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The Traitors: A True Story of Blood, Betrayal and Deceit
'An epic tale of love, dishonour, bravery, cowardice, betrayal and high-treason. Beautifully written. A stunning debut' Damien LewisPlayboy. Fascist. Strongman. Thief.Traitors.John Amery is a drunk and a fanatic, an exiled playboy whose frail body is riven by contradictions. Harold Cole is a cynical, murderous conman who desperately wants to be seen as an officer and a gentleman. Eric Pleasants is an iron-willed former wrestler; he is also a pacifist, and will not be forced into fighting other men's battles. William Joyce can weave spells when he talks, but his true gifts are for rage and hate. By the end of the Second World War, they will all have betrayed their country. The Traitors is the story of how they came to do so. Drawing on declassified MI5 files, it is a book about chaotic lives in turbulent times; idealism twisted out of shape; of torn consciences and abandoned loyalties; and the tragic consequences that treachery brings in its wake.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 13, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
June 29, 2017
Subtitled, “A True Story of Blood, Betrayal and Deceit,” this is the story of four men who were traitors during WWII. Indeed, this book takes the inter-weaved stories of these four men from 1930 to 1945, during a tumultuous time of political upheaval in Europe. Of the subjects included in this book, I had previously read a biography of William Joyce (‘Lord Haw-Haw’) and a biography of the cabinet minister Leo Amery, whose son, John Amery, caused both his parents, and brother, much embarrassment when he went over to the ‘other side.’
The other two men in this book are Harold Cole and Eric Pleasants, who were both small time criminals, who ended up basically using the war for their own ends. Harold Cole was a fantasist who posed as a member of the resistance and betrayed just about everyone he could for money and his own safety (this included the woman pregnant with his own child). Eric Pleasants shared similiarities with Cole and was one of the very few British servicemen (not that he actually did any service) to be convinced to join the British Free Corps. While John Amery, who first attempted to create the ‘Legion of St George’ (the precursor to the British Free Corps) a British unit formed of POW’s, imagined a huge fighting unit which he would lead as it marched in a victory parade, the reality was a group of men who just about made it into double figures, from around the Commonwealth, who were all hoping for an easier time than the boredom of a prison camp. More interested in drinking, partying and trying to protect themselves with aliases and cover stories, these men were not even useful as a propaganda tool for the Germans.
While both Cole and Pleasants were self interested and motivated by greed, cowardice and the possible opportunities of war, Joyce and Amery were more interesting characters. Oddly, all the men seemed to share some experiences, such as the adoration of uncritical mothers. However, both Joyce and Amery also shared an early interest in fascism. Joyce was involved with the British Union of Fascists (BUF) run by Oswald Mosley. Tipped off about being arrested before the war – some say by MI5 spymaster, Maxwell Knight (there is much about this in the biography of him by Henry Hemming) – Joyce and his wife, Margaret, decided to flee to Germany. There, Joyce became the voice of the notorious Lord Haw-Haw, broadcasting propaganda across the airwaves. The amoral John Amery spent all of his life, from childhood, in endless trouble and later fell under the spell of French fascist, Jacques Doriot. Having left his father with mounting debts and embarrassment, this became much worth as he followed Joyce to Berlin.
In fact, it is interesting to read that Joyce’s nose was put a little out of joint by the appearance of John Amery; the two men sharing a mutual dislike of each other. Amery’s broadcasts were less impressive than Joyce and he was relegated to giving talks to crowds who were interested in him as the son of his father, rather than for any oratory qualities he may have possessed. Leo Amery had offered his resignation to Churchill, but, to his credit, the Prime Minister refused to accept it, and public sympathy seemed to be with John Amery’s father. When arrested, Amery seemed to hold out hope that his father would help him out of yet another disaster, and was told bluntly by the man escorting him back to Britain that he should leave his father out of it, as he had ‘suffered enough.’
