The Last Enemy
Published on 21. August 2013
Book
Paperback/Softback
228 pages
978-1-4733-1228-9 (ISBN)
Description
This early work by Richard Hillary was originally published in 1942 and we are now republishing it. 'The Last Enemy' is a work in which the author writes about his experiences as a Supermarine Spitfire pilot in World War II. This is and excellent work for anyone interested in military history.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Alcester
United Kingdom
Target group
Interest Age: From 5 to 17 years
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
black & white illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 14 mm
Weight
328 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4733-1228-9 (9781473312289)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Richard Hillary was born in Sydney, Australia in 1919 and brought up in England. Whilst at Trinity College, Oxford, the Second World War broke out. He joined 603 Squadron and became a Spitfire ace during the Battle of Britain. Shot down and horribly burned in September 1940, he was operated on several times by pioneering plastic surgeon, Archie Mcindoe. During his slow and painful recovery he wrote The Last Enemy, his very personal account of his experiences. The book is regarded as a one of the classic texts of the war but is also a window on the soul-searching of a complex hero. Hillary was desperate to fly again and during a night flying exercise on January 1943 his Bristol Blenheim MK.V crashed killing him and his radio/observer Sergeant Wilfrid Fison. Hillary was aged just twenty-three.