FINEST HOUR

A history of Britain’s early WWII struggle against Hitler, constructed from archival material and dozens of interviews with the people who participated in it.

From the brave rescue of Allied troops at Dunkirk to the ferocious air battles that raged over the cities of England, the Battle of Britain stands as a symbol of British courage and tenacity in the face of tyranny. Cultural historian Clayton (Oxford) and documentary producer and novelist Craig (A Deadly Vineyard Holiday, 1997, etc.) here combine their talents to present the personal stories of those caught up in the desperate struggle. These remarkable accounts of courageous warriors, such as Platoon Sergeant-Major Martin McLane (who fought the treacherous rear-guard action before narrowly escaping the Dunkirk beaches) and Pilot Officer Denis Wissler (who engaged Nazi pilots over both France and England), reinforce the popular images of British determination to defy Hitler. Interspersed among the war stories are the often-overlooked experiences of ordinary British citizens who also suffered during Hitler’s air blitz—such as the schoolchildren, sent by their parents to Canada to escape the Nazi bombs, who fell prey to Nazi torpedoes (but managed to survive the freezing North Atlantic waters long enough to be rescued). These individual narratives create an impressive sense of the British national resolution—either to repel the forces of Nazism or to perish in the attempt. Clayton and Craig succeed, in the anecdotal style of Stephen Ambrose’s recent WWII histories, in transforming the dramas of individual soldiers, airmen, and citizens into an impressively researched and tightly woven history that reads like an exciting novel.

A well-researched and engaging study, in which Clayton and Craig present a dramatic account of the men and women who overcame the perilous challenges of the Battle of Britain.