Paul Smiddy – författare

The Honourable Mrs Victor Bruce: record-breaking racing motorist; speedboat racer; pioneering aviator and businesswoman – remarkable achievements for a woman of the 1920s and ’30s. Mildred Bruce enjoyed a privileged background that allowed her to search for thrills beyond the bounds of most female contemporaries. She raced against the greats at Brooklands, drove 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle and won the first ladies’ prize at the Monte Carlo Rally. Whilst Amy Johnson was receiving global acclaim for her flight to Australia, Mildred learned to fly, and a mere eight weeks later she embarked on a round-the-world flight, becoming the first person to fly solo from the UK to Japan. Captured by brigands and feted by the Siamese, Japanese and Americans, she survived several crashes with body and spirit intact, and became a glittering aviation celebrity on her return. A thoroughly modern woman, she pushed similar boundaries in her unconventional love life and later became Britain’s first female airline entrepreneur. This is the story of a charismatic woman who defied the conventions of her time, and loved living life in the fast lane.

This engrossing history explores the creation, development and actions of the Special Duties squadrons, which carried spies, political figures and documents in and out of Occupied Europe.In 1940, Winston Churchill famously set in motion the Special Operations Executive. However, the creation of secret agent networks required a clandestine transport infrastructure to support nascent resistance movements in Occupied Europe. With only the moon to guide their way, the daring pilots of 161 Squadron constantly faced danger: their locations could be discovered, German night-fighters and flak had to be contended with and, of course, they dealt with the worst of European weather. Despite these extra risks, these Special Duties pilots were remarkably successful.Packed with first-hand accounts and expert research, this book dives into the history of the men who flew these dangerous missions and the main aircraft they used – unarmed Lysanders. Author Paul Smiddy, an RAF-trained pilot, explores the origins of the Lysander, the dangers it posed to its pilots and how operational techniques were developed. Facing political interference and limited resources from the RAF, these brave and under-recognised pilots provided a critical role in the war – bringing back agents with important information to help Britain and the Allies defeat the Germans.

This engrossing history explores the creation, development and actions of the Special Duties squadrons, which carried spies, political figures and documents in and out of Occupied Europe.In 1940, Winston Churchill famously set in motion the Special Operations Executive. However, the creation of secret agent networks required a clandestine transport infrastructure to support nascent resistance movements in Occupied Europe. With only the moon to guide their way, the daring pilots of 161 Squadron constantly faced danger: their locations could be discovered, German night-fighters and flak had to be contended with and, of course, they dealt with the worst of European weather. Despite these extra risks, these Special Duties pilots were remarkably successful.Packed with first-hand accounts and expert research, this book dives into the history of the men who flew these dangerous missions and the main aircraft they used unarmed Lysanders. Author Paul Smiddy, an RAF-trained pilot, explores the origins of the Lysander, the dangers it posed to its pilots and how operational techniques were developed. Facing political interference and limited resources from the RAF, these brave and under-recognised pilots provided a critical role in the war bringing back agents with important information to help Britain and the Allies defeat the Germans.