Uninvited Envoy

by James Leasor

Rudolf Hess, Germany’s Deputy Führer, Leader of the Nazi Party, ‘flew alone in an unarmed aeroplane, through a night of fire and ruin, on the most dangerous flight of his life.’ This is an amazing true story of his secret peace mission, with plans to end the war – but on Germany’s terms. Leasor tells how Hess flew his Messerschmitt to Scotland, parachuting to safety seconds before his plane crashed. A dramatic reconstruction of Hess’s landing, his capture and his desire for an audience with the Duke of Hamilton are recounted here, concluding with the Nuremberg Trials of 1946 when he was sentenced to life imprisonment.

290 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1982

About the author

James Leasor was a prolific British author, who wrote historical books and thrillers. A number of Leasor's works were made into films, including his 1978 book, Boarding Party, about an incident from the Second World War that until that time was secret, was turned into a film, "The Sea Wolves", starring Gregory Peck, Roger Moore and David Niven.

Thomas James Leasor was born at Erith, Kent, on 20th December 1923 and educated at the City of London School. On leaving school, whilst waiting to join the army, he had his first foray into journalism, as a cub scout reporter for the Kent Messenger.
He volunteered for the Army in World War 2, as soon as he was old enough. He was commissioned into the Royal Berkshire Regiment and served in Burma with the Lincolnshire Regiment.

After the war he went up to Oriel College, Oxford, to read English. There he edited the Isis magazine, before joining the Daily Express. He became a full-time author in the 1960s. He also ghosted a number of autobiographies for subjects as diverse as the Duke of Windsor, King Zog of Albania, the actors Kenneth More and Jack Hawkins and Rats, a Jack Russell terrier that served with the British Army in Northern Ireland during the Troubles.

He lived for his last 40 years at Swallowcliffe Manor, near Salisbury in Wiltshire. He died on 10th September 2007 and is buried in the churchyard of St Peter’s Church, Swallowcliffe.

Reviews

[Paul B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content of the book is good, but the POD version I read is poorly laid out, to the detriment of the reading experience. Hence 3 stars; the text alone rates 4+.