I found this a well written account of treachery in wartime. All of the men concerned seemed to try to excuse their behaviour, but even many of the Germans looked askance at their position. The word ‘traitor’ was rejected by most of these men – only Joyce actually accepted that he had been a traitor and, oddly, he was the one man who could have had a valid legal excuse for his actions, not truly being a British citizen. However, all of the men were certainly viewed as traitors, despite their dislike for the word and what it represented. Also, even though Joyce and Amery believed in the political system they were supporting, they ended up like Cole and Pleasants, missing the country they were betraying. Like later traitors, Guy Burgess and Kim Philby, they found life in exile less to their taste than they had hoped. This follows them as they have to face the consequences of their actions and choices. A good read and an excellent debut. I will certainly be interested to read more by Josh Ireland.
The other two men in this book are Harold Cole and Eric Pleasants, who were both small time criminals, who ended up basically using the war for their own ends. Harold Cole was a fantasist who posed as a member of the resistance and betrayed just about everyone he could for money and his own safety (this included the woman pregnant with his own child). Eric Pleasants shared similiarities with Cole and was one of the very few British servicemen (not that he actually did any service) to be convinced to join the British Free Corps. While John Amery, who first attempted to create the ‘Legion of St George’ (the precursor to the British Free Corps) a British unit formed of POW’s, imagined a huge fighting unit which he would lead as it marched in a victory parade, the reality was a group of men who just about made it into double figures, from around the Commonwealth, who were all hoping for an easier time than the boredom of a prison camp. More interested in drinking, partying and trying to protect themselves with aliases and cover stories, these men were not even useful as a propaganda tool for the Germans.
While both Cole and Pleasants were self interested and motivated by greed, cowardice and the possible opportunities of war, Joyce and Amery were more interesting characters. Oddly, all the men seemed to share some experiences, such as the adoration of uncritical mothers. However, both Joyce and Amery also shared an early interest in fascism. Joyce was involved with the British Union of Fascists (BUF) run by Oswald Mosley. Tipped off about being arrested before the war – some say by MI5 spymaster, Maxwell Knight (there is much about this in the biography of him by Henry Hemming) – Joyce and his wife, Margaret, decided to flee to Germany. There, Joyce became the voice of the notorious Lord Haw-Haw, broadcasting propaganda across the airwaves. The amoral John Amery spent all of his life, from childhood, in endless trouble and later fell under the spell of French fascist, Jacques Doriot. Having left his father with mounting debts and embarrassment, this became much worth as he followed Joyce to Berlin.
In fact, it is interesting to read that Joyce’s nose was put a little out of joint by the appearance of John Amery; the two men sharing a mutual dislike of each other. Amery’s broadcasts were less impressive than Joyce and he was relegated to giving talks to crowds who were interested in him as the son of his father, rather than for any oratory qualities he may have possessed. Leo Amery had offered his resignation to Churchill, but, to his credit, the Prime Minister refused to accept it, and public sympathy seemed to be with John Amery’s father. When arrested, Amery seemed to hold out hope that his father would help him out of yet another disaster, and was told bluntly by the man escorting him back to Britain that he should leave his father out of it, as he had ‘suffered enough.’
I found this a well written account of treachery in wartime. All of the men concerned seemed to try to excuse their behaviour, but even many of the Germans looked askance at their position. The word ‘traitor’ was rejected by most of these men – only Joyce actually accepted that he had been a traitor and, oddly, he was the one man who could have had a valid legal excuse for his actions, not truly being a British citizen. However, all of the men were certainly viewed as traitors, despite their dislike for the word and what it represented. Also, even though Joyce and Amery believed in the political system they were supporting, they ended up like Cole and Pleasants, missing the country they were betraying. Like later traitors, Guy Burgess and Kim Philby, they found life in exile less to their taste than they had hoped. This follows them as they have to face the consequences of their actions and choices. A good read and an excellent debut. I will certainly be interested to read more by Josh Ireland.
May 31, 2017
A buoyant style of writing adds panache to this quartet of mini biographies of four men who turned against Britain during WW2. William Joyce (Lord Haw-Haw) is probably the only one generally known, though some of the others intersect with him via the British Union of Fascists. The most heinous is perhaps Harold Cole, a man who betrayed Resistance groups from the inside out of cowardice and self-interest.
There doesn't seem to be any original research here as the bibliography consists of secondary sources (published books) only: all the same, Ireland's sharp writing ('hatred remained his supreme gift') makes this a compelling read.
