I've been poncing around with radio stations for the past few years, at the (great) expense of my little book publishing site: www.braiswick.com.
Interest was sparked off for me this morning when I heard that a national newspaper (one doesn't like to encourage them so I'll not add their name) has 'discovered' evidence that the Portuguese aircraft shot down in 1943, which killed the Hungarian-born actor Lesley Howard, was just a random gesture, and had not been targetted because Churchill was on board.
Their 'evidence' came from a report of the questioning of a captured Luftwaffe pilot.
It may not have been correct. Ken Ward, a German Jew who escaped to Britain nine days before the start of the war in 1939 (I published his biography 'And Then The Music Stopped Playing: http://www.braiswick.com/?p=57 - a great story) died in 2010.
His widow, Joyce, has asked me to publish a collection of his short stories, which will be published very soon.
In one tale he meets two school friends from his childhood in Frankfurt, after 70 years apart.
One friend talked of his Squadron Leader Hans von Stassen, with whom he was very friendly, who had been a very successful Messerschmidt pilot, with many kills to his name, who was called into his Commander’s office at the end of May 1943. Two high-ranking SS officers were there, one of them direct from the Wolffs Schanze, the Führers headquarters in Russia.
This officer addressed him, “Von Stassen, you are very honoured to have been selected for a very special job. Under no circumstances will you discuss your orders with any one, either now, or when your mission has been completed. Is that understood?"
He said there would be a civilian airline plane leaving Lisbon at 9.15 pm on the 1st June, turning north towards Britain. One of the passengers would be Winston Churchill, because he has been clearly identified by one of our best intelligence officers. Von Stassen was told to shoot down the plane.
Which he did.
If you have read this blog you have just heard about a world exclusive. Buy Ken Ward's book of short stories, and make me and his widow, Joyce, both rich and happy.
Interest was sparked off for me this morning when I heard that a national newspaper (one doesn't like to encourage them so I'll not add their name) has 'discovered' evidence that the Portuguese aircraft shot down in 1943, which killed the Hungarian-born actor Lesley Howard, was just a random gesture, and had not been targetted because Churchill was on board.
Their 'evidence' came from a report of the questioning of a captured Luftwaffe pilot.
It may not have been correct. Ken Ward, a German Jew who escaped to Britain nine days before the start of the war in 1939 (I published his biography 'And Then The Music Stopped Playing: http://www.braiswick.com/?p=57 - a great story) died in 2010.
His widow, Joyce, has asked me to publish a collection of his short stories, which will be published very soon.
In one tale he meets two school friends from his childhood in Frankfurt, after 70 years apart.
One friend talked of his Squadron Leader Hans von Stassen, with whom he was very friendly, who had been a very successful Messerschmidt pilot, with many kills to his name, who was called into his Commander’s office at the end of May 1943. Two high-ranking SS officers were there, one of them direct from the Wolffs Schanze, the Führers headquarters in Russia.
This officer addressed him, “Von Stassen, you are very honoured to have been selected for a very special job. Under no circumstances will you discuss your orders with any one, either now, or when your mission has been completed. Is that understood?"
He said there would be a civilian airline plane leaving Lisbon at 9.15 pm on the 1st June, turning north towards Britain. One of the passengers would be Winston Churchill, because he has been clearly identified by one of our best intelligence officers. Von Stassen was told to shoot down the plane.
Which he did.
If you have read this blog you have just heard about a world exclusive. Buy Ken Ward's book of short stories, and make me and his widow, Joyce, both rich and happy.
1 comment:
It's been too long since I visited; the site looks great!
As for Lesley and Winston, if one had the time or the inclination could be an intriguing drama.
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