Operation Basalt
The British Raid on Sark and Hitler's Commando Order
Published on 2. March 2016
224 pages
978-0-7509-6872-0 (ISBN)
Description
German soldiers assigned to guard the tiny Channel Island of Sark described it as a 'little Paradise' and, because it was never bombed by the RAF, the best air-raid shelter in all of Europe. But paradise for them came to a bloody end in October 1942 when a small group of British Commandos raided the island, capturing one German soldier and killing several others.
Operation Basalt would have been a footnote in history but for the reaction of Hitler, who believed that British soldiers executed several Germans who had already surrendered and whose hands were bound. Days after the raid, he issued the infamous 'Commando Order', a death sentence for those Allied commandos who fell into German hands.
Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews with survivors of the period, Eric Lee has written the definitive account of the raid, putting it into the context of the German occupation of British lands during the war.
Operation Basalt would have been a footnote in history but for the reaction of Hitler, who believed that British soldiers executed several Germans who had already surrendered and whose hands were bound. Days after the raid, he issued the infamous 'Commando Order', a death sentence for those Allied commandos who fell into German hands.
Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews with survivors of the period, Eric Lee has written the definitive account of the raid, putting it into the context of the German occupation of British lands during the war.
Reviews / Votes
'Riveting.' * <i>The Wall Street Journal</i> * 'Gripping detail.' * <i>Jersey Evening Post</i> * 'Drawing on extensive research from a number of sources, including interviews with survivors from the period, the author tells the story of Operation Basalt for the very first time and exposes some fascinating detail which also puts into context the German wartime occupation of the Channel Islands ... Any reader with an interest in the war in the Channel Islands really needs to have this on his bookshelf!' * <i>Britain at War</i> * 'Well-researched ... a most informative read.' * Channel Islands Occupation Society newsletter *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Stroud
United Kingdom
File size
2,75 MB
ISBN-13
978-0-7509-6872-0 (9780750968720)
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
Book
09/2017
The History Press Ltd
€20.00
Shipment within 10-15 days
Book
03/2016
The History Press Ltd
€33.00
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Person
Eric Lee is the author of Saigon to Jerusalem: Conversations with Israel's Vietnam Veterans, 'a significant presentation of the Vietnam conflict from a rare perspective' (Vietnam Magazine). He served 11 years in the Israel Defence Forces reserves in a combat unit. He has written many articles for Modern Combat and other magazines.
Content
- Intro
- Title
- Dedication
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction
- 1 'Das Kleine Paradies'
- 2 'Our Foot Inside the Door of the British Empire'
- 3 Festung Sark
- 4 The Model Occupation
- 5 The Final Solution on Sark
- 6 The Raiders
- 7 Deportations
- 8 Appleyard Takes Command
- 9 Pointe Château
- 10 The Hog's Back
- 11 Mrs Pittard
- 12 All Hell Breaks Loose
- 13 The Shock of Discovery
- 14 The Carpenter Sings
- 15 The Propaganda War Begins
- 16 The Wehrmacht Takes Measures
- 17 A War Crime is Revealed
- 18 Tit for Tat
- 19 The Commando Order
- 20 Collective Punishment
- 21 The Final Raid
- 22 Reaction, Resistance, Liberation
- 23 Justice
- Epilogue
- Appendix 1: Chronology of the Raid
- Appendix 2: The Commando Order
- Appendix 3: Who Were the Raiders?
- Sources and Further Reading
- Plates
- Copyright
