The story of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force is a journey of exploration. This intriguing history tells the story of the wartime WAAF at work and play. They were no decorative adjunct to the RAF, but an integral working force that eventually saved the RAF 150,000 men, whose places they filled admirably. Debarred from flying, they nevertheless could be found in posts ranging from cooks to aircraft fitters. They were radar operators, plotters in busy operations rooms, nurses in air evacuation. In secrecy they worked as codebreakers at Bletchley Park, in the Y Listening Service, as code and cypher officers in Churchill's War Cabinet, as air interpreters, and as SOE agents in occupied France. Many others were posted abroad to work. This book provides a fascinating bird's-eye view of their many roles.
Lose yourself in these charming tales of sisterhood and sweeping romance. Includes all three books in the heartwarming Ops Room Girls series; The Ops Room Girls, Christmas with the Ops Room Girls and Victory for the Ops Room Girls. The Ops Room Girls: It is 1939 and working class Evie Bishop has received a scholarship to study mathematics at Oxford when war turns her life upside down. Evie must seek a new future for herself and joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room plotter. She soon befriends two other WAAFs, May and Jess. Together they overcome challenges, navigate new romances and keep their pilots safe in the skies. Yet the German bombers seem to know more than they should about the base’s operations, and soon Evie, May and Jess are caught up in a world more dangerous than they ever imagined... Christmas with the Ops Room Girls: When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help, but is held back by her own insecurities. With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from comes back to haunt her, putting her newfound confidence to test. Can May, Jess and Evie work together once again to overcome the challenges of war – and of their own hearts? Victory for the Ops Room Girls: With Jess newly promoted to Filterer Officer at RAF Fighter Command HQ, she is delighted to be reunited with Evie and May in London. However, now that they can enjoy socialising in the city, Jess fears her friends will discover the secret she keeps there. Matters are complicated when a film company arrives at Bentley Priory to make a morale-boosting movie about the RAF. The lead actor is none other than Leonard Steele, a man from Jess’s past who could ruin everything she has worked so hard to build. As her past and present collide, will Jess find the strength to fight for her future? This gripping and emotional wartime saga series is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Rosie Clarke. Praise for Vicki Beeby ‘Vicki Beeby is a saga author to watch.’ Margaret Dickinson, Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author ‘An exceptional historical saga about young women forging new paths in an uncertain world at war... rich with historical detail, and a must read for historical fiction fans.’ Andie Newton, author of The Girl I Left Behind ‘I loved this series from start to finish. I shall miss these girls and their wartime experiences... truly delightful and beautifully written.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘Vicki really brings her characters to life in such a way that I’m actually feeling a little sad now that the series has ended. I can’t wait to read whatever Vicki writes next.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review ‘I loved, loved, loved this series. The suspense, the mystery, and the chemistry within this narrative is spot on. I loved the ending... perfect fit for a perfect series.’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reader review
A landmark project to collect, translate, and transmit primary material from a momentous period in Jewish culture and civilization, this volume covers what Elisheva Carlebach describes as a period "in which every aspect of Jewish life underwent the most profound changes to have occurred since antiquity." Organized by genre, this extensive yet accessible volume surveys Jewish cultural production and intellectual innovation during these dramatic years, particularly in literature, the visual and performing arts, and intellectual culture. The wide-ranging collection includes a diverse selection of sources created by Jews around the world, translated from a dozen languages. Representing a tumultuous time of changing borders, demographic shifts, and significant Jewish migration, this anthology explores the range of approaches of Jews, from welcoming to resistant, to the intertwining ideals of enlightenment and emancipation, "the very foundation of the Jewish experience in this period."
Through the darkest days of the Second World War, an elite group of courageous civilian women risked their lives as aerial courier pilots, flying Lancaster bombers, Spitfires and many other powerful war machines in thousands of perilous missions. The dangers these women faced were many: they flew unarmed, without radio and in some cases without instruments, in conditions where even unexpected cloud could mean disaster. In The Female Few, five of these astonishingly brave women tell their awe-inspiring tales of incredible risk, tenacity and sacrifice. Their spirit and fearlessness in the face of death still resonates down the years, and their accounts reveal a forgotten chapter in the history of the Second World War.
