What do you think?
Rate this book
آژیر حمله
آژیرحمله شمهای از زندگی و کار در محیط یک پایگاه هوایی در زمان جنگ را بازگو میکند. باری هانسون روزنامهنگار که در زمان جنگ توپچی است از زبان یک خلبان پی میبرد که آلمانها قصد دارند توربی را هدف قرار دهند. هانسون اطلاعات را به مقامات مربوط گزارش میدهد و... ؛
152 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1941
16 people are currently reading
72 people want to read
About the author
Hammond Innes
104 books107 followersRalph Hammond Innes was an English novelist who wrote over 30 novels, as well as children's and travel books.He was awarded a C.B.E. (Commander, Order of the British Empire) in 1978. The World Mystery Convention honoured Innes with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Bouchercon XXIV awards in Omaha, Nebraska, Oct, 1993.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
Innes was born in Horsham, Sussex, and educated at the Cranbrook School in Kent. He left in 1931 to work as a journalist, initially with the Financial Times (at the time called the Financial News). The Doppelganger, his first novel, was published in 1937. In WWII he served in the Royal Artillery, eventually rising to the rank of Major. During the war, a number of his books were published, including Wreckers Must Breathe (1940), The Trojan Horse (1941) and Attack Alarm (1941); the last of which was based on his experiences as an anti-aircraft gunner during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley. After being discharged in 1946, he worked full-time as a writer, achieving a number of early successes.
His novels are notable for a fine attention to accurate detail in descriptions of places, such as in Air Bridge (1951), set partially at RAF Gatow, RAF Membury after its closure and RAF Wunstorf during the Berlin Airlift.
Innes went on to produce books in a regular sequence, with six months of travel and research followed by six months of writing. Many of his works featured events at sea. His output decreased in the 1960s, but was still substantial. He became interested in ecological themes. He continued writing until just before his death. His last novel was Delta Connection (1996).
Unusually for the thriller genre, Innes' protagonists were often not "heroes" in the typical sense, but ordinary men suddenly thrust into extreme situations by circumstance. Often, this involved being placed in a hostile environment (the Arctic, the open sea, deserts), or unwittingly becoming involved in a larger conflict or conspiracy. The protagonist generally is forced to rely on his own wits and making best use of limited resources, rather than the weapons and gadgetry commonly used by thriller writers.
Four of his early novels were made into films: Snowbound (1948)from The Lonely Skier (1947), Hell Below Zero (1954) from The White South (1949), Campbell's Kingdom (1957), and The Wreck of the Mary Deare (1959). His 1973 novel Golden Soak was adapted into a six-part television series in 1979.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 13, 2014
"Attack Alarm" is one of Hammond Innes early works. Published in 1941 it was written when he was assigned to an anti-aircraft artillery unit during the Battle of Britain at RAF Kenley (RAF airbase) in 1940. So to say that this novel has the "ring of authenticity" would be an understatement.
I am a longtime fan of the British television series Foyle's War and while I was reading this book I kept expecting Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle to appear in the story and begin questioning Gunner Hanson. The big difference between the two stories is that "Attack Alarm" was written when the war was actually going on by a man who was participating in it. As if that isn't enough Innes wrote this novel in the Fall of 1940 when England was truly on it's own against Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union had not yet been invaded, the United States was still neutral, France had fallen, Norway had fallen and Germany appeared to be an invincible colossus. Invasion was expected at any moment by late 1940 and the the sky above London and other parts of England was full of fighters and bombers. It was a time of anxiety and fear. So naturally Mr. Innes decided to write a suspense novel.
The story is actually fairly simple. Gunner Hanson is an enlisted solider in the British Army. He is part of a 3" gun crew. For those unfamiliar with such things a 3" gun is a type of high-powered gun designed to shoot down aircraft. The duty is a mix of boredom, routine and frenzied action when the Germans are attacking. There are three air raid sequences and they are excellent. Mr. Innes descriptions of what it is like to experience an air raid, in the open, while simultaneously serving on an anti-aircraft,gun instead of being down in a bomb shelter, are superb. I actually found myself breathing faster (a classic sign of adrenalin being dumped into the body) and at one point my palms got sweaty. It was that good and keep in mind "Attack Alarm" was written seventy-three years ago! Now that's impressive writing.
