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Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- The Mavericks who Plotted Hitler’s Defeat
- Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
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Publisher's Summary
'This was a secret war whose battles were lost or won unknown to the public.... No such warfare had ever been waged by mortal men.' (Winston Churchill)
Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, a country house called The Firs in Buckinghamshire was requisitioned by the War Office. Sentries were posted at the entrance gates, and barbed wire was strung around the perimeter fence. To local villagers it looked like a prison camp. But the truth was far more sinister. This rambling Edwardian mansion had become home to an eccentric band of scientists, inventors and bluestockings. Their task was to build devastating new weaponry that could be used against the Nazis.
Led by the gung-ho Millis Jefferis, the men and women who worked at Churchill's Toyshop, as it became known, devised many of the key weapons of the Second World War. Their prototype limpet mine made possible the Cockleshell Raid on Bordeaux Harbour. Churchill said that this one raid alone shortened the war by six months. Next they pioneered the water bomb that closed the Rhine to German shipping.
Although the team at Churchill's Toyshop proved extraordinarily adept, they were not working alone. Other country houses were also requisitioned and handed over to the specialists. Some focused on developing new weapons; some planned sabotage missions in occupied Europe; some became training schools for agents. But all were working towards a common goal: the destruction of the Nazi war machine. Collectively they were known as the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
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What listeners say about Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Anonymous User
- 19-02-2019
Brilliant Read
From beginning, to end this book is full of stories of inedible people doing incredible things in incredible places in order to stop the rampaging Nazi Third Reich and its fellow Axis powers. I foind this book inspiring, heart warming, tear jerking; several times I found myself yelling with my fists raised as if were there, in victory or defeat, with these gentlemen in their deeds of ungentlemanly warfare. Excellent narration. I shall definitely listen to it again and can't recommend this audio book enough.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Tim Gayton
- 16-01-2022
Brilliantly narrated and fascinating accounts
Brilliant book, and fascinating to learn about the escapades of the mavericks, their pivotal sabotage operations and exploits during the Second World War. As well as how instrumental sabotage and guerrilla warfare tactics were in decisive missions, and the overall effect in defeating the Nazi adversary.
The Audible version of this book is fantastic, notably through the superb narration, which is a British, leathery tone and really enhances the book experience.
The book’s journey was fitting and enjoyable, beginning through the understanding and identifying of the requirements for unconventional warfare in the war effort. Followed by the coordination of outlaws, boffins and eccentrics whom would be crucial and pivotal in the training and pursuing of this sabotaging style of warfare. Through to the colourful, daring and mischievous missions, predominately achieved through innovative and ingenious equipment, mainly explosives and which were monumental in the raids behind enemy lines in effecting the AEF’s war effort. These recounts are really the corner stone of this book, some of these stories are familiar, but the sheer orchestration of these misfits into precision raid teams truly stand out as incredible tales.
The individual missions across Europe are fascinating and a treat to listen to, the standouts for me were the disappearing ship and the Norway Heavywater missions. Unthinkable, and almost incomprehensible missions and raids, undoubtedly with a few close calls, but carried out with precision.
History always provides incredible stories and feats of heroism and this book provides excellent accounts of these gruelling and daring missions, as well as interesting insights into Churchill, and critical points in the war.
This book will be enjoyed by most, and those with a military background will be immensely entertained, while leaving you longing for the opportunity to have participated in such daring sabotaging raids.
Some standout highlights
‘The strengths of a good leader in guerrilla warfare: bold in action and cool in counsel, a great mental and physical endurance and of strong personality.’
‘An unsmiling genius, with thatched coloured hair, and With penetrating steel eyes that betrayed no hint of his inner thoughts. He spoke sparingly and precisely, as if adjectives and adverts were a frivolous waste of time.’
‘one cannot defy nature, but must adapt and accomodate oneself to her. nature will not change but it is man who must change if he is to live in conditions if nature is dominant. Adaptability and confidence were two of the key elements in the psychology of survival.’
‘Carefully planned sabotage can cripple a modern army.’
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2 people found this helpful
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- john
- 20-02-2017
A must read. Really!
Would you listen to The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare again? Why?
Yes, excellent, no holds barred account of a period we dont hear about. Superb story, well read too.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes. Covered 4,000km road trip across Australia. Top Book. Educational and Entertaining at the same time and highly Enjoyable.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Roderic
- 02-06-2018
Rivetting and instructive
This book pulls together many factual stories that have been told before, but it places them in the context of an overall effort to defeat Hitler by unconventional warfare. It is my first introduction to this area and I was fascinated. The narration is excellent and the construction of the story first rate.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 20-04-2021
Surprisingly Fascinating
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had previously listened to the story of Nancy Wake, so many of the places and names I'd heard before. Hard to believe this all happened, so glad it's been so well told. with some humour thrown in. Definitely one I will come back to. The Narrator did a first class job.
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- Katelyn
- 01-11-2017
Enlightening and fascinating
A detailed account of many of the WW2 special operations I'd previously read about but not known the extensive details and backgrounds of. This story makes a lot of other stories I've read make a lot more sense.
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- Anonymous User
- 31-07-2018
Recommend for history buffs
Great narrator and there was legitimate excitment in some parts of the story. If you want to see a lesser known and courageous part of WWII I would recommend you give this audio book a look.
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- Jaike
- 06-08-2018
Incredible Story
Erudite description of the personalities behind the ad hoc evolution and unsung impact of British led but international teams of sabateurs as well as the development of amazing weapons.
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- GeoffR
- 01-01-2022
Inspiring story telling
A great listen, with an energetic and creative narrator. The story of the characters that worked tirelessly behind the scenes and at the pointy end of battle in the Second World War. Entertaining and informative at the same time.
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- Linda
- 06-04-2017
great story
this is a wonderful story that everyone should be taught. it is history and 'boys own adventure stories' rolled into one
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