Operation Freshman:The Rjukan Heavy Water Raid 1942 by Richard Wiggan soon to be presented for sale on the wonderful BookLovers of Bath web site!
Published: London: William Kimber & Co., Ltd, 1986, Hardback in dust wrapper.
Contains: Black & white photographs; Maps;
From the cover: On a winters night in late 1942 there foundered in the mountains of Southern Norway one of the most vital if not the most vital missions of the Second World War. Thirty-four men in two gliders, towed by Halifax bombers, set out to sabotage the heavy water plant at Vemork and so cripple Germanys efforts to be the first to produce an atomic bomb. Both gliders and one of the Halifaxes crashed. The crew of the bomber died instantly, as did the pilots and co-pilots of the gliders. But there were survivors from the gliders, members of the British 1st Airborne Division, Royal Engineers.
It was the fate of these Royal Engineers that turned this little-known raid, code-named Operation Freshman, into a tale of horror and murder that remained a mystery until British forces returned to Norway at the end of the war. The men died as a direct result of a top secret order just issued by Hitler and, then unknown to the British, aimed at curbing damaging commando raids.
Richard Wiggan tells how Operation Freshman was conceived and planned in a desperate race against time and of the difficulties to be overcome. His in-depth research into the operation included access to war crimes trial records not yet open to the general public. He presents a detailed account which includes Norwegian involvement in Freshman, both in the operation itself and in aiding the survivors. The book also describes the subsequent successful raid on Vemork by Special Operations Executive Norwegian agents.
Very Good in Very Good Dust Wrapper.
Blue boards with Gilt titling to the Spine. 176 pages. Index. 9½” x 6¼”.
Of course, if you don’t like this one, may I charm you with my array of books hither or maybe further, hand picked, books in my Military Air Force catalogue?
BookLovers of Bath 