Review copy via Amazon Vine
There doesn't seem to be any original research here as the bibliography consists of secondary sources (published books) only: all the same, Ireland's sharp writing ('hatred remained his supreme gift') makes this a compelling read.
Review copy via Amazon Vine
August 7, 2025
Follows 4 Brits (or pretend British) through World War 2. These Brits decided to join the other side or sit it out. The challenge here is to make one book out of 4 story lines that almost never intersect. Each of these four are interesting in their own way — war makes strange bedfellows. At times this book was hard to follow (what with all the jumping around) and at other times gripping. I never knew about any of these four, nor the British Free Corps that a couple of them joined. Traitors!
Hard to rate the book. A good overview, and a ripping good yarn, but why make the reader flip to the back for photo captions? Rounding down for that bit of user-unfriendliness.
Hard to rate the book. A good overview, and a ripping good yarn, but why make the reader flip to the back for photo captions? Rounding down for that bit of user-unfriendliness.
August 7, 2025
This isn't a bad book and Josh Ireland is not a bad writer but it isn't a necessary book and Mr. Ireland doesn't bring anything to the story of the two well known traitors William Joyce and John Amery that hasn't been covered better in numerous biographies. Even the concept of treason in connection with British WWII traitors was dealt with by Rebecca West back in 1947. Of the two other traitors, Harold Cole has received a comprehensive biography, 'Turncoat: The Strange Case of Traitor Sergeant Harold Cole' by Brendan Murphy, only Eric Pleasants is without one, he doesn't even have Wikipedia entry, so the bringing together of the scattered information on his life may be useful.
But the book fails to provide a real unified theme to these various disparate characters story. They all had not existent to tiny overlap in their careers as traitors. Aside from being charged and tried as traitors (and whether Joyce should have been is open to question while Pleasant was tried in abstentia). That isn't really enough to make for a joint 'biography'.
Interesting tales told well but lacking real purpose.
But the book fails to provide a real unified theme to these various disparate characters story. They all had not existent to tiny overlap in their careers as traitors. Aside from being charged and tried as traitors (and whether Joyce should have been is open to question while Pleasant was tried in abstentia). That isn't really enough to make for a joint 'biography'.
Interesting tales told well but lacking real purpose.
August 12, 2017
A fresh way of approaching four interesting subjects. Ireland turns the magnifying glass on the behaviour of four traitors of the Second World War. Well researched, the author opts for the present tense. That gives the stories an immediacy but at the expense of a sense of historical objectivity. Eloquently told, it is flawed by 'over-writing' in parts (e.g. 'William is prematurely draped in memories of Albion'). Ireland adds colour to the real-life stories by imagining the emotions and reactions of the featured four. That is annoying for the historian but others will find it adds to their engagement with the treacherous characters. A bright look at betrayal with a wealth of interesting facts and insights into a tragic yet despicable quartet.
June 17, 2018
During the Second World War a number of British subjects betrayed their country by working for the Germans (a number of others do the same for Russia). In Traitors, Josh Ireland provides mini-biographies of four men who worked for the Nazis, providing a nuanced account of their actions, reasoning and fate.
William Joyce, a fascist in Britain before the war, broadcasts as Lord Haw-Haw. John Amery is the wayward son of one of Churchill’s cabinet members, who sets up a scheme to try and recruit prisoners of war to fight on the German side against the Russians. Harold Cole is a conman and thief who finds himself left behind in France after Dunkirk and sets up escape lines only to betray all its members to the Gestapo, who he subsequently serves. Eric Pleasants starts the war as a pacifist, who is captured in Jersey and spends time as a prisoner of war before he’s recruited to join a British unit of the SS. Joyce and Amery are ideologues who maintain that they are patriots who wish to see Britain join Germany to fight the Bolsheviks. Cole is an opportunist petty criminal who’ll do anything to save his own skin. Pleasants does not believe in nationalism and principally looks after himself. While they each can self-justify their actions, the British authorities, press and public take a different view, and all of them pay a heavy price for their actions.
Ireland’s account is well researched, yet he doesn’t get bogged down in minutia, keeping the tale moving. Unusually for a historical account, Ireland tells the four men’s stories in the present tense. Along with an engaging voice, this works to give the material some immediacy and verve. It would have been nice to reflect a bit more in the conclusion about the nature of treachery in concept versus the messy lived reality, but overall an interesting, thought-provoking read.
