I Will Come Back for You: The undercover Jewish commando who helped defeat the Nazis

by Daniel Huhn

'Extraordinary ... one of the most moving and uplifting stories of the war' Keith Lowe

'A remarkable book' - The Telegraph

A gripping account of hidden identity, military courage, and an against-all-odds reunion.

Four days after Germany's surrender in May 1945, a young British officer headed east into Germany. But this was no ordinary soldier. Manfred Gans was searching for his family. As a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany, he fled to England. Once he could, he enlisted, serving in the elite British 'Three Troop' unit, comprised of German-speaking refugees, and joined the D-Day landings.

Working undercover, he gained vital intelligence, liberated occupied France and the Netherlands, and saved lives on both sides. Meanwhile, he dreamed of a reunion with his family trapped behind enemy lines, and with his childhood sweetheart, Anita.

As the war ended, chaos reigned in defeated Wehrmacht soldiers faced columns of U.S. and British soldiers, concentration camp survivors encountered SS guards, and Soviet military roadblocks controlled the route east. Manfred overcame them all, finally reaching the place his parents were last Theresienstadt ...

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published January 13, 2026

Reviews

[April Bayliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and inspiring - a tough wise warrior!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never knew that Winston Churchill had an idea to recruit German speakers to the British army, and so this was an interesting read for me. The story has 4 distinct parts as it weaves its way from 1930s Germany and Holland, where Manfred was a teen in Germany and the Netherlands, to being shipped to the UK, to start a life there, alone, learning English and working, to his recruitment to the special forces “three troop” and his training in Wales, and active service on the ground in Germany. The days after the war ended in Germany were of particular interest as he travelled through American and Russian zones towards the camp where his parents were held. The final part is post war, how he made his way to his childhood crush, their reunion and subsequent work returning as visitors to Germany in the 1980s to speak to German school children about history. A very interesting read.

[Lou Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book read like one of the best WWII stories! I can’t believe I have not heard this story before and that this is not a movie yet! The Gans family are truly inspiring. The last 40 pages had me on the edge to find out what happens next. Will they be reunited? Will Manfred and Anita find love? A very wonderful and heartwarming true story that everyone should read.

[Andrew Best · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't sure about this one at the start but the true storyline had me hooked early. A family's desire to see their children thrive despite the horrors of war and a true 'long distance' love story made it easy to read.

[Fiona R · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF

[Paul Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspiring read about a family surviving the holocaust.

[Judith Tyras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read,

[Deb Parisien · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected this to be a novel based on fact. It turned out to be a memoir. It did touch on many aspects of "Freddy's" life, but not in any great detail.

[Charlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Inspiring account of (generally unknown) courage and bravery during the Second World War.

[Andrew H · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.7⭐️