About the Books
The Salvaged Summer Trilogy follow the events in a small English village from receiving news of the rescue from Dunkirk; through the Summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britain, to the London Blitz and Winter; then into 1941 with the arrival of the Americans, through to December with the news from Pearl Harbour.
A scrawny 14-year old errand boy called Gertie (real name Gerald, but who wants to be called ‘Gerry’ at the start of the Second World War!?), is spurred into action. For a lanky lad with borrowed specs, smelly feet, awkward elbows and big ears, who liked to keep things simple, perhaps Gertie wasn’t the most obvious choice as a ‘champion’ and certainly plenty in the village had shrugged him off as ‘can’t make him out’, then the war had started. Things had begun to get desperate and they couldn’t afford to waste anything, not even Gertie!
The old village and the new RAF hospital had plenty of characters and best-intentions between them, but country wisdom and military efficiency didn't always rub along smoothly ...
Book 1 - "All for Overalls"
“Just because you’re out of the way, doesn’t mean you’re not in the middle of it!”
The Salvaged Summer Trilogy follow the events in a small English village from receiving news of the rescue from Dunkirk; through the Summer of 1940 and the Battle of Britain, to the London Blitz and Winter; then into 1941 with the arrival of the Americans, through to December with the news from Pearl Harbour.
A scrawny 14-year old errand boy called Gertie (real name Gerald, but who wants to be called 'Gerry' at the start of the Second World War!), is spurred into action. For a lanky lad with borrowed specs, smelly feet, awkward elbows and big ears, who liked to keep things simple, perhaps Gertie wasn't the most obvious choice as a go-between. But when it came to bringing 'useful errands' to solve unexpected problems, Gertie is brilliant.
As the local residents adapt to wartime-ways, the old village and the new RAF hospital have plenty of characters and best-intentions between them, but country wisdom and military efficiency doesn't always rub along smoothly!
Where to Buy the Books
Hardback copies are available NOW directly from:
Walker's Stamford,
Gothic House, 10 High St, Stamford, PE92AL
01780 764405
stamford@walkersbookshops.co.uk
01780 764405
stamford@walkersbookshops.co.uk
Book 2 - "If the Sock Fits"
Churchill had been right about ‘The few’ being the ones to save them through the summer, but it was going to take ‘the many’: the Land Army and the locals, bringing in the harvests of autumn 1940, that were going to get them through the coming winter.
The Battle of Britain might be over in the skies, but in the cities, they were still struggling to cope through the Blitz of Hitler’s bombs. The airfields were being rebuilt, but the men were taking longer to recover, and in the meantime the farmers needed help.
Abe and his chickens were struggling with those Ministry leaflets; the Totters had two lasses helping them with their dairy herd, but were behind with the silage and Tuckly’s fields of sugar-beet were going to need ‘all hands’ for the tugging and topping. As for Mr Tor and his out-back barns? No one had yet had the courage to ask what he was doing over there!
Reviews
"authentic and evocative"
"delightfully uplifting"
"reminiscent of less complicated times and lives"
"charming quirky and nostalgic"
"captivating, enchanting, enthralling, imaginative and suspenseful"
"has a quiet melodic quality"
"your book is a masterclass in characterisation and story-telling"
Enquiries and Further Information
General enquiries: queries@gertiespath.co.uk
Contact the author: thescrawnyauthor@gertiespath.co.uk
Buy the book: purchases@gertiespath.co.uk
Book 3 - "Raids, Rallies and Reserves"
“Blasted Blitz! Freezing winds and no overcoats … and now the Americans were coming!?”
The village was gearing-up to ‘get it done’ through 1941.
The Germans might have brought the Blitz, but the farmers still needed to work on. Never mind the blasted news and the winter winds, the scrawny village errand-boy had his own inimitable way of inspiring action. “Good grief Gertie, I thought you had more sense than that!”
Humfrey was relieved with the news coming in on the radio, but still had a dilemma. Plenty in the village had offered the church warden their opinion of Gertie’s appearance; even disregarding those land girl dungarees, the lad had a tendency to blurt that could be downright distracting. And those Americans weren’t going to be so understanding either!