In between the air raids Gunner Hanson stumbles onto a Fifth Column plot to cripple the fighter bases scattered across the south of England. At the time that Mr. Innes was writing this novel there was a very real fear of the Fifth Column (traitors and German spies working together inside of England). Many believed in 1940 that if it hadn't been for the Fifth Column France wouldn't have fallen to Germany and there is no denying that Vidkun Quisling (an infamous Norwegian traitor) played a role in assisting the Germans during the invasion of Norway. It's now known that the Fifth Column wasn't as prevalent as was believed at the time, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is in 1940 Mr. Innes believed it and he knew that his readers believed it. As a result the story doesn't come across as being contrived or a piece of propaganda. Actually ,considering when the book was written, there is very little flag waving. The stronger feeling is one of getting the job done and trying to stay alive. I suspect that there is little flag waving due to the fact that Mr. Innes was writing from the trenches and not the comfort of his study.
Another reviewer here on Goodreads has described reading a Hammon Inne's novel to be like that of watching a superior black and white adventure movie and I for one think that is an excellent comparison. If I might add to that description I also believe that this is a book that could have easily been made into a suspense movie by Alfred Hitchcock. I was surprised by how much I liked this novel and I strongly recommend it.
I found my copy in my favorite used bookstore. My edition was published by Fontana Books in 1972 and appears that "Attack Alarm" was never published in the United States. If you live in the U.S.A. you might have to do some work looking for it, but it will be worth the search. Those Goodread members living in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland will probably have an easier time of it.
I am a longtime fan of the British television series Foyle's War and while I was reading this book I kept expecting Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle to appear in the story and begin questioning Gunner Hanson. The big difference between the two stories is that "Attack Alarm" was written when the war was actually going on by a man who was participating in it. As if that isn't enough Innes wrote this novel in the Fall of 1940 when England was truly on it's own against Nazi Germany. The Soviet Union had not yet been invaded, the United States was still neutral, France had fallen, Norway had fallen and Germany appeared to be an invincible colossus. Invasion was expected at any moment by late 1940 and the the sky above London and other parts of England was full of fighters and bombers. It was a time of anxiety and fear. So naturally Mr. Innes decided to write a suspense novel.
The story is actually fairly simple. Gunner Hanson is an enlisted solider in the British Army. He is part of a 3" gun crew. For those unfamiliar with such things a 3" gun is a type of high-powered gun designed to shoot down aircraft. The duty is a mix of boredom, routine and frenzied action when the Germans are attacking. There are three air raid sequences and they are excellent. Mr. Innes descriptions of what it is like to experience an air raid, in the open, while simultaneously serving on an anti-aircraft,gun instead of being down in a bomb shelter, are superb. I actually found myself breathing faster (a classic sign of adrenalin being dumped into the body) and at one point my palms got sweaty. It was that good and keep in mind "Attack Alarm" was written seventy-three years ago! Now that's impressive writing.
In between the air raids Gunner Hanson stumbles onto a Fifth Column plot to cripple the fighter bases scattered across the south of England. At the time that Mr. Innes was writing this novel there was a very real fear of the Fifth Column (traitors and German spies working together inside of England). Many believed in 1940 that if it hadn't been for the Fifth Column France wouldn't have fallen to Germany and there is no denying that Vidkun Quisling (an infamous Norwegian traitor) played a role in assisting the Germans during the invasion of Norway. It's now known that the Fifth Column wasn't as prevalent as was believed at the time, but that doesn't matter. What does matter is in 1940 Mr. Innes believed it and he knew that his readers believed it. As a result the story doesn't come across as being contrived or a piece of propaganda. Actually ,considering when the book was written, there is very little flag waving. The stronger feeling is one of getting the job done and trying to stay alive. I suspect that there is little flag waving due to the fact that Mr. Innes was writing from the trenches and not the comfort of his study.
Another reviewer here on Goodreads has described reading a Hammon Inne's novel to be like that of watching a superior black and white adventure movie and I for one think that is an excellent comparison. If I might add to that description I also believe that this is a book that could have easily been made into a suspense movie by Alfred Hitchcock. I was surprised by how much I liked this novel and I strongly recommend it.
I found my copy in my favorite used bookstore. My edition was published by Fontana Books in 1972 and appears that "Attack Alarm" was never published in the United States. If you live in the U.S.A. you might have to do some work looking for it, but it will be worth the search. Those Goodread members living in the U.K., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland will probably have an easier time of it.