William Joyce, a fascist in Britain before the war, broadcasts as Lord Haw-Haw. John Amery is the wayward son of one of Churchill’s cabinet members, who sets up a scheme to try and recruit prisoners of war to fight on the German side against the Russians. Harold Cole is a conman and thief who finds himself left behind in France after Dunkirk and sets up escape lines only to betray all its members to the Gestapo, who he subsequently serves. Eric Pleasants starts the war as a pacifist, who is captured in Jersey and spends time as a prisoner of war before he’s recruited to join a British unit of the SS. Joyce and Amery are ideologues who maintain that they are patriots who wish to see Britain join Germany to fight the Bolsheviks. Cole is an opportunist petty criminal who’ll do anything to save his own skin. Pleasants does not believe in nationalism and principally looks after himself. While they each can self-justify their actions, the British authorities, press and public take a different view, and all of them pay a heavy price for their actions.
Ireland’s account is well researched, yet he doesn’t get bogged down in minutia, keeping the tale moving. Unusually for a historical account, Ireland tells the four men’s stories in the present tense. Along with an engaging voice, this works to give the material some immediacy and verve. It would have been nice to reflect a bit more in the conclusion about the nature of treachery in concept versus the messy lived reality, but overall an interesting, thought-provoking read.
June 10, 2018
Excellent account of four notorious traitors who betrayed Britain during the second world war.
I really enjoyed this book. I'd heard of William Joyce, (Lord Haw-Haw), and John Amery the son of a cabinet minister before but didn't really know anything of great detail about them.
These are character studies that try to get to the bottom of their reasons for betrayal.
Anyone with an interest in Military History would enjoy this book. And from my point of view it was nice to read something that wasn't about various campaigns or battles.
A very good book.
I really enjoyed this book. I'd heard of William Joyce, (Lord Haw-Haw), and John Amery the son of a cabinet minister before but didn't really know anything of great detail about them.
These are character studies that try to get to the bottom of their reasons for betrayal.
Anyone with an interest in Military History would enjoy this book. And from my point of view it was nice to read something that wasn't about various campaigns or battles.
A very good book.
September 7, 2017
Inglorious b**s
I listened to it on Audible (well narrated BTW)
The only review before mine was entitled "These boys were not traitors" claimed that Hitler only wanted peace, WWII was deliberately provoked by the Allies (not yet including USA), British Fascists really just wanted peace, recommended reading William Joyce's book "Twilight over England" to get a true picture (as you'd read Mein Kampf to understand the Shoah was a
thing, not: Heaven forfend!!)
Reviewer - identified as "Amazon customer" - claimed that the book provoked laughter!
I suppose I should thank the Almighty that "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" wasn't mentioned, but I cannot believe that we're back in an era where it's OK to hate, approve genocide and (USA only) march with Nazi slogans and insignia AND not be condemned by Head of State. O tempora, o mores.
Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) is still remembered by the first postwar generation (that's me) by his infamous "Gairmany calling" introduction to his black propaganda radio broadcasts. John Amery's father & brother seem to have left memories which no longer include the shabby career of their treacherous relative. I'd never heard of Eric Pleasants, probably the least malignant of the quartet. If I didn't recall Harold Cole's name, it could be that he's one of many despicable people who betrayed country and humanity in occupied & Vichy France.
Cole is arguably a psychopath- empathy forms no part of his makeup. He understands human nature, the better to manipulate others, with the easy lies and superficial charm of the really nasty, simulating feelings to his own evil ends. War or no, he was never going to be a useful member of society, though the fearlessness of psychopathy could have been useful in a contract killer. Perhaps he would have found a niche in Hitler's campaign of destruction, but grandiosity would have lead to his downfall even there.
John Amery was also a fantasist. Born to privilege, from childhood he was ungovernable. Difficult to blame background or genetics, since father & brother turned out OK (assuming you think Tory MPs are OK - irony!) I'd have liked to know more about his early years, from birth, his mother, as I suspect a developmental disorder.
