This short story is an introduction to George Mitchell, and is a preface to further stories featuring this compelling character.
World War Two is bringing new challenges for Britain, her men and women in uniform, and her citizens.
The feeling of defeat by many, and the fear of invasion, is very real.
George Mitchell, a young and talented British Military Intelligence Officer, is ordered to undertake a secret mission to rescue an RAF pilot from occupied territory.
In the depths of rural France, George encounters friends and foes as he carries out his danger-fraught quest to bring the prisoner home.
"An excellent WW2 story of action behind enemy lines."
Reviewer: Angel for Bookangel.
In the middle of the Second World War, George Mitchell finds himself parachuted into war-torn France. His mission is to rescue Wing Commander Gibson, who crash landed and was captured while heading for North Africa carrying top secret plans. Meeting with the local resistance, he helps to ambush the convoy being used to transport Gibson. They rescue him, but one of the guards escapes, leaving little time for them to make their escape before the alarm is raised. The chase is then on as they race towards the coast to try and escape their pursuers and see Gibson home to safety.
This is a short, oft-times brutal telling of a quick rescue mission during the war. The plot is fairly simple describing the initial ambush and the escape, but it also makes it very clear the sacrifices and trouble the resistance would go through to fight against their oppressors. The characters are briefly sketched out, but still manage to show the emotions that drives them, whether fear of being caught or the fear not re-capturing them and the punishments that would await either group should they fail. The descriptions neatly switch between the action and the lulls as the escapees are in hiding. What is appreciated is that no-one does anything stupid or idiotic, and the story is all the better for it. The book is well formatted with no obvious mistakes in it and I quite happily read this in one sitting, before going back and reading it again for a second time.
Overall, an excellent WW2 story of action behind enemy lines. Rating:4
