Unusual book 'shop' reveals little gem !

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I was visiting the in-laws and just round the corner from where they live is one of those 'front room' book shops, run by an old feller who just wants to sell books. I visit it whenever I am at the in-laws and rarely find anything WW2, but am usually surprised by some of the books he has there.

This time was no exception. In amongst a box of maps and old football programs I found.....

'The young officers guide to ilitary law' published in 1943

'The Battle of Britain' a government pamphlet/booklet published in 1941 and still claiming over 2000 confirmed kills

'The RAF in Russia' a 1941 published book of an RAF Hurricane squadrons trip and stay in Russia.

And this......

This just took the biscuit. And the price for all 4.........was just that. £4.

........

A handbook for a Hotchkiss portable machine gun.

[cornishboy]

very!!!!!!!!!nice!!!!!!!!find!!!!!!Steve!!!!!!!!is !!!!!!!this!!!!!!!!how!!!!!!!!they!!!!!!!!!used!!! !!!!!to!!!!!!!!!!write!!!!!!!!!back!!!!!!!!!!then! !!!!!!?

[big ned]

The BoB booklet is interesting in that there is not a single mention of Sir Hugh Dowding C in C Fighter Command at the time. One wonders if his successor and arch opponent by his belief in the flawed 'Big Wing' theory, Trafford Leigh-Mallory had anything to do with that.....??

[Jerry B]

The BoB booklet is interesting in that there is not a single mention of Sir Hugh Dowding C in C Fighter Command at the time. One wonders if his successor and arch opponent by his belief in the flawed 'Big Wing' theory, Trafford Leigh-Mallory had anything to do with that.....??

Did he not also fall out with Churchill?, who had a habit of canning those who did not jump to his tune, I think.

Cool picks Steve.

[davejb]

A great find Steve, definately would like to see the "ilitary Law book" hat ust b ealy ntresting, laughing my socks of here

[Steve T]

Leave me alone ! I'm missing a body part here

[KradSpam]

The Hotchkiss book is my favourite, it makes me want to go out and buy one (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

[davejb]

What, your tongue or the frontal lobe of the brain referencing word association and memory recall

[big ned]

Did he not also fall out with Churchill?, who had a habit of canning those who did not jump to his tune, I think.

Cool picks Steve.

Good point Jerry. Dowding had a heated argument with Churchill regarding the sending of more fighters to the aid of France. Churchill was thinking politically, Dowding strategically. Thankfully for this country, Dowding won the day, but I honestly don't think Churchill held it against him in hindsight.

Churchill was a stickler for having everything written down, and no mention of Dowding being canned by WC is on paper. Indeed, Churchill told Dowding to his face that there was no bad blood. He had already been on the retired list twice and bought back, and had said that he wished to be released at the conclusion of the battle, which he was in November 1940.

On the other hand, whilst both Dowding and Keith Park were fighting men with a superb grasp of tactics and effective use of equipment, Leigh-Mallory and others at RAF Fighter Command were more political animals, and having been stymied by Dowding's return to the top job for the third time, and thereby reigning in their aspirations, had plenty of clout in higher places of goverment without directly involving Churchill to punish 'Stuffy' and Park after the heat was off, which I believe was the case.


Al Deere probably put it best: "Dowding and Park won the Battle of Britain, but they lost the battle of words that followed..." Dowding and Park were sand-bagged by Portal, Sholto Douglas and Leigh-Mallory. Both were treated as pariah's by these men and other politicians in the War Cabinet who had a set against them IMO.

Regards, Ned.