Joyce was energised by hatred - of Ireland's independence and those involved (UK govt included), of Jews - though he knew none - and was so extreme that Moseley expelled him from the British Union of Fascists, that collection of cranks & militants who would now be described as alt-right.
By comparison the Cambridge spies seem like Boy Scouts - at least in their beginnings. The fascist menace was in your face, Stalin's excesses less well known. He became "Uncle Joe" in Allied circles! Their treachery I also deplore, but they were more human, and their revulsion regarding fascist activity in Europe and its approbation by many Establishment figures in UK seems more honest.
Traitors rarely die in their own beds, at threescore years & ten, comforted by the rites of the Church. Booze, drugs, shunning (by both sides), an unmarked grave in unconsecrated ground await - at best..
I listened to it on Audible (well narrated BTW)
The only review before mine was entitled "These boys were not traitors" claimed that Hitler only wanted peace, WWII was deliberately provoked by the Allies (not yet including USA), British Fascists really just wanted peace, recommended reading William Joyce's book "Twilight over England" to get a true picture (as you'd read Mein Kampf to understand the Shoah was a
thing, not: Heaven forfend!!)
Reviewer - identified as "Amazon customer" - claimed that the book provoked laughter!
I suppose I should thank the Almighty that "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" wasn't mentioned, but I cannot believe that we're back in an era where it's OK to hate, approve genocide and (USA only) march with Nazi slogans and insignia AND not be condemned by Head of State. O tempora, o mores.
Lord Haw Haw (William Joyce) is still remembered by the first postwar generation (that's me) by his infamous "Gairmany calling" introduction to his black propaganda radio broadcasts. John Amery's father & brother seem to have left memories which no longer include the shabby career of their treacherous relative. I'd never heard of Eric Pleasants, probably the least malignant of the quartet. If I didn't recall Harold Cole's name, it could be that he's one of many despicable people who betrayed country and humanity in occupied & Vichy France.
Cole is arguably a psychopath- empathy forms no part of his makeup. He understands human nature, the better to manipulate others, with the easy lies and superficial charm of the really nasty, simulating feelings to his own evil ends. War or no, he was never going to be a useful member of society, though the fearlessness of psychopathy could have been useful in a contract killer. Perhaps he would have found a niche in Hitler's campaign of destruction, but grandiosity would have lead to his downfall even there.
John Amery was also a fantasist. Born to privilege, from childhood he was ungovernable. Difficult to blame background or genetics, since father & brother turned out OK (assuming you think Tory MPs are OK - irony!) I'd have liked to know more about his early years, from birth, his mother, as I suspect a developmental disorder.
Joyce was energised by hatred - of Ireland's independence and those involved (UK govt included), of Jews - though he knew none - and was so extreme that Moseley expelled him from the British Union of Fascists, that collection of cranks & militants who would now be described as alt-right.
By comparison the Cambridge spies seem like Boy Scouts - at least in their beginnings. The fascist menace was in your face, Stalin's excesses less well known. He became "Uncle Joe" in Allied circles! Their treachery I also deplore, but they were more human, and their revulsion regarding fascist activity in Europe and its approbation by many Establishment figures in UK seems more honest.
Traitors rarely die in their own beds, at threescore years & ten, comforted by the rites of the Church. Booze, drugs, shunning (by both sides), an unmarked grave in unconsecrated ground await - at best..
May 9, 2018
There was something about this book that I just could not get on with. I think it was the style, rather than the content. It just seemed all rather breathless.
And towards the end there were one or two moments where I found myself wondering whether the author had meant what he said. There's a sentence of p269 that seems to imply the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were somehow similar equations, but they clearly aren't. Now, that might be my misunderstanding of the authors intentions or just a bit of unclear writing.
Then there was the implication that these men - Cole, Joyce, Pleasants and others - had been right about the Soviet Union as if that was a mitigating factor in their treachery. Again that might be me misunderstanding the authors intent. By the end the style had I think turned me against the whole enterprise.
It seems, from other reviews and the books blurb, that I'm in a minority. And perhaps it was just my inability to appreciate the style rather than the content which made me dislike this book. The odd thing is the subject is a fascinating one. How does one become a traitor and how does your country deal with you.
It's clearly not a bad book. I suspect this is purely my response to a style that I didn't like. But you read it and see what you think.
