georgeedmundswrites.com
Welcome to the bio and blog site of the author and researcher, George Edmunds, Maritime and Aviation Historian.
| Read about how a lone Sunderland flying boat of Coastal Command, on anti-submarine patrol over the Bay of Biscay in June 1943, survived an attack by eight fighter bombers of the Luftwaffe; incredibly, 5, maybe 6 of them, never made it home. |
| A NEW BOOK BY; George Edmunds |
| CALL SIGN ‘N for NUTS’ ‘Against Overwhelming Odds’ |
| The full and complete story. A blow-by-blow account of the battle. See how they (just) made it home, ditching on a beach in Cornwall, with over 400 bullet and cannon holes, both pilots injured, one crew killed, one engine down, most of the crew suffered injuries. |
BACK COVER;
Available from the publishers;
Merlinuspublishers.co.uk
Or signed copies from the author:
| Thirteen or fourteen-hour patrols over the Bay of Biscay hunting the deadly U-boats. Many crews never returned, many never even saw a ship! And it was rare to spot a U-boat.The dedication of Sunderland crews is unsurpassed. |
Cost per book; £22.99, P&P £4.60 UK only. (1st Class).
GEORGE’S BLOG:
A life of Passion, History, and Writing.
George is a polymath; his life has been one of diverse passions, from aviation to diving to maritime history, and his journey as an author has been a natural extension of these interests. An aviation enthusiast at heart, George’s fascination with the Battle of Britain has shaped much of his personal and professional life. At the age of 21, he applied to RAF Hornchurch for entrance exams, dreaming of a career in aviation. However, life had other plans, and after completing an engineering apprenticeship, he found himself offered a position as a junior draughtsman at Head Office. he loved drawing and accepted the role. Often regretting it, his mind often ponders on the thought, ‘Where would I be today if the RAF had accepted me?’
His passion for maritime history, fuelled by a love for wreck diving, led to writing extensively on the subject, focusing on treasure hunting and pirate lore. His books, ‘The Gower Coast’ (1979), a maritime and wreck history of that peninsula, South Wales. ‘KIDD, The Search for his Treasure’ (1996), the story of buried treasure charts found before WW2, and ‘Anson’s Gold and the Secret to Captain Kidd’s Charts’ (2016), a sequel to the KIDD book, showing the way to a huge Spanish treasure. The books reflect his deep knowledge of maritime mysteries and the thrill of uncovering hidden mysteries. This knowledge was put to rewarding use as a Speaker/Lecturer on cruise ships before COVID.
TELEVISION;
The interest in Kidd’s treasure charts led to a tv appearance on 11th August 2000, on ITV’s ‘Find a Fortune’ hosted by Carol Vorderman. Twelve years later, 16th November 2012, by now the acknowledged authority on the charts, George was invited to take part in another programme: ‘Myth Hunters – Raiders of the Lost Past, The Hunt for Pirate Treasure’. This showed George with the actual chests/boxes that the charts were found in and explaining how they were found in secret compartments. The secret of these charts was unveiled in his later book, ‘Anson’s Gold’.
In recent years, George’s interests have evolved into a new area of exploration; the Pembroke Dock Heritage Trust, the location being the biggest flying boat base in the world during WW2. The chance find of a book that included the story of an epic battle between a lone Sunderland and the Luftwaffe led to the creation of his latest book, ‘Call-Sign N for Nuts’ – Against Overwhelming Odds.’ This book marks a significant moment in George’s writing career, bringing together his interests in aviation and history with his storytelling ability.
George’s devotion to aviation remains strong. Despite never becoming a pilot, he has created a space for himself to indulge in his love for flying. Investing in a flight simulator complete with a large panoramic screen and VR. George can now fly Spitfires and Hurricanes from the comfort of his home, immersing himself in the aircraft of his dreams whenever the mood strikes
THE BOOK;
Besides telling the story of the epic battle, the survival of ‘N for Nuts’, and the crew’s aftermath, the narrative provides a historical account of the Squadrons that took part, a history of the Short Sunderland, including other flying boats that operated from Pembroke Dock, and the part Coastal Command played in bringing the war to a close.
