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Patrick Dalzel-Job
(deceased)
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A copy is available at
many local shops,
including MacKenzie's
Craft Shop (Edmunds),
or at Amazon
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| In this, 'one of the most romantic stories of the war-time
years', Patrick Dalzel-Job tells how — as a very young man in
1939 — he sailed a small brigantine along the Arctic coast of
Norway as far as the Russian border, with only an aged mother and
a blue-eyed little Norwegian schoolgirl as crew. |
| In 4½ years of war that followed that experience,
Patrick had many adventures. In 1940, with his special knowledge of
North Norway's coast and language, he landed and moved more than 10,000
soldiers of the Allied North West Expeditionary Force in local boats,
without the loss of a single man; then, acting against specific orders
from Allied Headquarters, he used his boats to take all the women,
children and old people out of Narvik just before that town was destroyed
by German bombers. |
| He escaped Court Martial for disobeying orders because
the King of Norway sent personal thanks through the British Admiralty
and himself presented Patrick with the Knight's Cross of St Olav. |
| Later adventures, all told with a clarity that brings
everything to life, included a week alone on a Norwegian island, taking
photographs of enemy shipping. |
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In 1944/45, Patrick commanded a team of Ian Fleming's '30 AU', often
working far ahead of Allied lines in France and Germany (some people
have said that Patrick Dalzel-Job was the original 'James Bond' of
Ian Fleming's books and films). |
| In June 1945, Patrick Dalzel-Job managed to return to
Norway, there to search for the blue-eyed schoolgirl of his Arctic
sailing days. After much difficulty, he eventually found the girl,
now a beautiful young woman. Within three weeks — Patrick having
survived further hazards in the meantime — they were married
in Oslo. The Epilogue is both happy and sad. |
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'It is a fascinating tale, so vividly written and excellently
illustrated by your wide variety of photographs . . . will have place
of honour in the Queen Mother's Library.'
(Private Secretary to HM The Queen Mother) |
'A gripping memoir and one of the most romantic love
stories of the war-time years.'
(John Keegan,
Defence Correspondent of The Daily Telegraph and author of 'The Face
of Battle') |
'Very, very seldom have I enjoyed a book as much. .
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(Professor R V Jones, one of Churchill's
'backroom boys') |
'His are memoirs like no others . . . terrific book.'
(Shaun Usher in The Daily Mail) |
'It tells of great themes, war and
death and violence, yes — but there is also love and peace and
life and gentleness.'
(Peter Jemmett in The
Yorkshire Evening Post) |
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