Philip Lamb

This book tells of the history of our greatest trees, the Great Oak. Who are they, you may well ask? It also outlines the known fruit of the tree; the ACORN and the OAK APPLE and how these are produced.

It has been a fascination of mine for many years to try and understand their very beginning and the fruit that they produce in any one year, and how they survive in extreme weather conditions.

The acorn tree may well have started life way back in time and probably when dinosaurs roamed the planet, now known as Earth.

As to more recent history we do know that Oak Trees were in abundance in Medieval times when great tree forests covered much of the land. The people living around these times and beyond found that by cutting the tree down they could use the timber for making boats, constructing buildings, for tools and for creating many things in times of need.

In the forests that covered the planet there were many other species of tree but the greatest of them all was the Great Oak Tree.

Picture yourself if you can, in the middle of one of these great forests, imagine if you can what the life of the oak would be like? And if you can, how these trees survive and regenerate themselves.

Over the centuries and throughout history the Oak Tree has been linked with many a great person in history. Namely, the folklore of Robin Hood and his merry men, Henry VIII – who had many a great ship built, ‘Mary Rose’ being possibly the best known, Sir Frances Drake – great seaman/sailor of his time during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, King Charles II [who hid in an Oak tree]; Admiral Horatio Nelson – Battle of Trafalgar HMS Victory and many, many more, right up to today.

Following on from the publication of my book World War II North Africa & Italy 1940 to 1945 ‘One Man’s Story’ is a biography about my father’s RAF Service during WWII, and as my research developed I quickly established that the squadron (73) he was attached to were present in the Tunisian Campaign during November 1942 to May 1943, which saw the FINAL Battles of the North Africa Campaign being fought to remove the Axis Forces of Germany and Italy out of North Africa, and it is fitting that the exploits and courage of the Allied Forces are brought together to give full credit for their incredible achievements during the battles and those still to be fought.

During the research work carried out in preparing the groundwork for the writing of this book, I came across many books by eminent historians and authors, who in their own way took the necessary time to compile and pull together their research material which outlines the Allied Forces specific achievements during late 1942 to mid-1943. Each one, are great books and make compelling reading and sets down the courage and bravery of the combined Allied Forces to remove the Axis Force aggressors [Germany and Italy] throughout the region of North Africa and in particular the Western Desert including Tunisia.

This book endeavors to pull together the documents and records, which detail the events of the forthcoming Operations and Battles to which the Allied Command had committed their military might to and sets out to lay bare the Operations and the Battles yet to be fought in the Western Desert during 1942 and 1943.

The following extract is taken from my book World War II North Africa & Italy 1940 – 1945 ‘One Man’s Story’, which was published on the 24 October 2022.

During my younger years and being of the inquisitive type; I would ask my father on numerous occasions to tell me about his experiences whilst in the Royal Air Force and his postings to North Africa and Italy, during the World War II with 73 Squadron & Detachment to 39 Squadron.

On most occasions, I was told that “there wasn’t a story to tell, and anyway I don’t think it will interest you”. In other words, “I don’t want to talk about it”. (As one gets older one can understand that.) This could not be further from the truth.

To try and imagine what the men went through during the World War II is hard to comprehend or contemplate. It is only during the last 80 plus years where other conflicts have taken place, which required the British Military to embark on new battles across the world that the measure of conflict can now be established and today is known as PTSD [Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder].

The booklet of poems has been compiled using the written evidence provided from my father’s memorabilia in which the original booklet was found.

This booklet, like its original predecessor is dedicated to the men who fought for King and Country and more latterly Queen and Country and thus provide a world in which we could all live together in peace. Unfortunately for our service men and women their services are being called upon more and more due to conflicts on-going throughout the world.

To my father, his pals (as he always called them) and all service men and women, from all nationalities who joined up not knowing what to expect.

It brings home the reality of what the soldiers at the front really felt and thought. All they ever wanted was for the war to be over and be back home with their families, not fighting on foreign lands.