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"It was early spring 1942, and under the pitiless sky of the Libyan desert the climax of the great siege of Bir Hakeim was about to begin. General Koenig, the commander of the Free French and the Foreign Legion in North Africa, and his two thousand troops had been surrounded for fifteen days and nights by Rommel's Afrika Corps. Outnumbered ten to one, pounded by wave after wave of Stuka and Heikel bombers, the general and his men seemed doomed. Though their situation was hopeless, they chose to reject the Desert Fox's demand for surrender. Instead, one moonless night, the French made an audacious and suicidal bid for freedom by charging directly through the German lines. Leading the way was Susan Travers." "The only woman ever to serve officially in the French Foreign Legion, there was the indomitable Englishwoman, speeding across the minefields of 'no man's land' directly towards Rommel's deadly Panzer tanks, her foot hard on the accelerator, doing her job: driving the general's car. That it was leading two thousand men in one of the great military exploits of the Second World War, the legendary mass break-out from Bir Hakeim, that it would see her hailed as the heroine of the night and eventually earn her both the Military Medal and the Legion d'Honneur, was not on her mind as the night exploded around her and German artillery lit up the desert sky. Her only thought was this: she was trying to save the life of the man she loved." "Tomorrow to be Brave is the story of Susan Travers's extraordinary life, from her privileged childhood in England through her rebellious youth partying her way across interwar Europe, to her rash decision to join the Free French forces at the outbreak of World War II. In search of adventure - and a break from her stifling upper-class world - she could never have dreamed the pivotal role she would play. From her part in the North African campaign through her time after the war serving in the French Foreign Legion as a regular officer - the only woman ever to have achieved this - there was enough adventure and passion, heartbreak and heroism, to fill a hundred lifetimes."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved… (meer)
I am very passionate about History and I always try to found interesting books to read and to learn more concerning my favourite topic. Also I am very attracted by stories of a particular person or people have done in the especial historic circumstances, for instance in a war or revolution where, very often, it appears the best and the worst of a human being. In this quest, I have just read a remarkable woman autobiography, “Tomorrow be brave”, an extraordinary story of love and heroism written by Susan Travers, a British lady born in 1909 who lived almost her life in France or within French people. Why her life was so astonishing? Essentially, because she was the only woman to join the French Foreign Legion in the WW2. With this bunch of foreigner, who chosen to follow general De Gaulle instead to accept the Vichy regime defeat, she lived and experienced several important events, among them, the terrible siege of Bir-Hakeim. In this dry and isolated place in the Libyan dessert, the Free French Forces held and resisted during three weeks the fierce attacks from the German and Italian forces led by Marshall Erwin Rommel in order to give to the 8th British Army enough time to reorganize. The chapter, where she gives us a crude, realistic and particularly honest account of the long and bloody battle and the dared French night break through three fortified Germans lines. She was not a superwoman, far from that; nonetheless she felt the fear driving the command-car by night in the dessert and across the minefields, holes shells, under the enemies’ bullets and explosions. She accomplished this exploit not only for her own sake, but also in behalf of general Koenig, the French General-in-Chief. She had the vital mission to lead him to a safe place. Nevertheless, in the middle of this conflict, where she was shelled and where saw disappear many beloved friends; she lived a great love story with all the suitable ingredients.
I decidedly recommend this book, as it is not about how to make money, become a pop star or a celebrity; as matter of fact, it is essentially a moved real story about fillings, courage, passions and love. ( )
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
'As a matter of fact, one woman did server in the Legion and without masculine disguise. She was an Englishwoman, Miss Susan Travers... No writer of romance has ever imagined anything equal to Miss Travers' adventures with the 13th in Europe, Asia, and Africa throughout the course of the Second World War.' Charles Mercer, The Foreign Legion (Arthur Barker, 1964)
Opdracht
Eerste woorden
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
I sit alone in an armchair in my little apartment in Paris, staring out of the window.
Citaten
Laatste woorden
Informatie afkomstig uit de Engelse Algemene Kennis.Bewerk om naar jouw taal over te brengen.
Almost hidden from view was a shadowy figure, its right arm resting on the window. It was me, sitting in the driver's seat.
"It was early spring 1942, and under the pitiless sky of the Libyan desert the climax of the great siege of Bir Hakeim was about to begin. General Koenig, the commander of the Free French and the Foreign Legion in North Africa, and his two thousand troops had been surrounded for fifteen days and nights by Rommel's Afrika Corps. Outnumbered ten to one, pounded by wave after wave of Stuka and Heikel bombers, the general and his men seemed doomed. Though their situation was hopeless, they chose to reject the Desert Fox's demand for surrender. Instead, one moonless night, the French made an audacious and suicidal bid for freedom by charging directly through the German lines. Leading the way was Susan Travers." "The only woman ever to serve officially in the French Foreign Legion, there was the indomitable Englishwoman, speeding across the minefields of 'no man's land' directly towards Rommel's deadly Panzer tanks, her foot hard on the accelerator, doing her job: driving the general's car. That it was leading two thousand men in one of the great military exploits of the Second World War, the legendary mass break-out from Bir Hakeim, that it would see her hailed as the heroine of the night and eventually earn her both the Military Medal and the Legion d'Honneur, was not on her mind as the night exploded around her and German artillery lit up the desert sky. Her only thought was this: she was trying to save the life of the man she loved." "Tomorrow to be Brave is the story of Susan Travers's extraordinary life, from her privileged childhood in England through her rebellious youth partying her way across interwar Europe, to her rash decision to join the Free French forces at the outbreak of World War II. In search of adventure - and a break from her stifling upper-class world - she could never have dreamed the pivotal role she would play. From her part in the North African campaign through her time after the war serving in the French Foreign Legion as a regular officer - the only woman ever to have achieved this - there was enough adventure and passion, heartbreak and heroism, to fill a hundred lifetimes."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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(3.56)
1
Also I am very attracted by stories of a particular person or people have done in the especial historic circumstances, for instance in a war or revolution where, very often, it appears the best and the worst of a human being.
In this quest, I have just read a remarkable woman autobiography, “Tomorrow be brave”, an extraordinary story of love and heroism written by Susan Travers, a British lady born in 1909 who lived almost her life in France or within French people.
Why her life was so astonishing?
Essentially, because she was the only woman to join the French Foreign Legion in the WW2. With this bunch of foreigner, who chosen to follow general De Gaulle instead to accept the Vichy regime defeat, she lived and experienced several important events, among them, the terrible siege of Bir-Hakeim. In this dry and isolated place in the Libyan dessert, the Free French Forces held and resisted during three weeks the fierce attacks from the German and Italian forces led by Marshall Erwin Rommel in order to give to the 8th British Army enough time to reorganize.
The chapter, where she gives us a crude, realistic and particularly honest account of the long and bloody battle and the dared French night break through three fortified Germans lines. She was not a superwoman, far from that; nonetheless she felt the fear driving the command-car by night in the dessert and across the minefields, holes shells, under the enemies’ bullets and explosions. She accomplished this exploit not only for her own sake, but also in behalf of general Koenig, the French General-in-Chief. She had the vital mission to lead him to a safe place.
Nevertheless, in the middle of this conflict, where she was shelled and where saw disappear many beloved friends; she lived a great love story with all the suitable ingredients.
I decidedly recommend this book, as it is not about how to make money, become a pop star or a celebrity; as matter of fact, it is essentially a moved real story about fillings, courage, passions and love. (