You must sign in to add this item to your wishlist. Please sign in or create an account
This is the story of Operation Jericho, the spectacular prison break staged by an elite group of British, Australian and New Zealand bomber pilots, who flew a daring low-level mission to blow holes in the walls of Amiens jail and free French Resistance prisoners under the sentence of death during World War II.
With D-Day looming, early 1944 was a time of massive intelligence activity across northern France, and many résistants were being captured and imprisoned by the Germans. Among the jails full of French agents was Amiens, where hundreds awaited likely execution for their activities.
To repay their debt of honour, MI6 requested an air raid with a seemingly impossible brief: to simultaneously blow holes in the prison walls, free as many men and women as possible while minimizing casualties, and kill German guards in their quarters. The crews would have to fly their bomb-run at an altitude of just 20ft. Despite the huge difficulties, the RAF decided that the low-level specialists of No. 140 Wing had a chance of success.
With the aid of first-hand accounts, explanatory 3D diagrams and dramatic original artwork, the eminent historian Robert Lyman explains how one of the most difficult and spectacular air raids of World War II was pulled off, and debunks some of the myths over why the raid was ordered in the first place.
Published | 26 May 2022 |
---|---|
Format | Ebook (PDF) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 80 |
ISBN | 9781472851963 |
Imprint | Osprey Publishing |
Series | Raid |
Short code | RAID 57 |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
...it includes some marvellous 3D diagrams clearly showing the flightpaths of the various aircraft over the prison site.
Robin Buckland, Military Model Scene
The book is organised into four chapters with an introduction, the origins, the plan, and the raid along with an aftermath section, a bibliography, and a short index. The book is well illustrated throughout with a great selection of photographs along with superb artwork. There are three double page artworks that really leap off the pages. The diagrams showing the various attack axis is also noteworthy. And the abundance of first person accounts from the aircrew and prisoners alike is commendable. I did however find one editing error on the last page where a footnote says “VHS” instead of “VHF” for a frequency reference. This in no way detracts from the book and is a simple mistake to make. This is one of best and most affordable books out there on this somewhat controversial raid. RAMROD 564 as it was known then is one of the most famous low level bombing raids of World War Two and also one of the most controversial due to the mystery behind why it was actually ordered. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Mosquito operations, the French Resistance, or as a collector of the RAID Osprey series.
Todd Shughart, Aviation News Magazine
Tell us what titles you would like to see published by Osprey, then vote for your favourites in our monthly book vote!
Free UK delivery for orders £30 and over
Your School account is not valid for the United Kingdom site. You have been logged out of your account.
You are on the United Kingdom site. Would you like to go to the United States site?
Error message.