January 9, 2020
Jejune. That's the word that best describes this novel by the then 28 year-old Hammond Innes. It's a bit of a chore to read, especially the first third. The German plot to conduct a disabling attack on Britain during the early years of the war, frankly, is downright goofy. And the dialog is stiff and awkward, many of the characters boring caricatures. Even compared with Innes' other two early books penned in 1940, The Trojan Horse and Wreckers Must Breathe, the plot is outlandish. Worse, the setting is half-baked and undeveloped. The atmosphere that in those other two books at least gave a sense place and firmness simply doesn't exist in Attack Alarm.
What happened during Innes' experience in World War II, I don't know. But he emerged a different writer. The shallowness of these early works dissipates, and strongly plotted, well paced adventure stories, with strong characters replace them. Simply put, they're more adult. But that was five years in the future. Between 1941 and 1946, whatever happened to Innes served to age him in more ways than one. He became a much better writer.
I have now read all but the last two and first four of his novels. In doing so, I can see the repeated connections that are there between many, if not all, of them. Even Attack Alarm can in some ways provide a preview of Air Bridge, the first novel of Innes' that I read a few months ago and which would be published a decade after Attack Alarm. Somehow, I feared this book would disappoint. And it did. But it still makes for interesting insight into how the author developed over the years and the preoccupations that would stay with him during his entire life.
A couple of good passages worth noting. Innes does an excellent job depicting the feeling fear his protagonist, Barry Hanson, must overcome. He also serves up some very human and humane observations about death during struggle and war.
What happened during Innes' experience in World War II, I don't know. But he emerged a different writer. The shallowness of these early works dissipates, and strongly plotted, well paced adventure stories, with strong characters replace them. Simply put, they're more adult. But that was five years in the future. Between 1941 and 1946, whatever happened to Innes served to age him in more ways than one. He became a much better writer.
I have now read all but the last two and first four of his novels. In doing so, I can see the repeated connections that are there between many, if not all, of them. Even Attack Alarm can in some ways provide a preview of Air Bridge, the first novel of Innes' that I read a few months ago and which would be published a decade after Attack Alarm. Somehow, I feared this book would disappoint. And it did. But it still makes for interesting insight into how the author developed over the years and the preoccupations that would stay with him during his entire life.
A couple of good passages worth noting. Innes does an excellent job depicting the feeling fear his protagonist, Barry Hanson, must overcome. He also serves up some very human and humane observations about death during struggle and war.
September 22, 2023
My goodness this man could write. Not “literature” but a cracking tale of one man’s suspicion of German plans to take over the fighter airfields of South East England during the Battle of Britain. I read this in a single day as I couldn’t put it down. Published while the author was a young gunner stationed at Kenley, a Battle of Britain ‘drome, in 1941 the description of the everyday life of a group of young soldiers tasked with defending the airfield against air attack rings true enough to be regarded as a serious historical document. The boredom, fatigue and understandable terror of being trapped within a barbed wire compound (like POWs but less safe!) is palpable whilst a determined Luftwaffe attempt daily to kill them.
Young Barry Hanson was a journalist before the war and had spent some time in Berlin. His brief conversation with a downed German pilot causes him to worry that a massive raid on the airfield, aided by fifth columnists within the RAF, Is imminent. Obviously, no one takes a lowly gunner seriously and his colleagues become suspicious of Hanson due to their own anxiety, Hanson’s facility with the German language and generally increasing paranoia. Terrified, uncertain and at the mercy of unknown forces who are actively trying to discredit or kill him as well as the intransigence of RAF hierarchy, Hanson has to go it practically alone - albeit with the reassuring help of a friendly WAAF and a former school friend who has become a Hurricane pilot.
Young Barry Hanson was a journalist before the war and had spent some time in Berlin. His brief conversation with a downed German pilot causes him to worry that a massive raid on the airfield, aided by fifth columnists within the RAF, Is imminent. Obviously, no one takes a lowly gunner seriously and his colleagues become suspicious of Hanson due to their own anxiety, Hanson’s facility with the German language and generally increasing paranoia. Terrified, uncertain and at the mercy of unknown forces who are actively trying to discredit or kill him as well as the intransigence of RAF hierarchy, Hanson has to go it practically alone - albeit with the reassuring help of a friendly WAAF and a former school friend who has become a Hurricane pilot.
