The launching of V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets against London marked Hitler's final attempt to terrorise the British into submission, and though they failed in this they nevertheless caused considerable damage, killing in excess of 8,000 people and seriously injuring a further 23,000. The book begins in the early 1930's with the origins of Germany's rocket programme and the brilliant minds which shaped it, but while they were largely inspired by the idea of using the technology to conquer space, it was the desire of the Nazis to explore new methods of waging war not prohibited by the Treaty of Versailles which provided its real impetus. It describes the years of testing at Peenemünde, the opening of the campaign against Britain, and the efforts of the Allies to counter it, by bombing research facilities, attacking the launch sites, and ultimately advancing the front line to push the weapons out of range. The book also takes a look at other V weapons, including the development of V2 to reach the United States, and also the V3 which was intended to devastate London with a relentless barrage of high velocity shells, but, hampered by its static as well as obvious and inviting appearance, inevitably fell victim to Bomber Command before it could be unleashed.

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Pegasus Archive

Combining the technical history of the devices, with the evolution and development, the desperate attempts to protect the capital and the final overrunning of the launch sites, this is both an interesting study of the weapons programme and a personal history of someone on the receiving end.

The Armourer, October 2018

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BBC Radio Suffolk, 30th July 2018 with presenter Lesley Dolphin

It is quite a complex story and the book does a very good job of telling it, with the added element of being told by an author who experienced being on the receiving end of the assault on London.

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Military Model Scene, Robin Buckland

I have just read Nigel Walpole's latest book; it was most enjoyable. The author weaves a fascinating tale of what happened in the Third Reich in the development of their Vergeltunswaffen as well as the impact they had on the populations in the target areas. It was interesting to discover that both he in North London and his wife in Holland had personal experience of the devastation caused by these weapons.

The author has been painstaking with his research and included visits to Peenemunde, Mimoyecques and other sites in mainland Europe where these weapons were developed and from which they were launched. He has included many fascinating photographs of the weapons themselves, pictures of them taken by photo-reconnaissance aircraft as well as images of their various different launch sites. Along with the V1 and V2, he also provides details of the V3 and potential future developments of the V2 (A4) missile.

As an experienced fast-jet pilot himself who also undertook fighter reconnaissance, he gives an expert account of the problems the allied air forces had in trying to locate the launch sites and destroy the weapons before they were launched.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

Alex Weiss

I have just read Nigel Walpole's latest book; it was most enjoyable. The author weaves a fascinating tale of what happened in the Third Reich in the development of their Vergeltunswaffen as well as the impact they had on the populations in the target areas. It was interesting to discover that both he in North London and his wife in Holland had personal experience of the devastation caused by these weapons.

The author has been painstaking with his research and included visits to Peenemunde, Mimoyecques and other sites in mainland Europe where these weapons were developed and from which they were launched. He has included many fascinating photographs of the weapons themselves, pictures of them taken by photo-reconnaissance aircraft as well as images of their various different launch sites. Along with the V1 and V2, he also provides details of the V3 and potential future developments of the V2 (A4) missile.

As an experienced fast-jet pilot himself who also undertook fighter reconnaissance, he gives an expert account of the problems the allied air forces had in trying to locate the launch sites and destroy the weapons before they were launched.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject.

Alex Weiss