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Title details for Churchill's Shadow Raiders by Damien Lewis - Available

Churchill's Shadow Raiders

The Race to Develop Radar, World War II's Invisible Secret Weapon

by Damien Lewis
ebook
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From bestselling and award-winning war reporter Damien Lewis and for fans of Erik Larsen's The Splendid and Vile and Alex Kershaw's The Forgotten 500 comes a thrilling account of one of the most daring raids of WWII...the true story of the race to stop Hitler from developing a top-secret weapon that would change the course of history.

"One of the most readable World War 2 history books I have read in years"
—We Are the Mighty
In the winter of 1941, as Britain faced defeat on all fronts, an RAF reconnaissance pilot photographed an alien-looking object on the French coast near Le Havre. The mysterious device—a "Wurzburg Dish"—appeared to be a new form of radar technology: ultra-compact, highly precise, and pointed directly across the English Channel. Britain's experts found it hard to believe the Germans had mastered such groundbreaking technology. But one young technician thought it not only possible, he convinced Winston Churchill that the dish posed a unique and deadly threat to Allied forces, one that required desperate measures—and drastic action . . .

Capturing the radar on film had been an amazing coup. Stealing it away from under the noses of the Nazis would be remarkable.

So was launched Operation Biting, a mission like no other. An extraordinary "snatch-and-grab" raid on Germany's secret radar installation, it offered Churchill's elite airborne force, the Special Air Service, a rare opportunity to redeem themselves after a previous failed mission—and to shift the tides of war forever. Led by the legendary Major John Frost, these brave paratroopers would risk all in a daring airborne assault, with only a small stretch of beach menaced by enemy guns as their exit point. With the help of a volunteer radar technician who knew how to dismantle the dish, as well as the courageous men and women of the French Resistance, they succeeded against all odds in their act of brazen robbery. Some would die. Others would be captured. All fought with resolute bravery . . .

This is the story of that fateful night of February 27, 1942. A brilliantly told, thrillingly tense account of Churchill's raiders in their finest hour, this is World War II history at its heart-stopping best.

"This highly informative book almost reads like a genuine techno-thriller."
—New York Journal of Books

"A little-known behind-the-lines spectacular led by two heroic British officers."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Anyone who wants to learn more about the origins of the British Special Forces should read this book. It intertwines historical research and eyewitness testimony to tell the untold story of heroism, courage, and ingenuity."
—Military Press

"Lewis presents a richly detailed and nail-biting tale."
—Library Journal

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 28, 2020

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

      • ISBN: 9780806540658

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780806540658

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780806540658
      • File size: 2148 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      April 10, 2020

      Operation Biting was a raid on a German radar installation in Bruneval, Normandy, in February 1942. With the odds against them, British parachutists, assisted by a few scientists, were sent in secret to steal what appeared to be a new form of radar technology. But the tale actually starts a year earlier, with Operation Colossus, the first airborne operation undertaken by the British. Its objective was to destroy a viaduct supplying water to towns and ports in southern Italy. Colossus was prematurely deemed a failure and its soldiers abandoned to capture by Italian forces. Historian Lewis (The Ministry for Ungentlemanly Warfare) maintains that the failure of Colossus set the script for discussions in Winston Churchill's cabinet about the effectiveness, even possibility, of further airborne missions. From their examination of Bruneval, scientists learned secrets that allowed for later bombing expeditions in Germany and even the D-Day landings. VERDICT Lewis presents a richly detailed and nail-biting tale. For readers who enjoy well-told history and scholars of World War II.--David Keymer, Cleveland

      Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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