Dilip Amin - Author

Thank you to WW2TV - Paul Woodadge for inviting me on Friday to talk about my book 'Enemy Sighted.' I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and with so many likes and positive comments ( nearly 2k views and climbing ) many of the audience did too. Quite a few have purchased signed copies of my book via my website and are now on their way around the world! If you would like a signed copy, my website is https://www.dilipamin-author.com/category/military-history

The presentation can be viewed here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWh8UYmQ1hE

Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge

Pen and Sword Books

Join me on YouTube, at 7PM, this Friday 08 December.

I am appearing with Paul Woodadge, on his hugely popular
WW2TV - Paul Woodadge channel, as part of the Battle for France and Battle of Britain Series.

Hear the fascinating story of the Battle of Britain Bunker and the world's first integrated air defence system ... which together helped save Britain from invasion and changed the course of the Second World War.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWh8UYmQ1hE

Pen and Sword Books

Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge

My tour dates for December, January and February are:

11.30 and 14.30 on 09 December

11.30 and 14.30 on 16 December

11.30 and 14.30 on 13 January 2024

11.30 and 14.30 on 03 February 2024

11.30 and 14.30 on 17 February 2024

If you would like to join me on any of these tours then please visit https://battleofbritainbunker.co.uk/ to book directly, hope to see you there.

(tours can change due to unforeseen circumstances so please check with either myself or by ringing the bunker 01895 238154 48 hours before)

I was invited to speak at Uxbridge on Saturday, as part of the Speaker Series being held at the Battle of Britain Bunker. It was a very special occasion for me as this is the place that is at the heart of my book ‘Enemy Sighted’.

It was from here that the defence of London and Southern England was organised … it was from here that the majority of Spitfires and Hurricanes were commanded … and it was from here that the destruction of three-quarters of all Luftwaffe aircraft during the Battle of Britain was overseen.

The audience were very attentive and engaged and I was honoured that so many shared that they had come especially to meet the author! A great question and answer session followed, showing just how knowledgeable they were!

Hearing about their individual journeys and how they became interested in this hugely important period in world history was, as always, really fascinating.

Bunker Tour Guide Dilip Amin joins us to talk about his new book, Enemy Sighted, which breaks down the story of the Battle of Britain Bunker and the world’s first integrated air defence system.

🕧 14:00 - 15:00
🗓️Saturday 18 November
🎟 FREE
👉 http://battleofbritainbunker.co.uk/whats-on/
☎️01895238154

The Kohima epitaph originally composed by John Maxwell Edmonds (a former codebreaker during the First World War).

'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today'.

Lest we forget

Photo: Jacqueline Hurley-The Remembrance Collection

It was an honour to be invited to the Imperial War Museum - Duxford on this Armistice Day.

This was the place from which Douglas Bader, who had lost both legs in a pre-war flying accident, would scramble his Big Wing to fly over and defend London against the Luftwaffe's onslaught in the Summer of 1940.

I was humbled to meet, talk with, and sign copies of 'Enemy Sighted' for some wonderful people, a few people had flown in especially to meet me!

On Saturday 18th November between 2pm and 3pm, as part of the 'Speaker Series' at the Bunker, I will be talking about my book, 'Enemy Sighted,' which tells the story of the Battle of Britain Bunker and the world’s first integrated air defence system. Although free, this is a ticketed event that can be booked through the Bunker website, see below, it would be great to see you there.

https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=HIMS_MPV&orgid=54332&eventId=94159 #/event/E94159/ticketlist/?view=sections&minPrice=0&maxPrice=0&quantity=1&sort=price_desc&ada=false&seatSelection=false&onlyCoupon=true&onlyVoucher=false

Hello everyone, if you're free next Saturday 11 November (Remembrance Weekend), then why not visit the Imperial War Museum at Duxford?

I will be signing copies of my book 'Enemy Sighted'. It will be great to see you and talk about how the heroes of that generation stood up against tyranny and resisted the Luftwaffe's fusillade on England ... and prevented invasion.

Meet the Author at IWM Duxford Join our special guest authors for book signings throughout the year at IWM Duxford.

I was privileged to give a talk today to an audience of seventy knowledgeable people at the home of Fighter Command, known interchangeably as ‘Bentley Priory’ or ‘RAF Stanmore’.

This was where Hugh Dowding, who led Britain’s aerial defence during the Battle of Britain, was based, and it was fascinating to visit the office where the great man sat.

Information from Chain Home Radar Stations was filtered by the ‘Filter Room’ at Bentley Priory and then laid out on a large map of the U.K in the Operations Room.

The enemy raids were reported on to the underground Operations Room at Uxbridge, and from there to 11 Group’s Sector Stations, which scrambled the Spitfires and Hurricanes whose role it was to intercept the enemy.

A thoroughly enjoyable day, it was lovely to talk with some very interesting people during book signing, and a big thank you to the staff and volunteers who looked after both my wife and I so well.

I visited Kent, the county over where much of the Battle of Britain was so fiercely contested. It was an invitation to speak about my book 'Enemy Sighted' and to tell the story of how Britain defended itself against invasion in the summer of 1940.

My audience was a very warm and welcoming Kentish gathering, consisting of members from the 41 Club and Tonbridge Round Table. It was a great evening, I must say the audience were so receptive and engaged.

‘’Many thanks for organising such a wonderful speaker. A man who knows his subject so well and has the ability to speak so passionately is hard to find. Please pass my thanks to him’’ AD

‘’ Dilip you gave such a passionate and enthusiastic presentation. It felt as if we were back in 1940 with Hi**er knocking on our door. A simply outstanding performance’’ JF

Thank you!

My tour dates for November and December are:

11.30 and 14.30 on 04 November

11.30 and 14.30 on 09 December

11.30 and 14.30 on 16 December

On Saturday 18th November between 2pm and 3pm, as part of the 'Speaker Series' at the Bunker, I will be talking about my book, 'Enemy Sighted,' which tells the story of the Battle of Britain Bunker and the world’s first integrated air defence system. Although free, this is a ticketed event that can be booked through the Bunker website, see below, it would be great to see you there.

Speaker - Dilip Amin Speaker - Dilip Amin at Battle of Britain Bunker, Uxbridge, undefined on 11/18/2023 2:00 PM GMT

I had a great time on Saturday, attending the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain Airshow at Duxford. Duxford was the sector station from where one of Fighter Command's greatest leaders, Douglas Bader, brought fifty-six Spitfires and Hurricanes to meet the Luftwaffe over London on 15 September 1940, the day known as Battle of Britain Day.

The airshow gave us all an opportunity to see many aircraft of the period taking to the skies again. The finale was spectacular, culminating first with a brilliant display by the Red Arrows, which was then followed by an opportunity to witness a rare sight ... eighteen Spitfires and Hurricanes being scrambled, flying in formation, and then landing, much as they had done during the Battle of Britain, eighty-three years ago.

Whilst there, I was delighted to be asked to sign copies of 'Enemy Sighted' and had the pleasure of meeting some wonderful people.

Today at 11am, we held a minute's silence to commemorate all those that fought and served during the Battle of Britain.

It was a great pleasure to be invited by the Reading Lions Club to share my journey in becoming an author and writing 'Enemy Sighted'.

Very interested to learn that Douglas Bader, a leading figure within Fighter Command during the Second World War, had been a member of the very same Reading Lions Club!

Here is an extract from my book, detailing Bader's account on 15 September 1940, Battle of Britain Day, when he brought five squadrons of Spitfires and Hurricanes with him to engage the Luftwaffe over London.

'Dived down with leading section in formation onto last section of three enemy aircraft ... I took middle one ... opened fire at 100 yards in steep dive and saw a large flash behind starboard motor of Dornier as wing caught fire, must have hit petrol pipe or tank, overshot and pulled up steeply.'

"It was an absolute pleasure having you visit and speak to our club. Your passion and knowledge for the subject was evident. Thank you on behalf of our members and good luck with the book..." I.H.

Yesterday was a very successful evening at 'The Museum of Berkshire Aviation', in Woodley.

I was delighted to be invited to speak to such an enthusiastic and interested audience about my journey to becoming an author and writing my book 'Enemy Sighted'.

Woodley is of course, where Douglas Bader infamously lost both of his legs in a pre-war flying accident ... he would go on to not only fly again, but become a leading fighter ace and legend during the evacuation from Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.

The museum has many fascinating exhibits and is worth a visit!
https://museumofberkshireaviation.co.uk/

" Dilip, I very much enjoyed your presentation at the museum. You
are a great speaker and your enthusiasm for the Battle of Britain is clear. I bought your book after your talk and I'm currently planning a trip to the bunker in Uxbridge - perhaps you'll be on duty when I attend!
Thanks so much for your talk and I wish you all the best for the other two books of the trilogy!"
A.A.

Really pleased with the reviews coming in, here are a few.

