'I Bombed London' Karl Engel

[Brian]

Hi guys

I have just acquired a copy of a very old paperback (published 1954) entitled 'I Bombed London' written by Karl Engel and translated by Siegfried Ritson.

Are/were these guys real? Or is the book a novel? I cannot decide. Both Engel and Ritson are supposed to have served together in an unidentified He111 Gruppe.

I'm sure someone knows - please enlighten me.

Should it help, according to the book Engel was LOST on a sortie over England on 14 August 1943

Thanks
Brian

[Chris Goss]

There was an Engel on KG 2 but not Karl. There appears to have been no major attack on UK 14 Aug 43 but there was 15-16 Aug 43

[Brian]

Thanks Chris

I omitted to add that Engel was LOST on 14 August 1943.

Cheers
Brian

[Jim Oxley]

I'm a bit confused by the dates mentioned. Engel was 'lost' (as in died?) in August '43. Yet the book wasn't published until 1954. Does that mean Engel wrote the book during the war?

[Brian]

Hi Jim

According to the blurb, Ritson translated Engel's diary into English and added information from Engel's personal letters obtained from his mother. Engel was killed on 14 August 1943 on a sortie to England (date according to book).

Apparently Ritson settled in England postwar and became naturialised Britsih.

But I have my suspicions. I'm surprised no one else seems to have seen the book! I only paid 99p for it!

Intriguing!

Cheers
Brian

[David Ransome]

Hi Brian,

I have to say that it seems feasible to me, I have known/do know several ex German forces who came over here and stayed after the war was over, more than one had documentation pertaining to colleagues who had been killed. As for name changes, I could see that it might be useful to write under another name or use pseudonyms through the book, if only because the writer was now living in the country that he was fairly recently dropping bombs on! Just a thought or two.

Kind regards,

David

[David Ransome]

PS.

I'll give you £1.50 plus postage for it!

David

[Andy Saunders]

Originally Posted by Brian

Hi Jim

According to the blurb, Ritson translated Engel's diary into English and added information from Engel's personal letters obtained from his mother. Engel was killed on 14 August 1943 on a sortie to England (date according to book).

Apparently Ritson settled in England postwar and became naturialised Britsih.

But I have my suspicions. I'm surprised no one else seems to have seen the book! I only paid 99p for it!

Intriguing!

Cheers
Brian

Brian - I once had this in hardback with orange board covers and published in New York. I thought it a very odd read and seem to recall checking it out and coming to the conclusion it was phoney - hence I no longer have it! I can't recall what led me to believe it was fiction as it must have been 20 years ago....but, for what its worth, I've had it, read it and my suspicions were as per yours!

Andy

[Brian]

Hi David

I thought it was the Scots who are a bit tight-fisted! Make it £1.75 plus postage and its yours! Plus of course a pint of best bitter and a bowel of leek soup next time I visit North Wales!

Cheers
Brian

PS: Andy - don't forget the V-1 material you mentioned. Cheers

[Chris Goss]

I presume by bowel you mean more than a bowl of soup??!!