And towards the end there were one or two moments where I found myself wondering whether the author had meant what he said. There's a sentence of p269 that seems to imply the Holocaust and the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were somehow similar equations, but they clearly aren't. Now, that might be my misunderstanding of the authors intentions or just a bit of unclear writing.
Then there was the implication that these men - Cole, Joyce, Pleasants and others - had been right about the Soviet Union as if that was a mitigating factor in their treachery. Again that might be me misunderstanding the authors intent. By the end the style had I think turned me against the whole enterprise.
It seems, from other reviews and the books blurb, that I'm in a minority. And perhaps it was just my inability to appreciate the style rather than the content which made me dislike this book. The odd thing is the subject is a fascinating one. How does one become a traitor and how does your country deal with you.
It's clearly not a bad book. I suspect this is purely my response to a style that I didn't like. But you read it and see what you think.
February 12, 2019
Having just read The Meaning of Treason by Rebecca West I was keen to read a more recent account of the British subjects who betrayed their country and worked on behalf of Nazi Germany. I was not disappointed: Josh Ireland's book, which focusses on the notorious "Lord Haw Haw" (William Joyce) and three less well known traitors does the job.
The most interesting of the group was Harold Cole, who spent the war pretending to be a British agent operating in Nazi-occupied Europe, weaving his way into the confidence of the French resistance, while betraying scores of patriots to the Germans. While the two main protagonists of the book, Joyce and the infamous John Amery, son of a British cabinet minister, were hanged following trials in London, Cole was killed in a gun battle in the Paris flat where had been hiding.
One of the saddest things about these stories is the fate of the women who came into the lives of these traitors. Many of them were used (the Germans would offer up local girls to lure British prisoners to sign up to the Nazi side), many others were betrayed, and some suffered the fate of falling in love with the wrong man.
My one gripe about the book: the authors fails to mention West's pioneering work, which was based on her own experience watching the treason trials in Britain.
The most interesting of the group was Harold Cole, who spent the war pretending to be a British agent operating in Nazi-occupied Europe, weaving his way into the confidence of the French resistance, while betraying scores of patriots to the Germans. While the two main protagonists of the book, Joyce and the infamous John Amery, son of a British cabinet minister, were hanged following trials in London, Cole was killed in a gun battle in the Paris flat where had been hiding.
One of the saddest things about these stories is the fate of the women who came into the lives of these traitors. Many of them were used (the Germans would offer up local girls to lure British prisoners to sign up to the Nazi side), many others were betrayed, and some suffered the fate of falling in love with the wrong man.
My one gripe about the book: the authors fails to mention West's pioneering work, which was based on her own experience watching the treason trials in Britain.
February 26, 2022
This book highlights four British 'traitors' of World War 2, two of whom paid the ultimate price of death by hanging, one other shot dead while resisting arrest during and the other living to a ripe old age in Norfolk. Clearly there were legal issues over the two hangings about whether the charged was fit to stand for mental health reasons and the other on citizenship grounds, but nevertheless their stories make an intriguing side story to the overall drama of World War 2. In fact, it tells a personal side to a drama which was usually concerned with troops and battles and brief vignettes of personal bravery or sacrifice. As I book, I'd recommend it as one that holds your interest from start to finish, but inevitably as it switches between the four characters, it can seem a little disjointed as times.
August 15, 2018
this is a study of four British individuals who collaborated with the Nazis over the course of the second world war. unlike other books which try to cover as much ground as possible this focuses on these four, John Amery, Harold Cole, William Joyce and Eric Pleasants, and uses them as symbolic in a tale which draws on declassified MI5 files and the memoirs of Pleasants, the only one to die a natural death. This is worth reading if you have an interest, also try Renegades by Adrian Weale, which mainly covers the setting up of the Legion of St George, an SS unit made up of English POWs, also Letting the Side down by Sean Murphy, which briefly details those who collaborated willingly (in whatever way), those who were coerced, and those who had no idea (PG Wodehouse is covered in a section).
