About the Book
The summer of 1940 remains a pivotal moment in modern British history - still inspiring immense national pride and a global fascination. The Fall of France was catastrophic. Britain stood alone and within range of German air attack. America, with its vast resources was neutral, Hitler's forces unbeaten, the outlook for Britain bleak. As Britain's wartime leader, Winston Churchill, rightly predicted, the Battle of Britain is about to begin'. Famously, Churchill mobilised the English language, emboldening the nation with rousing rhetoric. In this darkest of hours, Churchill told the people that this was, in fact, their Finest Hour', a time of unprecedented courage and defiance which defined the British people. Connecting the crucial battle with Shakespeare's heroic Henry V and Agincourt, Churchill also immortalised Fighter Command's young aircrew as the Few' - to whom so many owed everything. The Few comprised nearly 3,000 aircrew, 544 of which gave their lives during the Battle of Britain's sixteen weeks of high drama. Arguably, however, the official dates of 10 July - 31 October 1940 are arbitrary, the fighting actually ongoing before and afterwards. Many gave their lives whose names are not included among the Few, as, of course, did civilians, seamen and ground staff - which is not overlooked in this ground-breaking book. In this unique study, veteran historian and author Dilip Sarkar explores the individual stories of a wide selection of those who lost their lives during the Finest Hour', examining their all-too brief lives and sharing these tragic stories - told here, in full, for the first time. Also included is the story of a German fighter pilot, indicating the breadth of investigation involved. Researched with the full cooperation of the families concerned, this work is a crucial contribution to the Battle of Britain's bibliography. AUTHOR: Driven by his passion to research and share the stories of casualties and record the human experience of war, DILIP SARKAR is a best-selling author whose work is highly regarded globally. A noted expert on the Battle of Britain period, who enjoyed a long and very personal relationship with the Few, Dilip was made an MBE in 2003 for services to aviation history', and, in 2006, elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society. He is a sought-after, dynamic speaker whose enthusiasm is infectious, presenting at many prestigious venues, including the Imperial War Museum Duxford, RAF Museums Hendon and Cosford, National Memorial Arboretum, Oxford University, Bentley Priory Museum and Airborne Museum, Oosterbeek. Dilip's work has been exhibited internationally and he continues to work on TV documentaries, on and off camera. 100 b/w illustrations
About the Author :
Dilip Sarkar has now written over sixty well-received books. Having enjoyed a privileged relationship with many of The Few, he is a globally acknowledged expert on the Battle of Britain, currently working on a career-topping eight volume official history for The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust and National Memorial to The Few. Described by the late Dr Gordon Mitchell, son of the Spitfire's designer RJ Mitchell, as an 'aviation detective', Dilip Sarkar did actually begin his professional life as just that - a police detective. His evidence-based approach and ability to discover new material is well-known - in 2023, for example, he was responsible for having Air Chief-Marshal Sir Keith Park, a New Zealander, officially recognised as one of The Few. Made an MBE for 'services to aviation history' in 2003, Dilip was elected to the Fellowship of the Royal Historical Society in 2006, achieved First Class Honours in Modern History as a mature student in 2010, and in 2024 was made both a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and member of London's Royal Air Force Club. During his long career, Dilip has exhibited and spoken internationally at such prestigious venues as Oxford University, the RAF Museum, IWM Museum, and Airborne Museum, Oosterbeek; he has worked on many TV documentaries, on and off screen, again internationally, and has an engaging presence on YouTube and Facebook in particular. For more information, please see www.dilipsarkarauthor.com
Review :
"Dilip Sarkar tells the story of this historic moment through the experiences of participants who did not survive the battle."-- "New York Journal of Books"
"Meticulously researched and affectingly written, Battle of Britain is a bittersweet memorial to the unheralded casualties of 1940 and their loved ones. At a time when key tropes and images of that momentous year are routinely hijacked, manipulated, and reduced to crass internet memes, Dilip Sarkar offers readers a sobering and timely reminder that "'inest hours' leave a trail of terrible human costs in their wake."-- "Michigan War Studies Review"
