{"title":"Martin Barratt","description":"\u003cp\u003eMartin Barratt’s works delve into compelling narratives rooted in history and military themes. His storytelling combines meticulous research with vivid detail, capturing the drama and tension of wartime experiences and historical events.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect gripping accounts that illuminate both personal and broader perspectives, with \u003cem\u003eThe Greatest Escape\u003c\/em\u003e exemplifying his ability to evoke the human spirit amidst conflict. Barratt’s books offer a thoughtful exploration of courage, strategy, and resilience in turbulent times.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-greatest-escape-by-martin-barratt-9781399075275","title":"The Greatest Escape","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA highly personal account of one airman's struggle for survival in the air and on the ground in the heart of the Reich during the bomber war. This is the story of a wartime bomber, its crew and of a tantalising detective story unfolding over nearly a quarter of a century of intensive research. It is also a story of courage, fortitude and endurance and of one man's will to survive against seemingly insurmountable odds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBomber Command's horrific loss rate during the Second World War cannot be underestimated. Of the 120,000 young aircrew who served, 55,373 were to perish, most of them losing their lives over the night skies of Europe. The Battle of the Ruhr, the campaign to destroy the industrial heartland of Germany which raged between March and July 1943, was both savage in intensity and costly in terms of aircrew. Prospects for survival for anyone involved in operational flying with Bomber Command at that time were particularly bleak. Young aircrew could expect a lifespan measured in terms of weeks where seemingly only a fiery death in an exploding aircraft or captivity as a Prisoner of War awaited.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt is with this period that \u003ci\u003eThe Greatest Escape\u003c\/i\u003e is primarily concerned and, more specifically, with the crew of Halifax JB869 of 102 Squadron, of which the author's father was the navigator, and its loss on the night of 4 May 1943. He survived baling out and, later, an attempted lynching on the ground to become a Prisoner of War. But his escape from his shattered aircraft was only the first of many episodes in his two and a half years of captivity that would see him pushed to the limits of endurance and face death more than once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike so many veterans, the author's father chose not to speak about his wartime experiences until quite late in his life and it was only after his death and the chance discovery of an archive of letters, logbooks, accounts, and other material that the full story of his incredible series of escapes came to light. Through extensive research, including face-to-face interviews and correspondence with a significant number of ex-aircrew, the author has painstakingly pieced together the complete story of the crew of this aircraft, identifying and contacting relatives of each crew member and, for some, bringing closure after decades of not knowing how (or in some cases where) their loved one had met their deaths.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAUTHOR: Martin Barratt has written and contributed features and articles across a range of subjects including music, shooting, classic cars and literature. A branding and marketing specialist by profession, he has co-founded and run several companies and has a key interest in military history and, in particular, the history of Bomber Command.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e32 illustrations\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47900621766892,"sku":"9781399075275","price":79.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/martin-barratt.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}