December 11, 2018
I managed 75 pages of this book before I had to stop reading it. The author states that the book draws on declassified MI5 files, diaries, letters and memoirs. It is unfortunately clear that they have been seared together with no thought for background checks on information given. There are many excellent books on communist traitors from Britain where their lives have been dissected and a real sense of who these people were and why they did what they did comes to life. I was hoping that this book would show the fascist traitors in the same way, but unfortunately it reads as a cross between a bad pulp fiction and a red top newspaper.
January 17, 2019
This book shows the flip side of world war 2,we are led to believe that we are all in this together(where have I heard that one before).like the film this happy breed by noel coward.this dark side showed people out for themselves rightly or more wrongly.people like this existed as well as union strikes, black markets happened.these persons mentioned in this book went far beyond being objectors to the war.they threw their lot in with what turned out to be the wrong side.they seemed a sad and disparate group.
December 26, 2021
Excellent book.
I think this subject is very hard to be subjective. To be labelled as a traitor and be condemned and hung, history is not really very kind to you.
This a difficult book to review.
How can you give these people a fair hearing.
Yet the author does. You can, up to a certain point understand the motivation behind there behavior.
Saying that in all of the cases, they all get there just desserts.
The author gets to give a balance and humanity to the stories told here, but in truth, not one of them deserve any sympathy.
I think this subject is very hard to be subjective. To be labelled as a traitor and be condemned and hung, history is not really very kind to you.
This a difficult book to review.
How can you give these people a fair hearing.
Yet the author does. You can, up to a certain point understand the motivation behind there behavior.
Saying that in all of the cases, they all get there just desserts.
The author gets to give a balance and humanity to the stories told here, but in truth, not one of them deserve any sympathy.
December 18, 2018
Josh Ireland’s engaging but ultimately superficial look at the lives of the notorious World War II traitors William Joyce, John Amery, Harold Cole and Eric Pleasants never quite hits its aim of showing how or why each man decided to desert Britain for Germany as the scope is too broad to really focus on each man’s main drivers but it’s nevertheless an interesting read with frightening parallels to modern times.
April 26, 2020
A look at four figures in the Second World War who committed traitorous acts against Great Britain, all of whom living in Germany under the Third Reich, with certain exceptions Occupied France.
It was relatively brief, with four stories to tell, I wanted more background and details. It was a fascinating read, Harold Cole's story was particularly interesting, I could see a film being made, if I didn't know the story, I would have thought is was made up.
It was relatively brief, with four stories to tell, I wanted more background and details. It was a fascinating read, Harold Cole's story was particularly interesting, I could see a film being made, if I didn't know the story, I would have thought is was made up.
July 8, 2018
Fresh take on an under explored aspect of WW2. Really enjoyed what turned out to be a pacy and fascinating read. Author clearly had no time for one of the subjects, the loathsome John Amery, but this does not detract from a really good read. One to re read and recommend
October 23, 2018
This book should have been great. A really interesting subject and story to tell, but instead it was ruined by a poor kindle version and really inept and poor writing by Josh Ireland. Disjointed, boring and completely uninspired. Don't waste your time with this.
February 24, 2020
An utterly fascinating tale of four men who betrayed their country and became enmeshed in the machinery of The Third Reich. Writing in the present tense gives a sense of immediacy to the narrative and the depth of research is impressive.
What is frightening is how the atmosphere leading up to the Second World War is so reminiscent of our own times with the creeping fascism that Brexshit has brought to our shores.
What is frightening is how the atmosphere leading up to the Second World War is so reminiscent of our own times with the creeping fascism that Brexshit has brought to our shores.
May 25, 2022
Horrifying
Did not like gratuitous bad language. It is terrible story of treachery, and whilst an astonishing feat of writing, I am not sure what it achieves. It is not comfortable writing.I
Did not like gratuitous bad language. It is terrible story of treachery, and whilst an astonishing feat of writing, I am not sure what it achieves. It is not comfortable writing.I
August 15, 2023
I Think i am spoiled by an impeccable non-fiction story teller, Erik Larson, because I couldn’t warm up to this book. There was very little focus on tracery and a huge focus on personal lives. It was more like reading a gossip magazine… which made me disengaged and often question the title …
April 20, 2019
A brilliant collection of 4 short ill-spent lives. All are seriously bad people - but the story of war time politician Leo Amery's treacherous son is particularly affecting.
