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I lost two aunts in this raid. Thereafter, my father refused to speak with any German – Martin Frost

On 10-11 May 1941, Londoners thought the Nazi bombs would never stop falling as the London Blitz reached its furious zenith. These are the true stories from the survivors of one of the longest nights in the Second World War

‘An excellent book . . . Mortimer has interviewed scores of survivors for this gripping tale’ Scotland on Sunday

On the afternoon of Saturday 10 May 1941, crowds gather at Wembley to watch Arsenal play Preston in the Cup Final. Australian journalist John Hughes starts his shift at Reuters in Fleet Street; 20-year-old Reenie Carter reports for duty at her fire station in Westminster Abbey; RAF pilot Guy Gibson relaxes in the sun before his night patrol; Vera Lynn drives in for an evening concert. Meanwhile, thousands of German airmen are preparing for a massive night raid.

Gavin Mortimer has interviewed many survivors of this night to reveal the reality of the London Blitz. In a matter of hours, 1,486 Londoners were killed, 11,000 houses were destroyed, and millions of lives were changed for ever.

Reviews:

Mortimer deserves full credit for assembling a mountain of material and presenting it with lucidity and balance (Philip Ziegler Daily Mail)

An excellent book . . . Gavin Mortimer has interviewed scores of survivors for his gripping narrative (Andrew Roberts Scotland on Sunday)

The careful scene-setting painlessly imparts forgotten information about the facets of wartime life . . . Gavin Mortimer’s book is a timely reminder that there are still many living survivors who remember and were scarred by the terrifying experience (Literary Review)

Mortimer has achieved a complex task with great aplomb. The story of the Second World War always needs new ways of being told . . . daring and effective (Simon Garfield Mail on Sunday)

This is first and foremost the story of the ordinary people and how their spirits proved more impressive than the famous places and statistics (The Armourer)

The whole day is recounted with heart-stopping pace (Scottish Legion News)

Gavin Mortimer was born in London. As a freelance journalist he has contributed articles to a diverse range of magazines and newspapers, including the Observer, the Guardian, History Monthly and Esquire. The Longest Night is his fourth book and the second to be published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson.