Sneak peek of Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain.

I am so excited. Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain has arrived. What wonderful cover art!



The book tells the remarkable stories of eight young Australians who fought in the Battle of Britain:



Jack Kennedy (238 Squadron)—Sydney born and bred; Spitfire and Hurricane pilot, the first Australian to die in the Battle

Stuart Walch (238 Squadron)—Hobart born and bred; Hurricane pilot, known as the father of his squadron

Dick Glyde DFC (87 Squadron)—Perth born and bred; Australia’s first internee of the war; Hurricane pilot who flew in the Battle of France and died on Eagle Day

Pat Hughes DFC (234 Squadron)—Monaro born and bred, memorialised in Cooma and Kiama, raised to adulthood in Sydney; Spitfire pilot and Australia’s highest scoring Battle ace who died defending London on the first day of the Blitz

Ken Holland (152 Squadron)—Sydney born and bred; Spitfire pilot and the youngest Australian to die

John Crossman (32 and 46 squadrons)—Queensland-born and Newcastle raised; Hurricane pilot who was determined to fly at all cost

Bill Millington DFC (79 and 249 squadrons)—English born but Adelaide raised; Hurricane pilot and exemplar of chivalry who avoided crashing into a village; died on the last day of fighting

Desmond Sheen DFC and Bar (72 Squadron)—Sydney-born and Canberra raised; Spitfire pilot and first Australian to engage the enemy in combat. Baled out twice, and survived.


Perhaps you might like to have a sneak peek of what the book is like ... but first, you have to endure some shots of me gloating over it ...







OK. Now for the book itself.

As you can see, it is very handsomely produced. Hard cover dust wrapper, illustrated boards, stitched page sections (so it won't fall apart if you are a hard reader), a goodly number of b&w pics, two maps and some cleverly designed chapter header logos. For the historians, it is fully endnoted with a detailed bibliography of primary and secondary sources.  And an index. All in all, I am thrilled with it.

What do you think of the frontispiece illustration?

That depicts Pat Hughes' last moments in combat. I was thrilled to receive permission to use this from the man who commissioned the painting, based on their father's eyewitness account of the battle.





The table of contents gives the overview of the book but it is only when you read it that you will gain a true sense of the narrative sweep.

It was difficult selecting the photos and took weeks to make up my mind. I think the end result is mighty impressive. 

 

Do you see the wings brooch in this photo?

That was given to me by Jack Kennedy's former fiancee. I treasure it.

I was so pleased when NewSouth's designer used it as the basis for the chapter headers (see below).

It was all bit of a coincidence too, in that I had separately commissioned a graphic designer to come up with my personal writer's logo which includes a stylised set of wings (see at the top of this post). I love how they all relate.




Here are some extracts from the book.

Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain is available now with a recommended retail price of $A49.99 from all good booksellers throughout Australia. Naturally, Alexander Fax Booksellers will stock signed copies. Postage and packaging will be additional. Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain will be published in the United Kingdom by Pen and Sword at a later date. (I haven't been told the publication date yet) If you don't mind waiting a bit, you will be able to purchase it from your local bookshop in Britain as well.

To purchase from Alexander Fax Booksellers, just follow the link at http://www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au/australians-few-and-battle-britain or email alexfax@alexanderfaxbooks.com.au

If you prefer to order via your favourite local (Australian) bookshop, here is what you need to tell them:

Title: Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain, Author: Kristen Alexander
Publisher: NewSouth, ISBN 9781742234151  

I look forward to sharing with you what I have discovered about Jack Kennedy Stuart Walch, Dick Glyde, Ken Holland, Pat Hughes, Bill Millington, John Crossman and Des Sheen. I will of course tell everyone I know about Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain. Details are already on my website, and that of Alexander Fax Booksellers, and on our Facebook pages. Please help spread the news to your family and friends, and anyone interested in Australia’s aviation history, by word of mouth or social media, so that more people can learn of the bravery of these young men, and their part in the world’s greatest air war.

Before I sign off, I want to share one last thing. Pat Hughes' favourite song was 'Where or When', by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, which featured in the 1937 musical and 1939 movie Babes in Arms. In it, a young couple who meet for the first time are instantly struck by the feeling that they have been in love before, but they can’t work out where they met, or how long ago. Their strong impression of déjà vu, along with their immediate attraction, create the sense that they belong together. Here is my favourite version of that lovely, evocative song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRSM3dLSTk

I hope you have enjoyed the sneak peek of Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain.  It is my fourth book and I think it is my best.


Kristen
www.kristenalexander.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/australiasfew
https://www.facebook.com/KristenAlexanderAuthor
Twitter: Kristen Alexander @kristenauthor
www.alexanderfaxbooks.com.au
https://www.facebook.com/AlexanderFaxBooksellers
:

Desmond Sheen's inspiration. 9 May 1927

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/lifestyle/question-time-with-kristen-alexander-20140508-37x7h.html

This appeared in today’s Canberra Times. A little bit of publicity never goes astray, especially with a new book (mentioned in the article) coming out in September 2014.

The article mentions Des Sheen, Canberra’s own Battle of Britain pilot, who features in Australia’s Few and the Battle of Britain. Coincidentally, the ‘Did You Know’ at bottom right, also links to Desmond and the day he caught the flying bug. Here is an extract from Australia’s Few that explains all.    

