Beneath the Raging Sky Heroes, Aces and Justice

Set initially during the early days of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz, Jonny Munro an ace Spitfire pilot and the hero in this novel is faced with harsh dilemmas in the air and on the ground. He unexpectedly finds himself working alongside hardened ex-Commando trained men and women within Churchill's secret army, the Special Operations Executive (SOE). His skill as a pilot is needed for a special mission to capture a Luftwaffe pilot in France and bring him back to London, accused of murder. The German had survived after his Messerschmitt 110 was shot down over Sussex. He managed to fool the ground crew at a nearby airfield, killing one of them before stealing a Hurricane and rejoining his Geschwader in Normandy. At the time of the incident, the pilot who had been educated in England and spoke perfect English, was masquerading as a journalist. Being out of uniform, he was not protected by the Geneva Convention. Churchill, seeing an opportunity to bolster British morale insisted the man be brought back for a show trial at the Old Bailey and, if found guilty, face execution on the gallows. As the story unfolds and, as a result of links discovered between the Luftwaffe Pilot, the German Military Intelligence (Abwehr) and the Irish Republic, Jonny Munro along with other agents are tasked with seeking out those involved. Churchill, along with senior members of the War Office wanted to eliminate any threats, should Germany decide to use Ireland as a launching ground for an invasion from the West. SOE insisted on sending Jonny and his agent friends to infiltrate the IRA who, with their 'Plan Kathleen', saw an opportunity to use German military might in their ambitions to unite the north and the south.