Wartime Courage [Hardcover]

Gordon Brown (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2008

In these ten stories of Second World War battlefield action, Gordon Brown pays tribute to the courage of a whole generation. Some are stories of decisive action taken in searing heat of combat. On D-Day Company Sergeant Major Hollis of the Green Howards VC stormed a pill-box alone, overcoming its defenders and thus paving the way for a crucial advance to higher ground, while Sergeant Hannah VC, single-handedly fought a fire in a bomber returning from a raid on invasion barges at Antwerp in 1940, as machine-gun ammunition exploded all around him, thus saving the aircraft and its remaining crew. Others are stories of great danger faced again and again. Over many months Graham Hayes and Geoffrey Appleyard of the Small Scale Raiding Force, carried out daring and innovative actions on enemy shipping in Africa and then the Normandy coast, while John Bridge, a physics teacher turned mine and bomb disposal officer, repeatedly practised his carefully acquired skills and knowledge in the most terrifying circumstances from 1940 to 1945, defusing bomb after bomb, mine after mine, always aware that there were no second chances if things went wrong. Perhaps the most daunting and mysterious form of courage he encountered in working on this book was the kind that sustained individuals working on their own on clandestine operations far behind enemy lines. Major Hugh Seagrim GC, in occupied Burma and Violette Szabo in occupied France are only two of such stories of sang-froid and sheer guts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

PRAISE FOR COURAGE: 'Extremely well-written: aphoristic, evocative and, most surprisingly of all, pacy ... a page-turner. Trust me: this is a fine book' Spectator 'His approach is refreshing ... readable and intelligent' Sunday Times 'The book tells us as much about Brown's own personal journey as it does about the courage of those he describes ... very moving' Guardian

About the Author

Gordon Brown was born in 1951 and went toschool in Kirkcaldy. He studied at Edinburgh University from the age of 16 and graduated with Master of Arts at 19 with 1st Class Honours, later gaining a Doctorate of Philosophy. From 1976 to 1980, he lectured at Edinburgh University and then Glasgow College of Technology, before taking up a post at Scottish TV. From 1983-1984 he was Chair of the Labour Party Scottish Council and in May 1983 became MP for Dunfermline East. He was Opposition spokesperson on Treasury and Economic Affairs (Shadow Chancellor) from 1992. With the election of the Labour government in May 1997, Gordon Brown became Chancellor of the Exchequer, and held the post for ten years. Following the resignation of Tony Blair, he became Prime Minister in June 2007. He is married to Sarah Macaulay and they have two sons.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Clearway Logistics Phase 1a (November 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747596077
• ISBN-13: 978-0747596073
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,621,286 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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