Colditz: It'll Be Over by Christmas

This fourth book in the Colditz series, based on the original BBC television programme, spans the period from January 1939 to September 1939 in the final eight months leading up to the outbreak of the Second World War.

In their personal, professional and, in certain cases, military lives, Simon Carter, Tim Downing, Pat Grant, George Brent and Dick Player address the many issues and concerns that arise as the year rolls on. A few cameo appearances by other familiar faces from the programme provide a snapshot into their lives in 1939 too.

Pat has recently flown his parents’ nest and embarks on a promising career in his new position at Mr Potts’s firm of civil engineers, a move that he hopes will see him on the up and up in other areas of his life too. However, a doomed romantic attachment threatens to undo all of his hopes and dreams if he can’t pull himself together in time.

Tim, meanwhile, is struggling to settle down under pressure from Mamma, who believes it’s high time he swapped partying for parenting. Will her errant firstborn toe the line or will her pleas continue to fall on deaf ears? A chance encounter could prove to be the deciding factor.

Adjusting to life aboard a submarine proves somewhat tricky for Dick as he strives to balance his lofty naval ambitions with reluctantly navigating the waters of a social life with his fellow officers. What will happen if he decides to throw caution to the wind and let his hair down?

The recently promoted Flight Lieutenant Carter continues to impress his beloved Cathy with his admiration and devotion.

His time off base with his betrothed proves a happy respite from the challenges he struggles with as a pilot following an incident that threatens to cripple his career.

George combats setback after setback and misfortune after misfortune as he attempts to get on his feet in the world of work. Beginning to wonder if he’ll ever find the perfect fit, he suffers doubt as to whether he’ll ever be in a position to support the woman at whom he has set his cap. His sincerity, earnestness and determination may finally pull him through, but will he be settled in time before the international upheaval that looms on the horizon?

By the time the prime minister makes his iconic speech on 3rd September, these men will have lived, loved and discovered much about themselves. When, less than a year later, they find themselves prisoners of war, they may very well look back on some of these moments. The trying times, the happy occasions and the triumphs they achieved will all aid in building the self-assuredness they need to overcome seemingly impossible odds.

Aside from providing complementary scenes to these characters’ lives this book is intended as a tribute to the strength, resilience, courage, and sense of humour of the British people, both military and civilian, at that time.