103 2015 11 BRITAIN AT WAR MAGAZINE, BRITAIN AT WAR MAGAZINE
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//-->IAL NEC IOSP ITEDTHE BLITZ 1940-41:75TH ANNIVERSARYRBRITAIN’S BEST SELLING MILITARY HISTORY MONTHLYionHitler's InvasHit ListRFC FighterAce's 'Kills'BCoventry UXDiscoveryPLUS:THE BLITZ42 PAGES OF BLITZ CONTENT INCLUDING:Twenty Iconic Blitz Objects, top BlitzFighter Ace, Thames Blitz Blaze HeroesAN ARMYPADRE'SSACRIFICE'Mighty Atom' HeroUK£4.50TORTURECOULD NOTBREAK HERViolette Szabó GCNOVEMBER2015ISSUE 103www.britainatwar.comShould you wish to correspond with any of the‘Britain at War’team in particular, you can find them listed below:Editor:Andy SaundersAssistant Editor:John AshEditorial Correspondents:Geoff Simpson, Alex Bowers, Mark KhanAustralasia Correspondent:Ken WrightDesigners:Dan Jarman, Matt Fuller, Steve Donovan & Chris AbramsEDITORIAL ENQUIRIES:Britain at War Magazine,PO Box 380, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 9JATel: +44 (0)1424 752648 or email: contact@britainatwar.com.ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES:For all aspects of advertising in‘Britain at War’Magazineplease contact Alison Sanders, Advertisement Sales ManagerT +44 (0)1780 755131 or email: alison.sanders@keypublishing.com.el:GENERAL ENQUIRIES:For general enquiries and advertising queries pleasecontact the main office at:Britain at War MagazineKey Publishing LtdPO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQTel: +44 (0)1780 755131Fax: +44 (0)1780 757261SUBSCRIPTIONS, BINDERS AND BACK ISSUES:Britain at War,Key Publishing, PO Box 300, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1NAEmail: orders@keypublishing.comFrom theHE DISCOVERY of a large Germanunexploded bomb in Coventryduring the production period of thisBlitz Special pointed up the fact that thelegacy of the Blitz is still all around us. Sometimes, like thisbomb, it is obviously tangible evidence of that terrible period in Britishhistory. On other occasions it is far less obvious, but its 75thanniversary,nevertheless, is a war anniversary that has certainly left its mark onBritain, and perhaps rather more pointedly than others.The term ‘Blitz Spirit’ is one that has embedded itself in the British vernacularand, like ‘Dunkirk Spirit’, is used to reflect stoical and resolute defiance inthe face of the most trying of circumstances. Of course, it would be trite tosuggest that such a spirit shone through all of time, or with all of the peopleduring the Blitz always behaving honourably and courageously. Certainly, theextreme circumstances brought out the very best and the very worst of humannature. Those extreme circumstances, of course, visited the most terrible andunimaginable terrors on the civilian population and it left its scars, mental andphysical, on the survivors. Many survivors are still living, and others continue tolive with the legacy of the Blitz. Take, for example, the toll taken on the family ofFlt Lt Richard Stevens, the leading night fighter ace of the period. His three yearold daughter, Frances, was killed in an incident arising from German air actionin October 1940, an episode which drove him onwards with blind hatred and adesire for revenge, ultimately bringing down an astonishing number of Germanraiders. Ultimately, it led to his death in action and left a widow grieving for herlost child and husband. This grief lived with her, up to her death in more recentyears, and must still surely live on with John, the twin brother of little Frances.Walk around London, or other British cities, and one will still see the scars ofdamage on older buildings or notice the post-war construction that has sprungup in the gaps left by German bombs. These, like the German bomb find inCoventry, are the obvious scars. Less obvious are the emotional scars, or eventhe bodily injuries, that still live on with many survivors of the Blitz. In manyrespects, the Blitz has still not gone away and in its commemoration we do notmark either victory or any glorious success. Instead, we mark a truly awful periodof wartime history in Britain and marvel at the endurance of the population inthe face of relentless assault. One who lived through it, a Red Cross Nurse, said:‘You lived day to day and didn’t think of tomorrow until you got there. And in themorning, you just said ‘Thank God!’ ‘Truly, they were remarkable times that were endured by a remarkably resilientpopulation. We remember those who died, and salute those who lived through it.TEditorSUBSCRIPTIONS, BINDERS AND BACK ISSUESHOTLINE:+44 (0)1780 480404Or order online at www.britainatwar.comExecutive Chairman:Richard CoxManaging Director/Publisher:Adrian CoxCommercial Director:Ann SaundryProduction Manager:Janet WatkinsGroup Marketing Manager:Martin Steele‘Britain at War’Magazine is published on the last Thursdayof the preceeding month by Key Publishing Ltd.ISSN 1753-3090Printed by Warner’s (Midland) plc.Distributed by Seymour Distribution Ltd. (www.seymour.co.uk)All newsagents are able to obtain copies of‘Britain at War’fromtheir regional wholesaler. If you experience difficulties in obtaining acopy please call Seymour on +44 (0)20 7429 4000.All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part and in any formwhatsoever, is strictly prohibited without the prior, written permissionof the Editor. Whilst every care is taken with the material submitted to‘Britain at War’Magazine, no responsibility can be accepted for lossor damage. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarilyreflect those of the Editor or Key Publishing Ltd.Whilst every effort had been made to contact all copyright holders,the sources of some pictures that may be used are varied and, inmany cases, obscure. The publishers will be glad to make good infuture editions any error or omissions brought to their attention.The publication of any quotes or illustrations on which clearance hasnot been given is unintentional.We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers.Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautionsbefore parting with any information or item of value, including, but notlimited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal informationin response to any advertisements within this publication.Andy Saunders(Editor)COVER STORY© Key Publishing Ltd. 2015https://www.facebook.com/britainatwarmag@britainatwarThe enduring image of the Blitz is that of St Paul'sCathedral rising majestic and virtually unscathed fromthe flame and smoke of the Blitz, a photograph takenduring a heavy attack on the night of 29 December1940. Top right of our cover is an extracted image fromthe famous Blitz poster, 'Firebomb Fritz', warning of theincendiary bomb danger - bombs which came so closeto destroying the cathedral itself. Meanwhile, Dornier17 bombers fly overhead.www.britainatwar.com3FEATURES22 REPUTATIONS : DOUGLAS HAIGREASSESSEDIn the first of an occasional series looking at military reputations,Imperial War Museum oral historian Peter Hart reassesses SirDouglas Haig – was he the incompetent ‘donkey’ of popularimagination or an underrated strategist and innovator?Steve Snelling tells the inspiringly moving story of a hero Armychaplain, legendary amongst Far East POWs, after a beleagueredcolumn was cut-off by the Japanese.98 OPERATION IRONCLAD – SENDING IN THEMARINESThe story of a daring amphibious landing in 1942 upon whichrested the British attempt to seize Vichy-held Madagascar and itsimportant port of Diego Suarez.Captain James McCudden VC was one of the deadliest and mostsuccessful British fighter pilots of the First World War. NormanFranks details this remarkable fighter ace's 'kills' achieved insideallied lines.30 AN ARMY PADRE’S SACRIFICE106 SCOURGE OF THE TWO-SEATERSContents22REPUTATIONS : DOUGLAS HAIG REASSESSED4www.britainatwar.com106SCOURGE OF THE TWO-SEATERSBLITZ SPECIAL42 LONE WOLF: TOP BLITZ FIGHTER ACEIn a story never fully told before we bypass fiction and dispel themyth to uncover the remarkable career of an unsung and little-known Blitz hero – the night-fighter ‘ace’, Flt Lt Richard PlayneStevens DSO DFC & Bar.Austin Ruddy describes the Blitz firestorm at the Purfleet oildepots as it was bravely tackled by auxiliary fire fighters from asfar away as the East Midlands, leading to ten gallantry awardsand the establishment of a National Fire Service.Editor’s Choice114 ‘WELL ALIGHT, AND GOING WELL!’55SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT65The Blitz of 1940 – 1941 left its mark on Britain to theextent that traces are still to be found in and around its Blitzedcities. We look at twenty significant objects and places whichtell the painful tale of the nation’s ordeal by bomb and fire.TWENTY ICONICBLITZ OBJECTSIn a Britain at War exclusive,the extraordinary life andcourage of Violette SzabóGC is told by Lord Ashcroftusing unique material notseen before.SZABÓREGULARS621BRIEFING ROOMFIELDPOSTThe latest news and events for your diary.Your letters, input and feedback.This month, our analysis of the key events of the First World War reachesNovember 1915. There are further disasters in the Balkans, the Germanssuffer a setback in Africa and the British move on Baghdad.An evocative image as one of the legendary Australian Light Horseregiments advances through Jerusalem.The editorial team seeks out a range of new titles, reviewinga reassessment of 1916, the extraordinary tale of a Great Warclandestine heroine and our Book of the Month, a new oral historyof the Great War.We detail some of November 1915’s awards for gallantry and LordAshcroft delves into another epic tale with his ‘Hero of the Month’.We look at a touching last letter from a dying Somme soldier, foundin the grisly aftermath of the attack on the German fortificationknown as the ‘Quadrilateral’.40 FIRST WORLD WAR DIARY52 IMAGE OF WAR91RECON REPORT124 GREAT WAR GALLANTRY130 THE FIRST WORLD WAR IN OBJECTSISSUE 103NOVEMBER 2015A subscription to Britainat War makes a great giftthis Christmas.See pages 96-97 for details.NEWS FEATURE16RETURN OF THE BARONESS:BACK ON TRACKOur Assistant Editor presents an initial report from the team restoring asuper-rare British cold war armoured vehicle back to running condition.We analysed the 2,800 names on a Nazi hit list and expected tofind the usual suspects. We did; Winston Churchill, Anthony Edenand foreign government ministers. However, some surprise targetsare found in this veritable ‘Who’s Who?’ of a Nazi Britain.www.britainatwar.com18HITLER’S HIT LIST98OPERATION IRONCLAD5
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