When Hitler unleashed his V1 and V2 rockets on Great Britain in 1944, it was the first military attack on the British civilian population without invasion. Innocent families were wiped out without mercy and terror gripped the nation. Churchill and the Crossbow Committee knew that widespread panic would soon ensue, because the British public were becoming increasingly anxious about the Nazis superior technology, which was destroying their lives. But through important intelligence from Bomber Command, Naval commandos, the French and Dutch Resistances in Europe, and the precise plotting of V rocket activity in the Filter Room of Fighter Command through air reconnaissance, a Top Secret plan was formed to dive-bomb V rocket installations with Mark IX and Mark XVI Spitfires. Craig Cabell is the writer and historian responsible for bringing Operation Big Ben to world attention. He has studied the original documentation since its release from the National Archive in 2004 and interviewed veterans who took part in the operation, such as Flight Lieutenant Raymond Baxter. Cabell's initial research resulted in many accolades and now resides in the 602 'City of Glasgow' Squadron Museum.But now, for the first time, Cabell has put together the whole story of Operation Big Ben, showing the work of the Crossbow Committee, intelligence Commandos under the orders of Commander Ian Fleming, the French and Dutch Resistances, and the brave men who flew the Spitfires of 124, 229, 303, 453, 602 and 603 squadrons. For the sake of accuracy and attention to detail, this book concentrates on the day-to-day activity of Spitfires during Operation Big Ben and the work of the various strands of British intelligence before and during it. In this book Operation Big Ben is separated from Operation Crossbow, (the anti-V1 operation) to show how the British government stepped up its urgency to counter the V2 threat. Although some of the detail could be considered repetitious in places (many cuts of non-operational flying have been made from the histories of each squadron in order to keep the flow of the book thought-provoking and interesting), the focus is on accuracy. The author has noted that in other publications that touch on Operation Big Ben, specific activity has not been documented correctly. This is because squadron histories haven't been cross-referenced in the past.Each squadron history in this book, mentions the work of other Big Ben squadrons (to report on the filtering of intelligence, escort work for other larger operations, or the details of the weather conditions experienced and the plight of the Dutch people during the harsh winter of 1944-45) to create a fuller and more visual picture of what happened. It is appreciated that aviation historians and enthusiasts alike will analyse this volume for the details of the Spitfires used. In a nutshell, Mark IXF Spitfires started Operation Big Ben. These had elliptical wings to begin with and then progressed to clipped-wing (pin-pointing exact dates has not always been possible). The Mark XVI became the cream of the crop for the most important squadrons (602, 603 and to a lesser degree 303; with 602 being the first to have them, followed by 303), Mark V's were used for training purposes. For dive-bombing purposes, two 250 lb bombs were used under each wing for balance, with a 500 lb bomb under the fuselage.Occasionally just the 500 lb bomb was carried, sometime just the two 250 lb bombs, depending on how far they had to fly inland or the difficulty of the job in-hand (the greater weight the more fuel used). Version 5 roundel was used and Operation Big Ben insignia on either side of the fuselage.

The Second World War spawned a plethora of crack special forces units (Long Range Desert Group, SAS, SBS, Phantom and Commandos) but 30 Assault Unit remains, even today, far more secretive and exclusive than the others. Formed by Ian Fleming, who was working for Naval Intelligence, 30 AUs mission was to penetrate and operate behind enemy lines, capture by whatever means necessary vital intelligence and feed it back to London where it could be assimilated and acted upon. This crack team of commandos included mavericks such as Patrick Dalzel-Job (generally regarded as the model for Flemings fictional secret agent 007), and less well known (despite their conspicuous bravery) figures such as Captains Huntingdon-Whiteley, Captain Martin-Smith. Lieutenant Commander Curtis and Lieutenant McFee. The author has trawled archives and interviewed veterans in order to piece together the history and record of this elusive special forces unit who fought with great distinction and achieved results disproportionate to their size.

For almost 40 years, Herbert was Britain's most popular horror author. With sales f over 50 million copies, he carved a niche in quality bestselling fiction all of his own. Famous for his Rats trilogy and The Fog, he broke away from the cut-and-thrust populist horror novels of the 1970s and 80s to more thought-provoking works, featuring the scientific reasoning behind the manifestations of the ghosts and spirits in which he truly believed. Books such as Others, Once..and The Secret of Crickley Hall bear testament to his growth as a writer and his continuing desire to chill his readers. Craig Cabell's exploration into the dark, sinister world of James Herbert is given incredible depth thanks to a series of over a dozen exclusive candid interviews. Drawing striking parallels between Herbert's career and the events of his life, this work sheds light on the personal demons which drove the boy from London's East End to become the per-eminent horror writer of his generation. Cabell, a friend and confident of Herbert's until the very end, shares personal correspondence and reminiscences - including one of Herbert's previously unpublished pieces entitled To Ye All - to complete a portrait of one of the most iconic authors of the 20th Century. Prepare to be gripped by the utterly adsorbing last chapter in the life of the Master of Chills.

Packed with insightful interviews with Rankin, plotlines, story analysis, and a complete collector's guide, this fascinating accompaniment to a much-loved series will thrill both the initiated and the soon-to-be Detective John Rebus first appeared in Ian Rankin's 1987 bestseller "Knots and Crosses" and has since gone on to appear in 17 books and numerous short stories, delighting readers and setting a benchmark in contemporary crime fiction. These notoriously gritty stories have been adapted into a television series--the public cannot get enough of this hard-drinking, no-nonsense, complex detective. Although the fictional Inspector retired to the backwaters of Edinburgh's dark side in the 2007 novel "Exit Music," the books endure. This book draws from extensive interviews with Rankin to explore the writer, his creation, and how their relationship has developed over the years. It also investigates the dark cellars and sinister back streets of Rebus' Edinburgh--a dark, foreboding city shattering any stereotypes of shortbread and kilts. Learn about the unusual connection between Rankin and Rebus, how the author was a punk musician and swineherd before becoming a writer, and why he was so inspired by fellow Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson and his masterpiece "The""Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."

The extraordinary life story of one of the most beloved writers in the world, including his courageous battle with Alzheimers With worldwide sales of more than 65 million copies in 37 languages, Terry Pratchett's novels are eagerly awaited by his legions of fans year after year. Featuring an in-depth look at the man and his work, as well as on-screen adaptations and a collector's guide, this is essential reading for any fan. His first Discworld novel, "The Colour of Magic," was released in 1983 and ever since then the series, with its whimsical heroes and fiendish foes, has delighted both young and old alike. In 2007 Pratchett announced that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. He has courageously faced the disease head-on, equaling the determination of his characters in his vivid and satirical novels. This book examines his extraordinary life, showcased against the backdrop of more than 40 years of irreverent artistic achievements. For devoted fans it features appendices of more than 60 pages listing Pratchett's works on screen and at the theatre, a complete UK bibliography and collector's guide, and a note about cats.