Eagle Days: Life and Death for the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

Max Hastings told me a few years ago when I met him that he thought it was. As he put it, '..imagining new revelations and insights from WW II is a disease...' I don't suppose for one minute that Taylor's book will be any different. The publisher's 'hype' is ridiculous.

I see what he means but equally he seems to have relied on Hinsley et al's Official History where ULTRA is concerned, which is not the same as actually reading the messages. After all, where else would you find this crucial insight from July 1940?

CX/JQ/119, para. 38.

On 6/7 Intendant of Luftflotte 3 gave out that on Sunday 7/7 the first load of early potatoes would arrive at Granville. (A)

[Siko54]

Very interesting discussion - the only comment I have to add to Nick’s excellent points above is from listening to the fabulous “The rest is history” podcast. They were discussing the battle of Agincourt and mentioned how one of the best books on the battle to have been published came about from renewed research into new sources in the last 20 years (coincidentally from another female author), which is clearly some 600+ years after the events occurred! So there is hope that new angles can be found even if the participants are indeed long dead and I think it would be a great shame to close our minds to new ways of looking at old subjects.

This thread prompted me to reread John’s excellent “Zerstorer” which I am enjoying immensely, it has indeed aged well and I hope to enjoy Victorias book too in the near future-my hope is that it is complementary to his and others vast array of excellent work on the subject. I do get the scepticism and some of the criticism but new high profile books on the subject matter can only be a good thing for everyone involved in this “hobby”.

[John Vasco]

Thanks, Siko, for your comment.

Look out later in the year when the second edition of 'Zerstörer' by myself and Peter Cornwell is published. The first edition was published in 1995 (the pre-internet days - do we remember them!), and this latest edition is an update and re-write, with 121,000 words and around 750 photos.


What I have posted here so far is not, I believe, all scepticism, but pointing out errors, for example about the first attack on the RDF (not radar) stations, and when Jabos were first used. I will admit that scepticism also rears its head in my post, given the claim that her book is a comprehensive history on everyday life and death for the entire Luftwaffe during its ten-month Luftschlacht um England. I don't believe that can ever be done. I think all that Chris Goss, Andy Saunders, Peter Cornwell, and others like myself can claim is that the research that is ultimately published in book form is simply the fruits of collected information, and cannot claim to be comprehensive, for the simple reason we never were able to contact all survivors of our chosen subject. And additionally, can never mine the stories of those who were killed in action. My Erprobungsgruppe 210 book, for example, is simply that - all that I have gathered, but certainly not a comprehensive, definite, account, and I would never claim that it is. That is the hard-nosed reality of research and writing.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

NICK BEALE,

Thanks for the new information about her sources, which, at least, as you said, do give her a lot of credit indeed. What she did with the information as you wrote, is another point.

And JOHN VASCO pointed out something that can not be changed. Historically, there seems to be an error as to the date she inform about the introduction or first JABO sorties, which Mr. VASCO informed and, do prove onto his book, that it was much earlier, since July....So, that's a negative point, in my view....it seems she neglected Historical data here, or wrote a piece of information that is not, Historically true (I mean the correct date).

Anyway, we can only judge, as Nick put in fair and honest words, just after reading it and pointing the errors, vis-a-vis what has been already published, officially (RAF, LW Documents) and non-officially (other reference books, like Zerstörer, the Battle of Britain then and Now, etc.)...and sincerely, as Human Beings, we all are suscetible to make mistakes, even a Miss with a PhD in History, or acknowleadgeable and published Historians.

[Peter Kassak]

Info about this book and author came to my eyes somewhat sooner this week. Therefor I started to read this discussion about sources, academic background etc. My basic question is: Does she speak German? Which is for me the basics, if I want to claim to present some unpublished, superb new materials etc.... or all the primary sources she claims to use, and as the info by some of you already mentioned, is mostly from UK and US sources (so already translated).... does this count?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Peter Kassak

My basic question is: Does she speak German? Which is for me the basics

My clear impression from the interview I listened to is that yes, she does. She certainly knows how to pronounce it.

[John Vasco]

Chapter 1 read.

Covers the Luftwaffe in the 1930s, including the Spanish Civil War (not in great detail, just that they went there, and several raids are mentioned).

For anyone who has done a reasonable amount of reading on 1930s Luftwaffe, there is nothing new.

There will be some who think that I'm out to pour criticism on the work. I am not. I'm merely pointing out what I have read. I have made errors in my works, which I readily admit.

[John Vasco]

Chapter 2 read.

Polish campaign with extracts from several letters.

If you know about the Polish campaign...

[FalkeEins]

I'm not saying she has no business writing about the BoB. There's a myriad of other BoB titles in the pipeline no doubt: there'll almost certainly be books on the 90th and then the 100th, even the 150th anniversaries. What I am taking issue with is her publisher's claim of new insights, that her book is a 'must-read', that the material has not been exploited in this way before etc

[edwest2]

Originally Posted by FalkeEins

I'm not saying she has no business writing about the BoB. There's a myriad of other BoB titles in the pipeline no doubt: there'll almost certainly be books on the 90th and then the 100th, even the 150th anniversaries. What I am taking issue with is her publisher's claim of new insights, that her book is a 'must-read', that the material has not been exploited in this way before etc

As a working book editor, I can say that some publishers are honest in their descriptions, while others make use of what Americans call hype. Keep in mind that among specialists, such gross overstatements are obvious. Annoyingly so.
But the intended audience is the general public.

In Britain, the diaries and stories passed on encourage others to remind, and remind again, others of the victory achieved. To pass this on to new generations. In America, peerage does not exist. At one time, American children were taught
about their ancestors and relatives. I certainly was. That has waned over the last 40 years.

I must commend whoever came up with this book's title. Such things require a bit of thought. In this case, both the intellect and emotions need to be engaged. The specialist views such things through a different lens than the average buyer.
Those whose lived experience is far removed from the time need to be inspired as well as reminded about an important event in their nation's history that will live on forever.