Speakeasy forum: Just finished Moonless Night by B.A. "Jimmy" James

I read historical accounts of war events, etc. too. I find it interesting in all eras of war that some are very lucky and others get by with little. Stories like Valley Forge, WWII prisoners, WWI trench misery, Persian Gulf and the Afgan history, etc..

I'm glad to be here since my escape from my Dad's eye gleam to be born. That as USMC veteran himself was lucky to survive the WWII Pacific campaign. Also, to know some older vets and find recent vets that are willing to talk at the VA clinic.

One book I truly felt hit me was "Chicken Soup for Veterans Souls". The chicken soup series of books is also interesting of many accounts. The recounts though of the veterans one was really stirring, too stirring for me at times.

http://www.vetstories.com/

----Willy

I read that one too and he got lucky to become a newsperson or sorts. I liked the story of changing the arty charges so that the officer that screwed him failed. read the one, I believed tiled, "Little America" the pre-war history of the Agfan conflict which in turn explains the failure of current intervention isn't going to work unless the basics are meant. Not the war part but the rebuilding and/or providing help so the locals don't take up arms. -----Willy

at Colditz Castle which can be found as all in one paperbacks. Americans don't enter the story until 1943-44 when they begin to assume a greater role, but it is an interesting view of Poles, and Dutch POW's in a respectful light. Both nationalities were very clever, active and helpful in the escape process. Pat Reid, the author of the two volumes was the first head of the Escape committee there, and Colditz reputation in World War 1 was as escape proof. It does go into greater detail about the anti-German activities engagede inside the camps.

In part 2, a French tunnel is started at the top of a Clock Tower, and the British decide to build a two man glider (which has since been replicated and tested , and which performed very well).

Colditz too was a location for Prominente prisoners, mostly of Allied origin, and the ultimate denouement takes place in Hitler's Alpen Redoubt with Prominente shipped in from Colditz and from all over Germany. Hostages at Colditz written by Giles Romilly, who was Churchill's nephew, and Jessica Mitford's husband, had fought on the Republican side in Spain before WW2. The other author is Micheal Alexander.

There are maps and drawings in Reid's The Colditz Story. Canadians play a prominent part as they did in Stalag Luft III and in POW camps all over Germany. They were a notably inventive and daring group as were the Americans who made it to Colditz.

Rob