James Holland's Second World War Forum

More Luftwaffe Battle of Britain Interviews

James Holland — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:42:13 +0000

I have now posted up three more interviews with Luftwaffe pilots, all of which I did back in May. Karl Spreitzer, a Stuka pilot in St.G.2 and Knight’s Cross winner, who saw action in Norway, the Battle of Britain, Greece, Crete, Malta, North Africa and Russia and stacked up a stagging 600+ combat missions. He [...]

General Francis Tuker and the Bombing of Monte Cassino

James Holland — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 08:04:15 +0000

It was not until after the failed attack by II Polish Corps on the German positions at Monte Cassino on the morning of 12th May, 1944, that the Allies ever properly understood the layout and structure of the German defences on that mountain feature. For four and a half months, American, British, Indian and then [...]

Hajo Herrmann Interview Now Posted

James Holland — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:47:36 +0000

Hajo Herrmann was a former Heinkel 111 and Junkers 88 bomber pilot with III/KG 4 in the Polish campaign, the blitzkrieg in the west and during the Battle of Britain. He was shot down over Dunkirk, escaped to safety and flew many combat missions over England. Later, he flew over Malta and then [...]

Battle of Britain Luftwaffe Interviews

James Holland — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:06:20 +0000

Last week and I spent a fascinating few days interviewing former Battle of Britain pilots in Germany and Austria. As soon as they are all transcribed I shall post them up on the Oral History Archive, but I learnt much from them. When I first thought about doing a book about the Battle of Britain [...]

JACK TANNER - A NEW ADVENTURE HERO

James Holland — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:35:52 +0000

On 19th May, Bantam Press are publishing The Odin Mission, the first of a series of Second World War adventure novels featuring Jack Tanner. I’ve always loved the Sharpe novels by Bernard Cornwell and the Hornblower books by C.S. Forrester, and it suddenly struck me a little while ago that a similar hero could easily [...]