Danger UXB: The Heroic Story of WWII Bomb Disposal Teams by James Owen - review by Nigel Jones

Nigel Jones

Cool Courage

Danger UXB: The Heroic Story of WWII Bomb Disposal Teams

By

Little, Brown 305pp £20
 

The sort of bravery displayed by the UXB (shorthand for ‘Unexploded Bomb’) squads is of a different order from the sudden and often brief bursts of gallantry on the battlefield that win fighting soldiers medals for heroism. It is required for far longer, often for hours or even days; it needs iron nerves and steady hands. It is a rare quality, and these books rightly celebrate it. 

James Owen, the author of Danger UXB, is a barrister turned popular historian who has made the Second World War his speciality. His last book, Nuremberg, was a concise and readable account of the post-war trials of the surviving Nazi leadership. This equally well-written book is firmly focused

Sign Up to our newsletter

Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.

Follow Literary Review on Twitter