Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

  • From the Ground Up

  • Stories from the Men and Women Who Built, Serviced and Flew Aircraft in WWII
  • By: Edward Smithies
  • Narrated by: Roger Davis
  • Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (5 ratings)
Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
From the Ground Up cover art

From the Ground Up

By: Edward Smithies
Narrated by: Roger Davis
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Mosquito Men cover art
Aircrew cover art
The Things Our Fathers Saw cover art
Winkle cover art
Cinderella Boys cover art
Dam Buster cover art
Concorde cover art
Ace Pilots of World War II Series, Fighter Aces of the R.A.F 1939-1945 cover art
Cold War Boys cover art
Eject! Eject! cover art
Jet Man cover art
Flying Forwards, Facing Backwards cover art
One of Our Submarines cover art
Churchill’s Few cover art
Warriors for the Working Day cover art
Harrier cover art

Summary

When we remember the Second World War in the air, we think of fighter pilots and bomber crews. But what was it like for the men and women working as ground crew and in the aircraft factories who also played a crucial role in defeating Hitler? What was it like making history? What sense did these individuals have of what they were doing, either at the time or later? Did they feel they were caught up in the tide of great events? Or were they simply doing their demanding and often dangerous duty?

Originally published as Aces, Erks and Backroom Boys.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in ur Audible Library along with the audio.

©2021 Edward Smithies (P)2021 Orion Publishing Group

Critic reviews

"Fascinating....this collection illuminates corners of the wartime world...it provides a valuable and often entertaining window." (Guardian)

"The horrors have not been suppressed. Everyone who speaks was very young then. You sense their wonder that they did the things they recall." (Independent on Sunday)

What listeners say about From the Ground Up

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3
  • 4 Stars
    1
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    4
  • 4 Stars
    0
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great read

A great insight into not only the people who flew the aircraft of WWII but also those who worked in the factories, on the flight line etc. Lots of great tales and stories.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!