First Blitz

By Neil Hanson

Far from the killing fields of France, a little-known battle was fought in the skies over London that nearly altered the course of the First World War and with it, the history of humanity itself. The margin between survival and total destruction came down to less than one hour.

In four years, the Luftwaffe’s England squadron had moved from crude canvas-and-wire light aircraft to the four-engined giants as big as anything that flew in the Second World War. This, combined with the development of a revolutionary incendiary bomb, gave Germany the chance to raze London to the ground. It was a chance that they came within an inch of taking…

Neil Hanson is the author of four acclaimed works of narrative history: The Custom of the Sea, The Dreadful Judgement, The Confident Hope of a Miracle and The Unknown Soldier. He lives in Yorkshire with his family.