why was Britain's first civil war two thousand years ago triggered by debt repayments? How did WW2 US airmen unexpectedly help bail out Britain's war effort? What was the Geddes Axe, and how far did it swing? What can a wombat's posterior warn us of? How big is our creek today and is there a paddle? Launched to coincide with the Coalition Government's "make or break" 2013 Budget, this book puts the country's financial problems firmly under the microscope. It explains what is going on and why in terms the layman can understand - and will find absolutely terrifying. Possibly the most important book about government you will ever read.
July 25, 2013
NEW BOOK RAF - The Sylt Raid 1940
Buy your copy on Kindle
An ebook containing eyewitness accounts of the RAF’s first big night raid on Germany. Complete with explanatory text and background on the men and machines involved.
By March 1940 World War II was six months old and yet the RAF had still not launched a major night raid on Germany. They had been held back by the French who insisted that only military bases could be bombed - not weapons factories or transport links - and by their own navigational problems that made finding small bases at night a problem.
But in March 1940 Geman bombs killed a British civilian in Scotland and the RAF was ordered to carry out a major raid in retaliation. The target chosen was the great German air base at Sylt. It would prove to be a crucial raid, teaching the RAF how little they in fact knew about night navigation and night bombing. The lessons of Sylt had to be learnt, and learnt fast.
The “Eyewitness World War II” series is a growing collection of ebooks that contain original eyewitness accounts and contemporary newspaper reports of the action in question. You can find more ebooks in this series by searching for “Eyewitness World War II” or by visiting the military page of our website.
Contents
Chapter 1 Background
Chapter 2 Men and Machines
Chapter 3 Contemporary Press Reports
Chapter 4 Eyewitness Reports
About the Author
Leonard James has written dozens of books, mostly on history or military subjects for a wide audience. He is uniquely placed to analyse and comment upon the accounts used in the “Eyewitness World War II” series.
An ebook containing eyewitness accounts of the RAF’s first big night raid on Germany. Complete with explanatory text and background on the men and machines involved.
By March 1940 World War II was six months old and yet the RAF had still not launched a major night raid on Germany. They had been held back by the French who insisted that only military bases could be bombed - not weapons factories or transport links - and by their own navigational problems that made finding small bases at night a problem.
But in March 1940 Geman bombs killed a British civilian in Scotland and the RAF was ordered to carry out a major raid in retaliation. The target chosen was the great German air base at Sylt. It would prove to be a crucial raid, teaching the RAF how little they in fact knew about night navigation and night bombing. The lessons of Sylt had to be learnt, and learnt fast.
The “Eyewitness World War II” series is a growing collection of ebooks that contain original eyewitness accounts and contemporary newspaper reports of the action in question. You can find more ebooks in this series by searching for “Eyewitness World War II” or by visiting the military page of our website.
Contents
Chapter 1 Background
Chapter 2 Men and Machines
Chapter 3 Contemporary Press Reports
Chapter 4 Eyewitness Reports
About the Author
Leonard James has written dozens of books, mostly on history or military subjects for a wide audience. He is uniquely placed to analyse and comment upon the accounts used in the “Eyewitness World War II” series.
