Night Raid

The loss of British bombers over Occupied Europe began to reach alarming levels in 1941. Could it be that the Germans were using a sophisticated form of radar to direct their night fighters and anti-aircraft guns at the British bombers? British aerial reconnaissance discovered what seemed to be a rotating radar tower on a cliff-top at Bruneval, near Le Havre. The truth must be revealed.

The decision was taken to launch a daring raid on the Bruneval site to try and capture the technology for further examination. The planned airborne assault would be extremely risky. The parachute regiment had only been formed a year before on Churchill's insistence. This night raid would test the men to the extreme limits of their abilities.

Night Raid tells the gripping tale of this mission from the planning stages, to the failed rehearsals when the odds seemed stacked against them, to the night of the raid itself, and the scientific secrets that were discovered thanks to the paras' precious cargo - the German radar. Its capture was of immense importance in the next stages of the war and the mission itself marked the birth of the legend of the 'Red Devils'.

“The Bruneval Raid was the start of the airborne brotherhood. Taylor Downing's vivid account brings alive this important turning point in military history with flair and pace.-- Andy McNab”

The Bruneval Raid was the start of the airborne brotherhood. Taylor Downing's vivid account brings alive this important turning point in military history with flair and pace. - Andy McNab

Taylor Downing is a writer, historian and award-winning television producer. He read History at Cambridge University and worked at the Imperial War Museum and Thames Television before going on to become managing director and head of history at Flashback Television, a leading independent production company. His books include the bestselling Cold War (with Jeremy Isaacs), 1983, Breakdown, Secret Warriors, Night Raid, The World at War, Olympia, Spies in the Sky and Churchill's War Lab.

By 1941 the loss of British bombers over Occupied Europe had reached an alarming rate. Could it be that the Germans were using a sophisticated form of radar to direct their fighter planes and anti-aircraft guns at the British bombers with terrifying accuracy? The lives of thousands of Allied aircrew depended on understanding how the German early warning system operated. But who would capture the German technology, dismantle it and bring it safely home for the boffins to examine? The small band of men picked for the daring task was an entirely new breed of soldier - the first British paratroopers. Every training practice ended in spectacular failure but the mission still went ahead. This is the story of one of the most dramatic raids of World War Two that would test the men to the very limits of their abilities. 'The Bruneval Raid was the start of the airborne brotherhood. Taylor Downing's vivid account brings alive this important turning point in military history with flair and pace' Andy McNab

The loss of British bombers over Occupied Europe began to reach alarming levels in 1941. Could it be that the Germans were using a sophisticated form of radar to direct their night fighters and anti-aircraft guns at the British bombers? British aerial reconnaissance discovered what seemed to be a rotating radar tower on a cliff-top at Bruneval, near Le Havre. The truth must be revealed. The decision was taken to launch a daring raid on the Bruneval site to try and capture the technology for further examination. The planned airborne assault would be extremely risky. The parachute regiment had only been formed a year before on Churchill's insistence. This night raid would test the men to the extreme limits of their abilities. Night Raid tells the gripping tale of this mission from the planning stages, to the failed rehearsals when the odds seemed stacked against them, to the night of the raid itself, and the scientific secrets that were discovered thanks to the paras' precious cargo - the German radar. Its capture was of immense importance in the next stages of the war and the mission itself marked the birth of the legend of the 'Red Devils'.

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