We have just received advance news of a new book to be published this coming Spring that may be of great interest to many Speedtracktales readers.

In late August 1939, Hitler’s armies were poised to invade Poland, while in Austria the International Six Day Trial was underway.  The trial was dubbed ‘The Motorcycling Olympics’, where the crème de la crème from five or six nations competed in six days of hard riding.

Following the Olympics in Berlin just three years earlier, the ISDT was seen by Hitler as being another opportunity for Nazi dominance – and the event was unexpectedly held in occupied Austria!  Half way through, riding through the mountains surrounding Salzburg and with the British teams once again doing very well indeed, they received a telegram from the British Embassy telling them to get out immediately.   WWII started just a week later.

The story of how the British competitors and spectators successfully made it away through Switzerland with the help of their German escort has so far only been mentioned in magazine articles and websites, but extensive research has revealed much new material about this fascinating and exciting event in history.

In ‘THE SIX DAY AFFAIR’, one of the competitors tells his grandson all about his adventures..…

However, despite this adventure tale being presented as the memories of an old man, none of the actual names, facts or chronologies have been changed in any way at all.  Only plausible interpolations and extrapolations have been made, so attempting to avoid any significant misrepresentation of the real history.Occasional asides have been interjected to supplement what would otherwise be just one man’s memories of events and these are entirely factual with no fictional content whatsoever.The final chapter tidies a few loose end up, giving very brief accounts of what actually happened afterwards to just some of those involved.  If only more information could be obtained, possible future editions would include it.The Afterword disentangles fact from fiction in greater detail, while there are appendices containing further facts concerning the 1939 ISDT, as well as a full list of sources and further reading.

A5 softback, b&w with many illustrations & appendices.    £12 

Launched this coming May, published by JRB Publications –  www.jrbpub.net  – and available from Courtyard Books  – www.courtyardbooks.co.uk
Courtyard Books  Tel: +44(0)1242 674335   E-mail: contactus@courtyardbooks.co.uk
Snail-mail: Tarling’s Yard, Bishop’s Cleeve, Cheltenham GL52 8RN, UK