1. Home
  2. View Cart
  3. Checkout

Malta: The Thorn in Rommel's Side

Malta: The Thorn in Rommel's Side

Ref: 4921

In stock

Price: £13.00

sadly, flyingbooks is now closed.

{detailed description}Between June 1940 and December 1942, Malta was one of the most bombed places on earth. The battle for this diminutive island, no larger than the Isle of Wight, proved to be one of the decisive turning-points of World War Two. Now seen as the key to Allied victory in North Africa and the subsequent invasion of southern Europe, the Battle for Malta is the story of likely defeat transformed into one of the most brilliant aerial triumphs of the war. But the price of victory was high...
In this intimate and personal narrative, Laddie Lucas uses his first-hand experience of the conflict to describe the intense pressures of relentless day-to-day combat. As the commanding officer of the Island's top-scoring Spitfire squadron he gives an insight into the tactics that reversed the overwhelming odds stacked against Allied success — the decisive role played by the vast US aircraft carrier Wasp as a launching pad for reinforcing aircraft, Ultra's crucial deciphering of enemy codes, and the dedicated teamwork of Allied forces from around the globe. Miraculous escapes, such as the Nazi bomb that landed on a packed church congregation but failed to explode, feature alongside the darker hours — the extensive bombing campaign that destroyed 39 newly arrived Spitfires, the hardships endured by the Islanders, and the enormous cost in human life.
This book is a testament to the bravery of the pilots who died in this unequal combat. Laddie Lucas recounts individual stories of heroism, showing a unique understanding of the minds and behaviour of pilots and their groundcrews who, stretched to the limit, knew that between victory and surrender there could be no compromise. He gives a frank account of what life was like for the forces in war-torn Malta — the claustrophobic, unnatural social conditions, the hunger, and diseases such as Malta `Dog'. A book honouring the sung and unsung heroes of the battle and bringing the conflict into sharp and immediate focus, Malta — The Thorn in Rommel's Side is an invaluable record of the stark realities of war.
{Author / Publisher / Date}by Laddie Lucas
published by Stanley Paul 1992 1st edn. 205pp illus. ind. 16x24
{condition}previous owner's name to front free endpaper, slightly yellowed otherwise near fine inc. d/j.
{delivery info}
The following tables show the shipping costs for this book only.
Multiple purchases will have their costs calculated at the checkout, where the delivery method may also be selected.
Please refer to terms and conditions for further information regarding weight limits, delivery times etc.
U.K.tracked
first class (1-2 days)£4.75
second class (2-3 days)£4.25


Recently Viewed