- Publisher: Fighting High
- Year: 2018
- Format: Hardback
- Pages: 240pp
- Illustrated: Yes
- Dimensions: 232x155mm
- Condition: New
- Weight: 0.7kg
- ISBN: 9781999812812
- Product code: 514441
Gepruft
The Remarkable Second World War Letters of Prisoner of War John Valentine and His Wife Ursula
Frances Zagni New Hardback Illustrated
Postscript summary
Bomber Command observer and navigator John Valentine was shot down in his Avro Manchester in May 1942, becoming a POW in Germany. He wrote extensively to his wife, describing his capture and daily life. Although the letters were censored and stamped ‘Gepruft’ (‘checked’), both sides of their correspondence, from the Blitz to his subsequent hospitalisation, survived, and have been compiled and edited here by their daughter Frances.
Product information
Full publisher description
Shot down in his Avro Manchester on the Thousand Bomber raid of 30/31 May 1942 Bomber Command observer and navigator John Valentine saw out the rest of the Second World War as a prisoner in Germany. During that period, he wrote extensively to his wife Ursula, telling her of his survival, the circumstances in which he was shot from the sky, his capture, and the daily rigours of life as a prisoner of war. Extraordinarily, and despite being extremely ill, when John was finally liberated he brought back all the letters and photographs he had received from Ursula. Across all their correspondence, parts of which had been blacked out, the word 'Gepruft' ('checked' in German) had been stamped by the German censor.
In addition to the correspondence written during the dark days when John was a prisoner, further letters exist penned when a pregnant Ursula lived in London at the time of the Luftwaffe Blitz, John was training for aircrew duties with the Royal Air Force, and during his operational career with No. 49 Squadron on Hampden and Manchester bombers. In total, this extraordinary archive consists of 224 letters and postcards from John and 305 from Ursula, with a further 73 written to John during his long periods of hospitalisation after his return.
These letters, which have been compiled and edited by John and Ursula's daughter Frances, provide a unique and unprecedented insight in to how two people struggled to find solace, and keep their hopes and love alive despite the anxieties of John's dangerous operational life and his three years behind barbed wire. Illustrated with previously unpublished photographs Gepruft is a truly remarkable and comprehensive account of the effect of the Second World War on the lives of a young married couple, and their generation.
In addition to the correspondence written during the dark days when John was a prisoner, further letters exist penned when a pregnant Ursula lived in London at the time of the Luftwaffe Blitz, John was training for aircrew duties with the Royal Air Force, and during his operational career with No. 49 Squadron on Hampden and Manchester bombers. In total, this extraordinary archive consists of 224 letters and postcards from John and 305 from Ursula, with a further 73 written to John during his long periods of hospitalisation after his return.
These letters, which have been compiled and edited by John and Ursula's daughter Frances, provide a unique and unprecedented insight in to how two people struggled to find solace, and keep their hopes and love alive despite the anxieties of John's dangerous operational life and his three years behind barbed wire. Illustrated with previously unpublished photographs Gepruft is a truly remarkable and comprehensive account of the effect of the Second World War on the lives of a young married couple, and their generation.
Reasons to shop at Postscript
Independent bookseller
Established in 1987, we’ve been sharing reading recommendations for decades.
Books you won’t find elsewhere
Discover new authors among our frequently changing bookshelves, along with almost-forgotten gems and a wealth of unusual titles you won’t find elsewhere.
Eco-friendly packaging
Orders are carefully packed in recyclable cardboard boxes, eco-friendly bubble wrap and solvent-free labels, paper and tape.
Condition and price
All our books are new, unused and unread, and they’re all up to 75% off RRP.
FREE monthly catalogue
Featuring over 400 handpicked titles, our unique catalogue is carefully curated and includes new and unusual titles, special features and exclusive collections.
Email newsletters
Our tailored newsletters are written by our booksellers, and we always highlight the books that we have talked about most in the Postscript office.
Footnotes blog
Some books spark ideas and conversations that our catalogue can’t contain – our Footnotes blog offers a deeper dive into a wealth of topics to inspire further reading.
Aftercare
We are all serious book people and we understand the value of reading. This is why we package our books so carefully and employ a helpful in-house customer services team to promptly resolve any queries you may have.
Delivery information
UK
Free UK standard delivery on all online orders over £25
Unlimited books in one delivery charge:
- • Standard: £3.20 (3-5 working days)
- • Click & Collect: £3.20 (3-5 working days)
- • Next Day (orders must be placed before 1pm, Monday–Friday): £4.50
- • Royal Mail Tracked48: £5.50 (2-4 working days)
Highlands and Islands delivery: standard delivery only (5-7 working days)
Overseas
All orders: delivery costs for orders outside the UK are based on country of destination and product weight.
You can view your overseas delivery cost using the Summary section within the Basket.
For more information on delivery/overseas orders please refer to our Delivery Information.
product
https://www.psbooks.co.uk/gepruft
514441
Gepruft
https://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/1/514441_d0a3118f09f9c23fa7453410374104ab.jpg
8.99
8.99
GBP
InStock
/History/Military History/Categories/World War Two
/History
/History/Military History
/History/Military History/Categories/Air Forces
/Non-Fiction/Categories/Biography & Memoirs/Letters
/Campaigns/Diaries & Letters
/Non-Fiction/Categories/Biography & Memoirs
Bomber Command observer and navigator John Valentine was shot down in his Avro Manchester in May 1942, becoming a POW in Germany. He wrote extensively to his wife, describing his capture and daily life. Although the letters were censored and stamped ‘Gepruft’ (‘checked’), both sides of their correspondence, from the Blitz to his subsequent hospitalisation, survived, and have been compiled and edited here by their daughter Frances.
Hardback
0
0
https://www.psbooks.co.uk/media/catalog/product/5/1/514441_d08d09fdc3e0942f92f6fe35a43b3f55.jpg
add-to-cart
rrp_info:£25.00
productId:56719
bic_code:HBWQ
HBWQ
£25.00
Frances Zagni
General
232x155mm
Fighting High
No
Hardback
Second World War