October 23, 2015
Written by a conscript gunner on an airfield gunsite ... about a conscript gunner on an airfield gunsite, this book betrays the author's then lack of experience by occasionally clunky writing and two-dimensional characterisation and dialogue. I can't objectively give it more than three stars. But - and it's a big but - the energy and pace of the narrative suck you along and draw you into the tension of Autumn 1940, when any daybreak could have seen grey-clad paratroops dropping from the sky.
It also, perhaps unintentionally, brings out an inevitable anomaly of mass conscription: professional officers and NCOs find that some of the troops under their command are brighter and better-educated than they are. Some cope better than others.
For me personally it is, although fictional, an useful validation of 'Armageddon Fed Up With This.' The tedium, discomfort and minutiae of gunsite life punctuated by the occasional mad 'Stand to' are familiar from my own researches and wholly believable - this is the voice of someone who is living there.
Hammond Innes went on to join Hugh Cudlipp's astonishingly talented team publishing the forces' newspaper 'Union Jack' from a succession of improvised 'offices' in North Africa and Italy, and of course developed into a prolific and successful post-war novelist.
It also, perhaps unintentionally, brings out an inevitable anomaly of mass conscription: professional officers and NCOs find that some of the troops under their command are brighter and better-educated than they are. Some cope better than others.
For me personally it is, although fictional, an useful validation of 'Armageddon Fed Up With This.' The tedium, discomfort and minutiae of gunsite life punctuated by the occasional mad 'Stand to' are familiar from my own researches and wholly believable - this is the voice of someone who is living there.
Hammond Innes went on to join Hugh Cudlipp's astonishingly talented team publishing the forces' newspaper 'Union Jack' from a succession of improvised 'offices' in North Africa and Italy, and of course developed into a prolific and successful post-war novelist.
June 4, 2023
Pretty good. I like Innes' writing style. And I like the setting, an airfield based on his place of wartime service, RAF Kenley, a place where I have spent a lot of time walking and soaking in the atmosphere. The tensions set up of who were the fifth columnists on the staff petered a little. It was obvious chap all along. The romance peters out a little too. Some characters are introduced and you wonder why - the ace pilot, the journalist friend. But style and good atmosphere land it reasonably.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 14, 2024
این کتاب باید نایاب باشد. از آن جیبی هایِ نابی که بعد از ظهری را رنگ و جَلا میدهد. نسخه ای که من دارم در زمینه زردِ آسمان سربازانِ سفید پوش به توپ و زمینِ سیاه آویخته اند که پرنده غولپیکری را هدف بگیرند، همان چیزی که در جبهه هایی که این داستان در آن میگذشته رخ داده است. در گیر و دارِ جدال با نازی ها راویِ اول شخص به خوبی فضایِ پایگاهِ هواییِ انگلیسی ها را بازنمایی میکند. روایتی ساده و سرراست به همراهِ پایان-بندی ای همراه با تعلیق و احساسِ تنش. انتخابی خوب برای یک-نفس-خوانی البته اگر کتاب گیرتان بیاید، چنان که گفتم متاعِ گزیده ای است که نایاب است.
December 22, 2019
A good companion to spend a lonely night with.
April 21, 2020
This is the first novel I’ve read by Hammond Innes and I really enjoyed it. The action sequences were gripping and really well written
December 3, 2020
Another pretty good Hammond Innes adventure. It was written in 1941, which made it more interesting to read Innes' descriptions of England at war.
November 1, 2024
Awesome ww2 action adventure, cat-and-mouse game between an English airdrome gunner and a german spy. The ending is a bit disappointing though.
March 15, 2025
This is clunky in places but an absolutely ripping wartime yarn, with exceptional set pieces with waves of German troopcarriers trying to land and our heroes, both in the ground and in the air, seeing them off. The author was writing from experience too, so very visceral!
October 17, 2015
Just finished this book and really enjoyed it. I've been a Hammond Innes fan since I was a teen, Atlantic Fury being one of the first two or three books I'd read that were not a school assignment. That was back in the 1970's and today the magic that Innes weaves still captures me completely. Yes, this was one of his earlier works and when compared to his later works had some rough edges but on whole the book was very good. Similar to a comment I made regarding one of his other books, reading a Hammond Innes book is like watching a very, very, very good black and white movie. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys character driven fiction, historical fiction, WWII fiction. A delight to read.
November 16, 2013
Found an ePub version in the Kobo bookstore.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews