{"product_id":"secret-operations-over-occupied-europe-nigel-s-atkins-9781399079792","title":"Secret Operations Over Occupied Europe: One RAF Crew's Story of Clandestine Missions, Being Shot Down, Escape and Capture","description":"\u003cb\u003eOn their last tragic flight, Lieutenant Peter Bartter's crew is sent on a daring mission over Occupied Europe.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor several months in 1943, seven young airmen, all volunteers, were moulded into an RAF crew tasked with undertaking perilous operations over Occupied Europe. Drawn together from England, Argentina, and Canada, the crew, led by their captain, Flight Lieutenant Peter Bartter, were assigned to 138 (Special Duties) Squadron, based at RAF Tempsford. It was there that they flew low, over dangerous territory to deliver agents and equipment to aid the Resistance in Occupied Europe.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen the Allies opened new fronts in North Africa and Italy, Bartter's crew was seconded for some weeks to 624 Squadron flying from Blida in Algeria and Protville in Tunisia. On their return to the UK, they had the additional task of bringing back Winston Churchill's son, Randolph.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe crew's last operation would be to fly Flemming Muus, as head of SOE in Denmark, to Roskilde in Denmark. However, tragedy struck when their Halifax Mk.II, BB378, was shot down approaching its destination on the night of 10\/11 December 1943.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eExemplary piloting skills from Peter Bartter brought the aircraft down in a frozen field with no injuries. Muus thankfully escaped. The crew, meanwhile, split into two groups - the officers, and the NCOs.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe officers managed to evade capture and reach Sweden. One of the officers, Ernesto Howell, went on to re-join 138 Squadron, but was sadly killed flying over the North Sea in November 1944.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe NCOs' luck gave out, and they were all captured, spending the rest of the war in the notorious Stalag IV-B. From there, one of the NCOs managed to escape just before the camp liberated by the Russians.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this book, the crew are traced from their recruitment, to training, deployment and, for the survivors, their post-war lives. The next generation, Ren?, son of agent Ernest Gimpel, and Nigel Atkins, son of Brian Atkins, the co-pilot, have become firm friends. Nigel Atkins travelled across Europe on a journey of discovery as he has met and interviewed many people while visiting multiple locations the crew only visited from above.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom daring flights over occupied Europe to meetings over seventy years later, the excavation of the crash site and new friendships formed, this book has it all.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Nigel S. Atkins, Jan Christensen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1399079794\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781399079792\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Air World\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/04\/2024\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover","brand":"Nigel S. Atkins","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":46685784768767,"sku":"9781399079792","price":49.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_7d2c54e8-9c4e-44a9-be55-a4821c895c99.jpg?v=1741726764","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/secret-operations-over-occupied-europe-nigel-s-atkins-9781399079792","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}