Author Archives: secondbysecond

This week in the War, 16–22 June 1941: If Hitler invaded Hell…

Posted on June 21, 2013 by secondbysecond

“If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favourable reference to the Devil in the House of Commons,” Churchill joked to his private secretary. This week in the war, on the evening of 22 June 1941, Churchill broadcast … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 16–22 June 1941: Barbarossa!

Posted on June 19, 2013 by secondbysecond

On 22 June 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa. Over three and a half million troops with 3,600 tanks and 2,700 planes invaded the Soviet Union on a front that extended from the Baltic coast to the shores of the Black … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 9–15 June 1941: Eighty-eights blunt Battleaxe in Hellfire Pass

Posted on June 13, 2013 by secondbysecond

If the Luftwaffe had the Messerschmitt 109, and the Kriegsmarine the U-boat, then the German army could surely claim the eighty-eight millimetre anti-tank (originally anti-aircraft) gun. It was the weapon that never lost its edge. Diverting resources for an expeditionary … Continue reading →

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Vignette: Les amants de Carcassonne—The Lovers of Carcassonne

Posted on June 4, 2013 by secondbysecond

If your taste in poetry is inclined towards the pure and noble, but at the same time, tragic, you need look no further than France’s Joë Bousquet (1897–1950). He was born in Narbonne, in the land of the Cathars and … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 2–8 June 1941: The Syria-Lebanon Campaign

Posted on June 2, 2013 by secondbysecond

On 8 June 1941, British, Commonwealth and Free French forces invaded Syria and Lebanon to attack the Vichy-French garrisons. The aim was to prevent the German army and Luftwaffe from developing bases that would threaten the British hold on Egypt. … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 26 May–1 June 1941: Sink the Bismarck!

Posted on May 30, 2013 by secondbysecond

“Sink the Bismarck, at any cost,” was the order that Winston Churchill gave to the Royal Navy when the world’s most powerful battleship was on the rampage in the North Atlantic. After a long and harrowing chase, Churchill’s wish was … Continue reading →

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In the news: Memorial Day 2013

Posted on May 24, 2013 by secondbysecond

We honour our troops and veterans on Memorial Day, Monday 27 May 2013. The above photograph shows Explosive Protection Military Working Dog Whiskey relaxing between the feet of his handler. The use of dogs in warfare goes back to ancient … Continue reading →

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Book review: Crete, and Consequences

Posted on May 23, 2013 by secondbysecond

If the span from pre-war to post-Thatcher Britain is a period of time and a setting that would interest you, then read Consequences—by Booker Prize-winner Penelope Lively. Penelope Lively’s literary gem is both love story and a story of a family … Continue reading →

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This week in the War, 19–25 May 1941: The invasion of Crete

Posted on May 20, 2013 by secondbysecond

On the morning of 20 May 1941, waves of Junkers 52s flew across the Mediterranean Sea and disgorged thousands of German paratroopers onto the Greek island of Crete. Coloured parachutes had been issued to officers, black for other ranks, and … Continue reading →

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In the news: 15 May, Nylon Stockings Day!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by secondbysecond

Today is Nylon Stockings Day! Nylon was invented by the Du Pont Corporation in New Jersey. On 15 May 1940, Du Pont’s nylon stockings went on sale across the United States. Pairs that were worn out by 1942 are seen … Continue reading →

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