Beyond the Call, Jeremy Dronfield
Beyond the Call, Jeremy Dronfield
2 Rating(s)
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Beyond the Call
The True Story of One World War II Pilot's Covert Mission to Rescue POWs on the Eastern Front

Author: Jeremy Dronfield, Lee Trimble

Narrator: Donald Corren

Unabridged: 11 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 02/03/2015


Synopsis

Near the end of World War II, thousands of Allied ex-POWs were abandoned to wander the war-torn Eastern Front. With no food, shelter, or supplies, they were an army of dying men. The Red Army had pushed the Nazis out of Russia. As they advanced across Poland, the prison camps of the Third Reich were discovered and liberated. In defiance of humanity, the freed Allied prisoners were discarded without aid. The Soviets viewed POWs as cowards, and regarded all refugees as potential spies or partisans. The United States repeatedly offered to help recover their POWs, but were refused. With relations between the allies strained, a plan was conceived for an undercover rescue mission. In total secrecy, the OSS chose an obscure American air force detachment stationed at a Ukrainian airfield; it would provide the base and the cover for the operation. The man they picked to undertake it was veteran 8th Air Force bomber pilot Captain Robert Trimble. With little covert training, already scarred by the trials of combat, Trimble took the mission. He would survive by wit, courage, and a determination to do some good in a terrible war. Alone he faced up to the terrifying Soviet secret police, saving hundreds of lives. At the same time he battled to come to terms with the trauma of war and find his own way home to his wife and child. One ordinary man. One extraordinary mission. A thousand lives at stake. This is the compelling, inspiring true story of an American hero who laid his life on the line to bring his fellow men home to safety and freedom.

About Jeremy Dronfield

Jeremy Dronfield was born in Wales. After completing a doctorate in archaeology at Cambridge, he began writing fiction. His first novel, The Locust Farm, was shortlisted for the John Creasey Memorial Award for debut crime fiction. His subsequent novels include the critically acclaimed The Alchemist's Apprentice. He also has a parallel career as a ghostwriter and nonfiction author.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Chris on May 08, 2015

Mindboggling. The story of Capt. Trimble is amazing. He certainly deserved more recognition than he received. I'm glad he decided to tell his story. The book was well written and a real page turner. Of the books I've read in the last few years, this definitely ranks up at the top.......more

Goodreads review by Joel on July 21, 2017

While the premise and writing are good overall, being someone who has studied WWII in many aspects over the years, I wanted to believe the story, but I could not bring myself to do so. In fact, there's several reasons that I just couldn't buy the whole thing: 1. It was allegedly this one man against......more

Goodreads review by Ash on April 12, 2023

When you are going some place in an airplane, you know that feeling you get in the pit of your stomach? That little knot as the plane is taxing down the runway? That is exactly what this book is like to read. It starts off with you getting you to the airport and waiting in your terminal. Next you ar......more

Goodreads review by Mike on July 19, 2017

Reads like fiction. Great story, great writing, one of the best books I've experienced. True story of an American hero. No spoilers, just read or better yet listen to it, if you like history, war, non-fiction, or even fiction.......more