 

 

Canberrans took the day off work or escaped from household duties on Monday 9 May 1927 so they could witness the Duke and Duchess of York open Parliament House. It was an occasion full of colour and pomp, punctuated by the impressive forces’ march past, the boom of the royal salute, Dame Nellie Melba’s rendition of ‘God Save the King’ and formal guards of honour. Nine-year-old Desmond Frederick Burt Sheen was just one of the crowd enjoying the day’s events. He was excited by the aerial pageant and couldn’t believe his luck when one of the RAAF’s de Havilland DH9s landed in a paddock near his home. From that moment, he was hooked. He thought, ‘that’s for me ... I decided as soon as I was old enough I would join the air force’.

 

 

This photo of Des, holding a canine friend, and his younger brother Gordon was taken in 1928, the year after the flying bug bit. Looks like he has his eyes closed. Perhaps all the better to see those flying machines in his mind!

2013 Sabretache Writers Prize

I have just heard some exciting news.

 

I have been awarded the Military Historical Society of Australia's 2013 Sabretache Writers Prize for my article 'Miss Celia Macdonald of the Isles "who has been a particularly good friend" ', which discusses the role Miss Macdonald played in an important WWII hospitality scheme, as well as her importance in the life of Australian Battle of Britain pilot Bill Millington.

 The article will be published in Sabretache, the Society's journal in due course. I also won the 2012 prize.

 

 

Bill Millington, at Ruckley Grange, one of the homes he visited under the auspices of the

Dominion and Allied Services Hospitality Scheme

 

Miss Celia Macdonald

 

 

Another review of Australian Eagles. The Sunday Tasmanian, 4 August 2013

The latest review of Australian Eagles appeared in the Sunday Tasmanian, 4 August 2013. Another good one: 'it is an important book ... comes fully recommended' by Tasmanian historian Reg A. Watson. They used my favourite photo too!

 

 

I first met the author, Kristen Alexander, at the unveiling of a plaque at Hutchins School to commemorate an old school boy, Stuart Crosby Walch.  Stuart was the only Tasmanian to be killed in the Battle of Britain.  With the annual ceremonies looming for that historic event mid September, the release of Australian Eagles is timely.

Kristen has listed and written on six Australians, they being Jack Kennedy, Dick Glyde DFC, John Crossman, Desmond Sheen DFC and Bar, James Coward and our own Stuart Walch.  The author is the Australian representative for the Battle of Britain Historical Society. The Battle was fought over the skies of England in the summer and autumn of 1940. Those pilots who participated were called by Winston Churchill “The Few”. Out of the 2940 who fought, 36 were Australians. Of Fighter Command, 544 airmen were killed, among them were thirteen Australians.

The Chapter on Stuart Crosby Walch is number two of six. Walch was born 16^th February 1917 in Hobart. He was of the prominent business family of the city. Outstanding at sport he was a well known figure around town in the mid 1930s and joined the RAAF early in 1936 and sailed to England to further his flying career. He was there when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain advised that “this country (England) is at war with Germany”. Stuart would never see Tasmania again.  Later he was posted to 238 Squadron based at Tangmeere as Flight Commander. It was in July 1940 that Stuart saw his first action. Flying a Hurricane fighter he began to get credited with kills (downing of enemy craft).  Within three months of joining 238, the 23 year old, became known as being the “father” of his squadron and took on the most dangerous jobs himself.  On the 11 August 1940 with Stuart leading the squadron, he encountered an enemy force of more than 150 aircraft.  It was his 55^th sortie. Undaunted by the overwhelming numbers they met the onslaught, but he and his section leader plummeted into the waters five or so miles south of Swanage.  He had accounted for two destroyed enemy aircraft, two shared destroyed, one unconfirmed shared destroyed and one damaged.  The lost of the young Tasmanian, naturally, was devastating for his family.

Like all airmen his name is recorded on the Air Force memorial at Runnymede (England).  He is also remembered on The Hutchins School’s Second World War Roll in the Chapel of St Thomas.  On 21^st September 2011 Hutchins was presented with a Battle of Britain Historical Society School Plaque to honour Stuart.  This was the first and to date, the only School Plaque presented in Australia.  Stuart’s status is being the only Tasmanian on the Battle of Britain Honour Roll in Westminster Abbey (London).

Kristen has produced a wonderful read.  It is an important book in that those six who served and died are now to be remembered more fully.  Tasmanians will be proud to know that one of our own paid the supreme sacrifice over the skies of Great Britain. Her research is good and her style is easily read.  Comes fully recommended.

Chalfont St Giles and John Crossman

The Chalfont St Giles parish church dates from the 12th Century. It has fine stained glass windows—mostly Victorian but a few much older—and wall paintings from the 14th–15th centuries. The weather over the last month or so has been warm and wet and the grass in the churchyard had grown considerably and so the parish recently conducted another working bee and the grounds are once again neat and tidy. A big 'down-under' thank you to the diligent parishioners, especially my friend Ian.

 

Recently, one of the Friends of the parish was talking to a visitor who brought two German friends with her. The visitor explained that back in the eighties she had met the fiancée of a pilot buried in the churchyard. It did not take too much detective work to realise that this visitor had met John Crossman’s fiancée, Pat. (The other RAF grave is that of a married airman.)

 

My friend Ian contacted her and she told him that, on 26 August 1988, she had her family had been returning by boat from the Scilly Isles. The weather was poor and combined with rough seas there were a number of queasy people on the upper deck. She found myself seated next Pat. Pat explained that she had gone to Chalfont St Giles a number of times over the years and would be visiting John’s grave again soon. They met briefly when Pat returned to Chalfont St. Giles and had a perfect English tea, in a perfect English garden. It is heart warming to think that this woman has  visited John’s grave in Pat’s stead and shared John’s story with two German friends.

 

 

 

An extract from my Australia’s Few blog http://australiansinthebattleofbritain.blogspot.com.au/ was recently published in the Chalfont St Giles parish magazine.