In 1940 debutante and dress designer June Spencer volunteers for the London Auxiliary Ambulance Service in Chelsea. Every night in her diary she records the day’s events, whether it was peeling potatoes for the ambulance crews, driving through London’s streets in a hail of incendiaries, loading broken and bleeding victims into her ambulance. Her diaries also reveal details of her relentless social life – dining at the Ritz, dancing at the Café de Paris and partying with the artists, writers and aristos in her set.
But below the surface is turmoil and heartache: beloved friends killed in action, friendships cracking under pressure and a growing dissatisfaction with her life in London. Using June’s first-hand descriptions of living in central London in the thick of the blitz, Naomi Clifford paints a vivid and compelling picture of a young woman navigating the hazards of home front life and shows that wartime stoicism was only part of the story.
Print editions
- Bookshops: Order through your wholesaler
- Also available as print-on-demand at Amazon worldwide.
Ebooks
- Kindle (Amazon)
- Epub (multiple platforms)
Reviews
This is not only a compelling read that makes you feel you are living through those terrifying and exhilarating times but Under Fire tells a story of the Blitz I don’t feel I’ve heard before. – Amazon review
A scintillating read, packed full of anecdotal detail and truly humbling. – Beatrice Parvin, Facebook
All Naomi Clifford’s books are superby researched and bring to life the fascinating stories of hidden women in our history. I think that this is the best one yet. – Jane Cook, Amazon
A compelling picture of life on the home front and unpicks the minute clues in June Spencer’s diary to reveal the whole story behind the stoicism of Blitz Britain. Her book offers a fresh perspective on life in London in wartime. It is an eye-opening exploration and a riveting read. – Amazon review
I loved so so much about this book… I fell in love with June from the get-go… I got quite emotional. – Lil’s Vintage World