September 2, 2019
Had to give up, the writing was really boring on a otherwise interesting subject
July 20, 2023
an interesting and quick read but I wasn't a fan of the way the author would change to the present tense and write as if he was the subject.
December 29, 2020
Some traitors are born traitors.
William Joyce was an Irish supporter of the 'Black n Tan's' And the Ulster defence force, Before moving to England to join the ranks of Oswald Mosely and his Black Shirts, But as war broke out in 1939 "I'm finished with people who think, Henceforth I will go to people who feel"
True to form it was off to Germany, Seemingly his own country men were never good enough for him.
Revenge involved taking up the role of the original shock jock 'Lord Haw-Haw' With his daily broadcasts of Britain's immanent demise.
6 out of every 10 British households tuned into his predictions, Of London zoo animal meat soon being the only means of survival for it's population.
Listeners gave his voice a supernatural clock stopping quality, But in reality Joyce was just a bitter anti-Semite. Convincing himself Britain deserved his onslaught of fake news, For never being able to see his perceived inherent genius, His pride in his broadcast always tinged with a false victimhood, While voluntary being part of a cruel German war effort, That killed his own farther in a bombing raid.
Joyce had competition as Britain's biggest radio waves traitor, The son of a member of Churchill's war cabinet turns up, The new P.R. coup of German propaganda radio.
Some traitors are traitors by circumstance, And the new star is a drunken spoilt playboy, Just happy with the trinket's of his Nazis holders.
Interwoven story of History's deviously compelling character's, Could easily be mistaken for espionage fiction.
William Joyce was an Irish supporter of the 'Black n Tan's' And the Ulster defence force, Before moving to England to join the ranks of Oswald Mosely and his Black Shirts, But as war broke out in 1939 "I'm finished with people who think, Henceforth I will go to people who feel"
True to form it was off to Germany, Seemingly his own country men were never good enough for him.
Revenge involved taking up the role of the original shock jock 'Lord Haw-Haw' With his daily broadcasts of Britain's immanent demise.
6 out of every 10 British households tuned into his predictions, Of London zoo animal meat soon being the only means of survival for it's population.
Listeners gave his voice a supernatural clock stopping quality, But in reality Joyce was just a bitter anti-Semite. Convincing himself Britain deserved his onslaught of fake news, For never being able to see his perceived inherent genius, His pride in his broadcast always tinged with a false victimhood, While voluntary being part of a cruel German war effort, That killed his own farther in a bombing raid.
Joyce had competition as Britain's biggest radio waves traitor, The son of a member of Churchill's war cabinet turns up, The new P.R. coup of German propaganda radio.
Some traitors are traitors by circumstance, And the new star is a drunken spoilt playboy, Just happy with the trinket's of his Nazis holders.
Interwoven story of History's deviously compelling character's, Could easily be mistaken for espionage fiction.
August 16, 2019
This is an account of four very different British characters who sided with the Nazis with varying degrees of conviction during the war - a Blackshirt; the son of a Cabinet Minister and a deserter/thief. It's not overly long and is enjoyably on a par with Plutarch's Parallel Lives - the characters are just as juicy and nefarious.
Admittedly it took some time to get used to the author's literary writing style of third-person perspective (not my usual experience of non-fiction history). However, I warmed to it as it fitted the personal four-lives narrative well which felt like a good concept as it doesn't over clutter the narrative with too many characters.
Some previous reviews have accused the author of over-reliant on secondary sources and previous published accounts but Josh Ireland also uses enough material from archives to not be a complete cop-out for originality. And it's very good for a first-time author. To those familiar with the ins and outs of WWII this may well turn out to be a fascinating account of those really on the wrong side of history. Recommended.
Admittedly it took some time to get used to the author's literary writing style of third-person perspective (not my usual experience of non-fiction history). However, I warmed to it as it fitted the personal four-lives narrative well which felt like a good concept as it doesn't over clutter the narrative with too many characters.
Some previous reviews have accused the author of over-reliant on secondary sources and previous published accounts but Josh Ireland also uses enough material from archives to not be a complete cop-out for originality. And it's very good for a first-time author. To those familiar with the ins and outs of WWII this may well turn out to be a fascinating account of those really on the wrong side of history. Recommended.
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