I Was a Spy! by Marthe Mckenna
The Greatest War Story of All Takes rank with All Quiet on the Western Front. She fulfilled in every respect the conditions which made the terrible profession of a spy dignified and honourable. Dwelling behind the German line within sound of cannon, she continually obtained and sent information of the highest importance to the British Intelligence Authorities. Her tale is a thrilling one the main description of her life and intrigues and adventures is undoubtedly authentic. I was unable to stop reading it until 4 a.m. Winston Churchill 1932With her medical studies cut short by the 1914 German invasion, her house burned down and her father arrested for suspected sharpshooting, it was perhaps unsurprising that the multi-lingual Marthe Mckenna (nee Cnockaert, codename Laura ) was recruited by British Intelligence. At the time she worked as a nurse tending the wounds of occupying soldiers, and as a waitress in her parents cafe in the Belgian border town of Roulers. I Was a Spy is McKenna s vivid narrative of these breathtaking adventures as she, aided by a gallant band of loyal locals, goes undercover to sabotage enemy phone lines, report suspicious activity or train movements, and even instigate an aerial attack on a planned visit by the Kaiser.This thrilling account goes on to explain how, in 1916, the young nurse was caught by the Germans placing dynamite in a disused sewer tunnel underneath an ammunition dump. She was sentenced to the firing squad and only survived due to the Iron Cross honor received as a result of her earlier medical service . Mckenna was later mentioned by Douglas Haig in British Despatches and was awarded the French and Belgian Orders of the Legion of Honour for her espionage work.REVIEWS Straight out of Boys' Own Paper I was reading stories like this in my comics in the 1950s, never quite able to believe that such things actually happened, and that such people actually really existed Books Monthly UK McKenna's style is a breathless mix of Celia Johnson crossed with Enid Blyton... she drives her narrative at a brisk clip and becomes an entertaining and rather endearing companion.The Independent UK This re-issue of a gripping tale of the wartime adventures of a legendary heroine, perhaps ranking alongside the legendary Violette Szabo, is one to be welcomed. Churchill was not the only one who could not stop reading this until 4am -Britain at War Written at an electric pace McKenna s is an unremitting adventure -All About History History of War Magazine recommends section
McKenna, Marthe: - In addition to receiving the Iron Cross from the Germans for her wartime contribution as a nurse, Marthe Mckenna (nü¾Ž–”¼e Cnockaert, codename 'Laura') was later mentioned by Douglas Haig in British Despatches and was awarded the French and Belgian Orders of the Legion of Honour for her espionage work. I Was A Spy! was first published in 1932 with an extended Foreword by Winston Churchill and was made into a film in 1933 directed by Victor Saville and starring Madeleine Carroll. The success of the book encouraged Marthe to write further memoirs of her wartime exploits, and those of her small band of fellow spies, and also led to a series of espionage novels written in collaboration with her British husband John Jock McKenna.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781910860038 |
| ISBN 10 | 1910860034 |
| Title | I Was a Spy! |
| Author | Marthe Mckenna |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | The Pool of London Press |
| Year published | 2015-09-18 |
| Number of pages | 288 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |