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SHUFF, DEREK: : EVADER: THE EPIC STORY OF THE FIRST BRITISH AIRMAN TO BE RESCUED BY THE COMETE ESCAPE LINE IN WORLD WAR II. [Author SIGNED copy.]

UK.KENT,STAPLEHURST,SPELLMOUNT LTD.,2003.

ISBN 1862272263.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,author SIGNED,1st edn. FINE/NFINE.No owner inscrptn,author's handwritten warm dedication,signed+dated: 'To Ian with best wishes from the author Derek Shuff.Dec 2006.' to title page,and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy laminated colour illustrated upper wrap,monochrome photographs to rear wrap; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top edge very lightly aged(?),fore -edges a brighter,crisper white, contents bright,tight and near pristine. Publisher's unblemished,original plain red cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/backstrip and immaculate grey endpapers. UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,SIGNED,1st edn,v-xivpp+1-176pp [paginated] includes a contents list/table,a dedication,acknowledgements,b/w map (The Comete Escape Line),a preface,author introduction,14 chapters,8pp b/w contemporary photographs between pp82/3,conclusion and an index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title page and 2pp blanks to rear. The year is 1941 and WW2 is in its relative infancy.But for air gunner Sergeant Jack Newton his involvement in the action he wants so badly, comes soon enough - on his first bombing raid over Germany.His Wellington is hit by flak and its skipper makes a miraculous landing on a German-occupied Belgian airfield.It is the start of an extraordinary shadowy 1,000 miles trek across Belgium and France barely one step ahead of the Nazis who are determined to catch him,as he is to evade capture by them.But Newton tells how he owes his life to the brave 23-year old girl leader of the Comete Line,whose name is Andree de Jongh.Code name - Dedee.This is their story.How Dedee delivers her 'packages' as the Allied escapees are called,to the safety of the British Embassy in San Sebastian.How they climb what is considered to be virtually impassable Pyrenees to get to neutral Spain,avoiding German patrols and surviving vicious wintry weather on the way.There are moments of sheer terror - when the Resistance thinks Jack and his two crewmates are German infiltrators bent on destroying their escape line.And the time Jack is confronted by a German soldier,forcing his response to be instant and decisive.There are moments of great humour too.The evenings spent in one Belgian safe house in a darkened room watching a prostitute across the road entertain her Nazi clients.And another time in Paris when Dedee takes Jack and his fellow evaders into a news theatre to kill time until their train leaves for the south of France.Australian pilot Larry Birk gets carried away by the frenzied audience jumping up and down in their seats screaming out 'Heil Hitler,Heil Hitler. . . .Heil Hitler'. How Larry cannot resist joining in! This is the story of Jack Newton's epic journey,as exciting as any novel.Except this story is true.It really happened! Please contact seller,because of the weight and the value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,SIGNED,1st edn.
'To Ian with best wishes from the author Derek Shuff.Dec 2006.'

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