Operation Pimento

<p><h3> A moving, thrilling account of one man's extraordinary escape from the Nazis - as told by his great-grandson. Perfect for fans of Ben Macintyre and Damien Lewis </h3><br><br><b>Shorlisted for the Hatchards First Biography Prize 2025</b><br><br><b>'An inspiring story, warmly told' - <i>COUNTRY LIFE</i></b><br><br><b> 'Frank Griffiths' incredible escape and evasion story will become a wartime classic. Truly inspiring.' - ANDY McNAB <br><br>'An affectionate and often audacious tale of an unsung WW2 hero. Adam Hart is a writer to watch out for.' - ANTHONY HOROWITZ<br><br>'A thrilling tale of courage, bravery and survival, brought to life by Hart's gripping narrative and fascinating personal connection. A superb debut.' - ALICE LOXTON<br><br>'This moving family history pays fitting tribute to the courage and resilience of the Special Duties Squadrons' crews, and the heroism of the French resisters serving alongside them.' - CLARE MULLEY<br><br>'A classic tale of Second World War derring-do, told with flair. A wonderful debut.' - ROBERT PENN </b><br><br>On 14 August 1943, Adam Hart's great-grandfather Frank Griffiths took off from RAF Tempsford, the SOE 'Special Duties' airbase in rural England. Frank and his crew were on a secret midnight mission codenamed Operation Pimento, but they were shot down near Annecy in southeast France.<br><br>Only Frank survived.<br><br>Though seriously injured, Frank felt it was his duty to get back to England to continue the fight against the Nazis. He embarked on a perilous, 1,200-mile, 108-day escape across Europe, via the attic of a brothel, a Frenchwoman's chimney and a Spanish prison cell. Seventy-nine years later, Frank's 22-year-old great-grandson Adam Hart retraced the epic escape through France, Switzerland and Spain. His emotional encounters with descendants of people who'd risked their lives to help his great-grandfather reveal the enduring legacy of Operation Pimento and how we should never forget their sacrifice.<br><br><b><i>Operation Pimento</i> is not only a riveting true story, but also a vivid account of one young man's journey to discover more about a man he'd never met, but always knew to be a hero.</b></p>