Operation Kronstadt

Description

Part Blackhawk Down, part The Riddle of the Sands, this is an extraordinarily gripping non-fiction thriller, written by a former MI6 officer. Operation Kronstadt not only reveals the early days of Britain's intelligence services but uncovers a truly dramatic story from the Russian Revolution involving a daring rescue attempt and a 'mission impossible' against the best defended naval target in Russia. By May 1919, when the power struggle between former Tsarists and Bolsheviks hangs in the balance, the only British agent in Russia is trapped and in mortal danger. Mansfield Cumming, the first 'C', dreams up an audacious - probably suicidal - plan to rescue him, and a young naval officer is sent with a specially selected team into the jaws of the Soviet fleet. This is the remarkable story of the spy, Paul Dukes, (the only MI6 officer to be knighted for work in the field), and of Gus Agar, whose extraordinary escapade won him the Victoria Cross.

Harry Ferguson is a former MI6 officer and an undercover agent for the National Investigation Service (NIS). He has written two books about his experiences with the NIS- Kilo 17 (2003) and Lima 3 (2005). In 2005, he starred alongside Mike Baker of the CIA in the BBC2/3 series Spy and he also wrote the book of the series- Spy - A Handbook.

A fascinating, minutely researched and ground breaking new book ... which turns out to be a tale of adventure, honour and raw courage quite as exciting as anything found in fiction or on the silver screen -- Andrew Roberts * Daily Mail * Ferguson's account of both sets of operations is exciting and his enthusiasm is infectious -- Alan Judd * Sunday Telegraph * This is an excellent book and thoroughly recommended * Journal of the Victoria Cross Society * Excellent, entertaining and informative ... It is genuinely hard to put down * Navy News * Good, pacy stuff and impressively researched -- Professor Keith Jeffery, official historian of MI6