"The Dowding System of interception and defence was pivotal to our success in the Battle of Britain. Dilip fluently describes the theory and then goes on to give a vivid description of the theory in action during the tensest hours and days of the Battle ... Highly recommended, a wonderful read."
Chris L.

"I highly recommend this book. Mr. Amin has collated a wealth of information, and couched it in highly readable prose. Easily the best book on this subject I've ever read"
Geoff P.

"This book deserves 50 stars. It is magnificent and tells a magnificent history of the last battle fought by the British Nation that changed the world. Without the RAF's victory in the Battle of Britain, Hi**er's Fascism would have taken half Europe, and Russian Communism the other. But the RAF's victory depended on the Chain Home Radar system, mass production of Hurricanes and Spitfires, and most important of all the RAF Command Bunker and the coordinated air defence system that it controlled. Dilip Amin's book is a masterpiece of scholarship and storytelling, as well as being profoundly moving for the great events that it describes. I recommend it with a full heart and total admiration."
John D.

I love going to the National Archives at Kew to carry our further research for my second book 'Enemy Engaged'.

It's so exciting to handle and read these historic documents marked 'SECRET' ... to think that senior leaders in the Royal Air Force, and indeed in Britain's wartime government, had done the same over eighty years before me!

The visit was made even more special when the first thing I saw, were copies of my first book 'Enemy Sighted' on sale in the bookshop ... and I was humbled when the manager asked if would sign some copies!

Yesterday, I was invited to visit the sector operations room at RAF Northolt. It was an amazing experience, which felt like I had gone back in time to the summer of 1940, when the Battle of Britain was at its height. I am in awe of the brilliant work that has been, and continues to be done, by Phil Dawe. I found in him, a kindred spirit, someone with whom I was able to spend many enjoyable hours, having a lengthy discussion about all things Dowding.

Northolt was one of the seven sector operations rooms within 11 Group, which were covered from the Battle of Britain Bunker at Uxbridge. It is therefore a living representation of one of the three elements forming the indomitable trilogy of Fighter Command, Group, and Sector.

I will certainly be giving 'Garter' - code name for the Northolt sector operations room, a key role in my current work 'Enemy Engaged'.

"Enemy Sighted" was officially launched on Saturday at the Royal British Legion in Winnersh. A gathering of family and friends was organised in secret by my wife Jane and grown up children, to celebrate and formally launch my book. It was an opportunity to share with the people closest to me, both my passion for military history and my journey to becoming an author.
‘Enemy Sighted’ is just the first in a trilogy, telling the wartime history of Fighter Command’s 11 group, as seen through the secret underground Bunker at RAF Uxbridge. Work is already underway on the sequel ‘Enemy Engaged’, to be followed by the final instalment, ‘Enemy Assailed’.

Follow my progress both on here and my website https://www.dilipamin-author.com/

Had the great pleasure of hosting many old friends from the National Association of Retired Police Officers (NARPO) today at the Bunker. It was very special.

I always enjoy bringing history to life for visitors, but being able to conduct a tour for friends was especially rewarding.

Seeing your audience so submerged in the story you are telling is such a great motivator.

Thank you for your fantastic feedback on the tour itself and buying copies of 'Enemy Sighted'

If you want a memento of your visit to the Bunker, or to learn more, you can now purchase 'Enemy Sighted' from the book shop at the visitor centre.

Of course if you are unable to visit the Bunker, or can't wait, then you can order a personalised signed copy from my website, https://www.dilipamin-author.com/

My tour dates for September and October are:
11. 30 and 14.30 on Saturday 09 Sept.
11.30 and 14.30 on Saturday 23 Sept.
11.30 and 14.30 on Saturday 14 October.
11.30 and 14.30 on Saturday 28 October.
If you would to join me on any of these tours, then please visit http://battleofbritainbunker.co.uk/ to book directly, hope to see you there.

Having just returned from a wonderful Norwegian Fjord cruise with my wife, I wanted to incorporate a Norwegian connection into my second book, 'Enemy Engaged'.

I discovered the contribution made by Captain Jens Hertzberg, who had been posted to 602 Squadron at Kenley, in 11 Group, to gain experience prior to his taking command of a Norwegian Squadron within Fighter Command. Hertzberg took part in a 'Rhubarb' Operation on 02 January 1942, along with three other Spitfires. They attacked barges in St. Valerie-Sur-Mer and then two low-flying Luftwaffe seaplanes, before heading back to Kenley.

While over the English Channel, Hertzberg reported trouble with his engine before losing radio contact. He failed to return and the squadron diary recorded , 'A very good Norwegian pilot and officer lost.'