While definitive histories of the squadron or the aircraft itself are scarce, George’s research offers readers answers to many of the questions they may have, shedding light on this often-neglected piece of wartime history.
INFORMATION.
I have spent nearly 10 years researching the story of ‘N for Nuts’ and its epic battle with the Luftwaffe, and like to think ‘I’ve got it covered’. But, there could be stories ‘out there’ that passed me by. Any reader who thinks they may have information – or photographs, relating to that air battle, I would be grateful if you could advise me via the publishers, and if suitable, we can include it in any future revised edition.
THE SHORT SUNDERLAND FLYING BOAT;
This magnificent aircraft, built by Short Bros of Rochester and at Belfast, was a key piece of WW2 aviation. Initially developed as a civilian airliner, it was adapted into a military flying boat following a British Air Ministry Specification. The Sunderland’s design – a four-engine shoulder-wing monoplane – was groundbreaking at the time and proved invaluable for ocean reconnaissance and combating the U-boat threat.
Through his writing, George brings attention to the history and the legacy of this aircraft, immortalizing its role in history and its connection to the brave men who flew it.
THE PEMBROKE DOCK HERITAGE CENTRE;
Pembroke Dock (on the map> West South Wales) is where the Sunderland’s flew from in WW2. The biggest flying boat base in the world. The town’s connections with its military past and social history are reflected in the displays and artifacts at the Heritage Centre, located in the beautifully restored Royal Dockyard Chapel. The Heritage Trust, a registered charity, runs the Centre. Its focus expands on the original project to recover items from a wartime Sunderland that sank locally, and it is dedicated to preserving the history of the Sunderland flying boat and 461 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, whose crews flew from here, operating under Coastal Command.
George is donating a % of his royalties from his book in support of the Trust.
THE PEMBROKE DOCK HERITAGE CENTRE
THE SHUGBOROUGH INSCRIPTION AND CODES;
One of his most notable achievements is the deciphering of the code/inscription on the Shepherds Monument at the Shugborough/ Litchfield Estate in Staffordshire. The cipher had eluded the efforts of many prominent figures, including Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, and even Bletchley Park veterans. George is confident he has succeeded where all others have failed because he says, ‘They have all forgotten or ignored the fact that Lord Anson was a Naval man., not a romantic/poet. The secret of the cypher, when revealed, is confirmed by its obvious and direct link to a huge Spanish treasure Lord Anson was looking for.
His third book, Anson’s Gold, tells the story, also the solving of the infamous ‘Kidd charts’ found before WW2, all part of the same story.
GEORGE EDMUNDS WRITING;
George is the first to admit that when younger, he would never have believed that one day, he would write books. He hated English in school, and nouns, pronouns, verbs, what are they? The reason for his books, he says, is to tell the untold story.’ Never to make money. And the best part of writing his genre of books, he says, is the research, and he likes to write a book the way he likes to read a book.
| Beyond aviation and history, George has carved out a niche as a treasure hunter. As an extension of his earlier diving career, he became a specialist in under-water detecting and hit the headlines in 2016, recovering a £10K diamond ring for a lady who had lost it in the sea in Majorca. Ever the adventurer, he ran two Paintball Game’s Sites in South Wales during the 1980s and 90s. |
GEORGE THE TREASURE HUNTER;
WHAT’S NEXT?
His first thriller novel ‘KORANGAR’ is in a publisher’s queue. A unique ‘light bulb’ – what if? – moment led to the plot; IRA/VIPs/SAS. Twenty years of research and writing to get the (military) detail right. Ultimately would like to sell the film rights. As they say, ‘Watch this space!’
Any TV Producers reading this, the story of ‘N for Nuts’ would make a great, compelling TV Documentary.
EVENTS IN 2025;
A book launch, talk, and presentation at the Heritage Centre, Pembroke Dock on VE Day, 8th May.
The same at Praa Sands in Cornwall on the 2nd June. The anniversary of ‘N for Nuts’ ditching on the beach there. The event will be at the SISU Café in the afternoon.
| Helmet as worn by pilots of the day. (Not me, unfortunately!) |
georgeedmundswrites.com 