Nigel Rock will be talking to the Rotary Club of Southam 2000 about his recently published book ‘Sure Strike’ - a WWII thriller.
Nigel Rock’s talk will be about the story behind the story - and the trails and tribulations of getting published. The book is fiction, but based on a background of real events of the period and what might have been, but mixed with his family stories.
The talk will take place at the Fox & Hen, Bascote, near Southam, on Thursday evening 27 October. Places can be booked by contacting: Dave Roberts on 01926 815831
Nigel Rock contested the general election in 2010, coming second in the Kenilworth and Southam Parliamentary constituency. He was born in Warwickshire, and was for eight years the Stratford District Councillor for Stockton and Napton until he stood down in May.
Although fiction, there are special connections with the Warwickshire area with mentions of, for instance, Chesterton, Wellesbourne and Ashorne. Nigel's parents met in RAF bomber command during World War II and much of the story was inspired by incidents of that period. Some of the events his parents told him about have been a framework of fact around which the fictional story has been woven.
As well as national events, the book paints a picture of ordinary life behind the scenes in the RAF from recollections in diaries and other documents as well as photographs including that from a De Havilland Mosquito crash that saw Nigel in contact with the Royal Canadian Air Force Archivist. Nigel says “There was quite a lot of research involved to make the story fit events of the time and the technology background. Of course with a fictional novel history can be bent a bit, but I wanted to make things as realistic as I could. In writing the book it makes you appreciate the bravery of many people from 70 years ago.”
In summary the storyline is this: The British Security Services become aware that a German mathematician is leading a team (more or less the opposite number of the Bletchley Park team) who suspects the existence of the British code breakers and initiates a search of British country houses where they might be based.
Their search is made by combination of photo reconnaissance and sending false messages. The British discover a brilliant mathematician and linguist is on administrative duties at a bomber command airbase and they set out to use his skills.
Having been stung by the vicious reprisals meted out by the Nazis after Czech patriots (who were in fact trained in Warwickshire) assassinated Reinhard Heydrich, the British are wary of assassination attempts. The result is an RAF clandestine but surgical strike to eliminate the threat of discovery. Coding, espionage, technology and romance feature in the book.
The title of “Sure Strike” is derived from the bomber command motto “Strike Hard - Strike Sure”.
The book is on sale at local book sellers Waterstones in Leamington, Kenilworth Books, Warwick Books (and can be ordered from any book seller as well as on line.)
You can get a copy from Clippers Hairdressers in Southam, or Napton Post Office.
The book is also available at Amazon and a Kindle version has just been launched.
Courtesy of Amazon, it is possible to see inside the book by clicking on the image below:
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