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  • Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

  • The Mavericks who Plotted Hitler’s Defeat
  • By: Giles Milton
  • Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
  • Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (290 ratings)

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Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare cover art

Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

By: Giles Milton
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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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.

©2016 Giles Milton (P)2016 John Murray Press
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

What listeners say about Churchill’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliantly read, entertaining, but....

This is certainly an enjoyable romp, with an emphasis on a romp and its read by one of the most entertaining audiobook narrators I've ever listened to.

If I were to criticize it at all it would be on two points.

1. It's intentionally a positive portrait, any flaws or failures of "The Ministry" are overlooked, with everything basically being "Brilliant" "Precise" or "Devastating" and all other contributions to the victory of WW2 being secondary.
2. The writing style is a combination of Boys Own meets General Melchett (Blackadder Goes Forth). With everyone being "Brilliant" or "Odd" or preferably both. Every time being "Precise" and every attack having "Devastating" results.

But, enjoy it for what it was, and for myself, who has read extensively about WW2, I still learned quite a few things (The piracy story was particularly amusing).

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11 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Boys Own stuff but I loved it. ..

Intense and critical sorties into enemy territory by men of brave spirit and daring do told with gusto.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

would make s great movie.....=)

Great narration. A story where real life is better than anything Hollywood can come up with.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

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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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Simply brilliant

The brains and brawn behind some those brilliant clandestine raids of ww2 and the equally groundbreaking weapons and tactics..

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent the story is fascinating and the narrator top notch I highly recommend

Excellent the story is fascinating and the narrator top notch I highly recommend it as a great title

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

such an annoying narrator

Seriously terrible narration, I just could not listen to it without getting irritated. Would not recommend

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating

A truly great read! Or listen as the case may be
Would highly recommend to any one who likes history

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

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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1 person found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Bob
  • 02-01-2020

Lively narration

Well done, keeps you gripped. A cornucopia of characters and situations. You will think it a boys own adventure

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1 person found this helpful

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