The Guardian Angel

<p>This book tells the story of an important yet little-known episode of 20th century history. Just as General de Gaulle did, Lieutenant Michel Hollard refused to accept France’s surrender in June 1940. A spirited soldier during the First World War, a disillusioned reserve officer in the Second, he worked out a bold defence strategy to counter Adolf Hitler’s barbarity and megalomaniac madness. </p><p><br></p><p>In 1943, Michel Hollard learned that the German Army was carrying out suspicious construction work in north-western France. His enquiries led him to discover Hitler’s top-secret weapon pointing at London: the V-1. The accuracy of the intelligence that Michel Hollard revealed to the English avoided the worst for London. The launch sites were bombed before the V-1s were able to do their work of death as planned. Betrayed, he was captured by the enemy, tortured and sent to Neuengamme concentration camp, then thrown into the hold of a ship destined to be sunk. Miraculously, he survived. </p><p><br></p><p>By saving London, Michel Hollard contributed greatly to the success of the Normandy landings and therefore the final victory. </p><p><br></p><p>In honour of his achievements, a Eurostar train (the high-speed London-Paris service through the Channel Tunnel) was christened <em>Michel Hollard</em> in 2004.</p>