Saunders - Arrival of Eagles: Luftwaffe Landings in Britain 1939-1945

I MUST RECORD MY INDEBTEDNESS to a number of individuals and organisations for assistance in the production of this book. Not in any order of merit I must thank the following: Chris Goss, Winston Ramsey, Gail Ramsey, Christopher R. Elliott, Steve Brew, Martin Mace and Britain at War magazine, Peter Cornwell, Steve Hall, Nigel Parker, Simon Parry, Tony Holmes, Robert Forsyth, Dean Sumner, Norman Franks and Sue Eagles.

I should also record my gratitude to the late Peter Foote and Ken West from whom much information was gleaned over many years of co-operative research and the sharing of information and photographs.

A very special thank you, though, must go to Captain Eric Winkle Brown for writing what is a much-valued foreword to this book. It was, Sir, a very great honour indeed that you should have agreed to write for a book that covers a number of aircraft with which you have had a very intimate connection. I cannot thank you enough. Many thanks also to the Fly Navy Heritage Trust for providing a wonderful photo of him.

I must also thank my friend of many years, Dr Alfred Price. Alfred has very much become the doyen of aviation history researchers and authors and also a prolific and greatly-respected writer. His early works of the late-1960 period very much sparked my enthusiasm for the subject and I have avidly read all of his published works since. During the 1970s and early 80s I was privileged to help him in some small ways with his various Battle of Britain and other projects, and I felt honoured recently to be gifted substantial parts of Alfreds archive upon his retirement in 2012. Alfred has generously allowed me to draw on his documentary and photographic material and to use it howsoever I please. Thank you, Alfred.

Again, I must thank the superb team at Grub Street Publishing for their enthusiasm for this book and their dedication in ensuring a quality production as ever, especially Natalie Parker and Sophie Campbell, and the ever patient John Davies. You are always a pleasure to work with.

Lastly, but by no means least, I must thank Zoe for her continued support and understanding as I put this book together and as I spent long hours shut away in my office. Without her encouragement and input, and frequent tea, sandwiches and cake it would have all been impossible. Thank you.

If I have forgotten anyone, please accept my apologies. Any oversight was entirely unintentional.