Run the Gauntlet - The Channel Dash 1942

Illustrated by Howard Gerrard, Alan Gilliland and Paul Wright. In February 1942, three of the major ships of the German surface fleet - the battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen - stormed out of the harbour at Brest on a dramatic voyage back to Germany. Passing through the straights of Dover, the ships faced everything the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy could throw at them. In a dramatic running fight, the ships managed to sail right under the nose of history's greatest maritime nation to reach the safety of Germany. The brilliantly executed operation brought great humiliation to the British - Hitler, who had developed the plan, had judged perfectly the reaction of the British command to the Channel Dash. Repositioned, these fast, heavily armed ships went on to threaten the Allied Arctic convoys that kept Russia in the war at Stalingrad. This book tells the complete story of this great race, from the planning through to the repercussions of this unique Germany victory. Ken Ford was born in Eastleigh, Hampshire, England and left North End Secondary School in 1960. After three years in the Physics Department of Southampton University, he left to work his way around Europe, living the free life on the road. He then became a telecommunications engineer in Southampton (to support his lovely wife Valda and daughters Amanda and Joanne) and spent 29 years at the pointy end until, in 1992, he became disillusioned with working for a living and opened a bookshop in Romsey, Hampshire. He also wrote books. He now lives in Southampton, drinks red wine (in moderation), annoys his three grandchildren Katelyn, Adam and Joseph and continues to write books (37 to date). Oh, and he also supports Southampton FC from his seat in the stands. That's about all there is to know about him.