An Interview with James Stevenson about Fly the Storm
How much research did you have to carry out about the French Resistance?
The whole subject of local resistance in enemy occupied countries has intrigued me ever since I met a young Danish resistance worker in 1953 who was involved in undercover sabotage operations in Copenhagen during the Second World War. I have also read many biographies of men and women engaged in wartime undercover work, and Dadan, who I have also met, was a real French Resistance operative.
Would you say that Fly The Storm is an anti-war novel?
No. War is sometimes seen as futile but desperate times call for desperate actions. Unfortunately many of those who survive are mentally scared by the traumas they suffered and are usually reluctant to recall their experiences. Shell-shock. Post Traumatic Stress, call it what you like.
Is the character of Blanche Longhurst/Lucette Moreaux based upon anyone in particular or is she a complete invention?
One of my father’s female cousins, Margie Fairweather, and her husband Douglas, were both killed in 1944 while piloting aircraft for the Air Transport Auxiliary. Although I never met Margie, I kept her in mind while creating Blanche Longhurst, my principal character. I don’t know of anyone who landed in France by mistake, but it is possible.
Did people like Mme Cazalet, who used ruses to extract military information, really exist?
Most certainly. The character of Madame Cazalet has been largely inspired by true-life heroines like Andrée Peel who died on March 5 aged 105. Known as Agent Rose during WW2, Andrée was running a beauty salon in Brest at the outbreak of war. When her town was invaded by German troops she made contact with workers in Brest docks and was able to send important information to the Allies about German naval activity and troop movements. She also helped shot-down Allied airmen return to England by guiding aircraft to secret landing strips or by arranging other night-time pickups, either by French fishermen or else by boats sent from England to secluded beaches in France. When caught by the Gestapo, Andrée was stripped naked, interrogated and tortured. She survived the war and was decorated with medals for bravery by France, Great Britain and America. Her book "Miracles do Happen" was published in 1999.
Did you base your character Otto Stoeckl on a real person?
Yes. On June 23 1942, Oberleutnant Armin Faber became disorientated after a dogfight over the English Channel. Believing himself to be over France he came in to land only to discover he was at RAF Pembrey in South Wales. A subsequent examination of the captured Focke-Wulf 190 (Butcher Bird) resulted in technical improvements to the design of the Spitfire.
What connections do you have with flying or aircraft now?
Only my memories. During my National Service in 1953/4 I was sent to Canada. During early training there I learnt to fly the Harvard, a trainer aircraft that was used to train future Spitfire pilots during WW2.
Tell us more about your new book Stalin's Had It Now.
It's a light-hearted, autobiographical account of my two-year period of National Service 1952-1954, starting with square-bashing on the parade ground and finishing up in the cockpit of a single-seat jet fighter at the age of 19.
The whole subject of local resistance in enemy occupied countries has intrigued me ever since I met a young Danish resistance worker in 1953 who was involved in undercover sabotage operations in Copenhagen during the Second World War. I have also read many biographies of men and women engaged in wartime undercover work, and Dadan, who I have also met, was a real French Resistance operative.
Would you say that Fly The Storm is an anti-war novel?
No. War is sometimes seen as futile but desperate times call for desperate actions. Unfortunately many of those who survive are mentally scared by the traumas they suffered and are usually reluctant to recall their experiences. Shell-shock. Post Traumatic Stress, call it what you like.
Is the character of Blanche Longhurst/Lucette Moreaux based upon anyone in particular or is she a complete invention?
One of my father’s female cousins, Margie Fairweather, and her husband Douglas, were both killed in 1944 while piloting aircraft for the Air Transport Auxiliary. Although I never met Margie, I kept her in mind while creating Blanche Longhurst, my principal character. I don’t know of anyone who landed in France by mistake, but it is possible.
Did people like Mme Cazalet, who used ruses to extract military information, really exist?
Most certainly. The character of Madame Cazalet has been largely inspired by true-life heroines like Andrée Peel who died on March 5 aged 105. Known as Agent Rose during WW2, Andrée was running a beauty salon in Brest at the outbreak of war. When her town was invaded by German troops she made contact with workers in Brest docks and was able to send important information to the Allies about German naval activity and troop movements. She also helped shot-down Allied airmen return to England by guiding aircraft to secret landing strips or by arranging other night-time pickups, either by French fishermen or else by boats sent from England to secluded beaches in France. When caught by the Gestapo, Andrée was stripped naked, interrogated and tortured. She survived the war and was decorated with medals for bravery by France, Great Britain and America. Her book "Miracles do Happen" was published in 1999.
Did you base your character Otto Stoeckl on a real person?
Yes. On June 23 1942, Oberleutnant Armin Faber became disorientated after a dogfight over the English Channel. Believing himself to be over France he came in to land only to discover he was at RAF Pembrey in South Wales. A subsequent examination of the captured Focke-Wulf 190 (Butcher Bird) resulted in technical improvements to the design of the Spitfire.
What connections do you have with flying or aircraft now?
Only my memories. During my National Service in 1953/4 I was sent to Canada. During early training there I learnt to fly the Harvard, a trainer aircraft that was used to train future Spitfire pilots during WW2.
Tell us more about your new book Stalin's Had It Now.
It's a light-hearted, autobiographical account of my two-year period of National Service 1952-1954, starting with square-bashing on the parade ground and finishing up in the cockpit of a single-seat jet fighter at the age of 19.
