The Real X-Men by Robert Lyman
The thrilling and true story of the development and operational deployment of human torpedoes - 'Chariots' - and 'X-craft' midget submarines in British naval service during WWII, and of the extraordinary men who crewed these dangerous vessels. The commando frogmen who rode the Chariots and operated as divers from the X-craft were the forerunners of today's Special Boat Service, the SBS. Their aim was to attach an explosive charge underneath an enemy ship to destroy the vessel. Their hope was to return to their submarine unscathed. The Real X-Men tells the story of the sacrifice and heroism of the individual men, many of them little more than teenagers, who volunteered for this dangerous duty and who crewed both the Chariots and the X-craft without knowing the full extent of the risks entailed, nor indeed the very small chances they had of coming back alive.
Unbearably tense. . will make you feel proud to be British. - Daily ExpressHeroism, adventure, tragedy, a superman hero and the loathsome Boche. This comprehensive retelling of the story has not lost any of its firepower. - Daily Mail
Dr Robert Lyman FRHistS is a writer and historian. He is a Research Fellow at the Changing Character of War Centre, Pembroke College, University of Oxford. After finishing a twenty year career in the British Army in 2001 he has published widely on the Second World War in Europe, North Africa and Asia. He is Field Marshal Bill Slim's military biographer. His presentation of the case for Slim won a National Army Museum debate in 2011 for Britain's Greatest General and his case for Kohima/Imphal won a National Army Museum debate in 2013 for Britain's Greatest Battle. He was the BBC's historical adviser for the VJ commemorations in 2015 and 2020 and is a regular contributor to documentary films on aspects of the war. His previous books include The Longest Siege: Tobruk; Slim, Master of War; Operation Suicide and Into the Jaws of Death. He lives in Berkshire, England.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781784296742 |
| ISBN 10 | 1784296740 |
| Title | The Real X-Men |
| Author | Robert Lyman |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Quercus Publishing |
| Year published | 2016-05-05 |
| Number of pages | 336 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |