In this book the stories of twenty survivors of the second world war are told. From Frank who sailed from New zealander to Crete, only to be captured on Crete before being interned in Poland for the rest of the war. finally surviving the Lamsdorf Death March before returning home.
Hauptman Alfred Grislawski, Luftwaffe fighter pilot who shot down 133 allied aircraft. After hearing of american pilots machine gunning german aircrew as they dangled in parachutes, when his aircraft was hit, he jumped, not daring to open his parachute until just a few hundred feet above the ground, breaking his back upon landing.
Wally Short who survived the whole war only to be struck down in Tokyo Bay on the day of the japanese surrender.
Albert, who broke down when he realized the bodies of russian solders he machine gunned as they attacked his position were young girls.
RAAF Flying Officer George Rudge who thanked his lucky stars he was posted to twin engined aircraft in Pacific instead of four engined bombers over Europe.
Willi Mueller who was a crewman on the german surface raider 'Atlantis' which spent 622 days at sea before being sunk in the Atlantic by a Royal Navy Cruiser
Joe, the dutch young working as a slave labourer in Germany
Wilhelm Fischmann adventurer. Served in the Estonian Army, escaped from a russian prison and served in the SS.
along with many more Stories which need to be remembered.
The author knew all of these people except for Juri Gagarin who has a fascinating story which deserves a book of his own