Evader: The Epic Story of the First British Airman to be Rescued by the Comete Escape Line in World War II

by Derek Shuff

Overview

As air gunner Sergeant Jack Newton made his first bombing raid over Germany in 1941, his Wellington was hit by flak and the skipper was forced to make an emergency landing on a German-occupied Belgian airfield. Finding himself deep in enemy territory, Newton began an extraordinary 1,000-mile trek across Belgium and France, all the while barely a step ahead of the Nazis who were determined to catch him. Newton owed his life to the brave 23-year-old leader of the Comète Escape Line—Andree de Jongh—codenamed Dedee. In this captivating true account, Derek Shuff unveils how Dedee delivered the Allied escapees to the safety of the British Embassy in San Sebastian and tells the amazing story of how the group made their way through the virtually impassable Pyrenees, all the while avoiding German patrols. Full of humor and drama, this is the story of Jack Newton's bid for freedom and the woman that put her life on the line to save him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781862274280
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	06/01/2007
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

Derek Shuff has been a journalist for more than 45 years. He became a freelance show business writer in 1971 for national and international newspapers and magazines.

Table of Contents

Dedications vi

Acknowledgements vii

Preface ix

Introduction xi

I The Early Days 1

II Doing the Business 9

III Dropping in on Antwerp 23

IV Tangle with the Enemy 49

V Train Trip Trouble 77

VI 'Little Mother' 89

VII Mary's Love Diary 103

VIII Walking with the Enemy 111

IX Can I Cross the Pyrenees? 117

X Bitterness of Failure 123

XI Rickety Rope Bridge 131

XII Safely Delivered 139

XIII Smuggled into Gibraltar 151

XIV Back Home! 159

Conclusion 169

Why it is Lucky 13 for me ... 173

Index 175