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For Two Sovereigns

by Julian Leigh

290 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #04-0226; ISBN 1-4120-2398-X; US$24.50, C$26.95, EUR20.00, £14.00

Experience the thrill of flying a Hawker Hunter Fighter. Witness hypnotic regression. Learn of Cornish smuggling and Nelson's victory at Aboukir. Survive in the Malayan Jungle. Fight for Two Sovereigns!

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about the book      about the author      excerpts      catalogue info

About the Book For Two Sovereigns is an historical adventure novel. It intertwines the historical accuracy of 18th century naval action with the training of a young RAF fast-jet pilot of the 1960s. The intertwining happens because the pilot, Peter Moore, undergoes a series of experimental hypnotic regressions which speed him back to the previous life of a young Cornishman, Jack Wilbraham. Jack has grown up in Lostwithiel, the capital of Cornwall. He becomes involved in smuggling with his father but eventually joins the Royal Navy and sees action notably during the evacuation of Toulon and the Battle of the Nile. A tragic accident leaves Peter permanently with the life memory of Jack. Will it affect his flying career? We learn of the two young men's family background, their lives and loves and how they lived their lives. We experience smuggling action and discover the intricacies of smuggling in the 18th century. We accurately witness Peter learning to fly, progressing from the Chipmunk, through the Jet Provost and Gnat, to the Hawker Hunter and a 'posting' to the Far East. We learn the aircraft cockpit drills, witness the thrill of going solo, experience sea survival training, decompression training and jungle survival training. We witness Peter flying anti-guerrilla warfare missions over the Malayan jungle in support of the SAS. There is a breathtaking finale and a subtle twist right at the end. Pathway to the Stars follows.

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About the Author Julian Leigh was born and raised in South Yorkshire. As a child he was always keen on flying and joined the RAF in 1965 to train as a pilot. After completing his Day Fighter Ground Attack course on the single seat Hawker Hunter, he was posted to the Far East in the late 1960s. In 1979, after an extensive period as an instructor on the Hunter, he converted to the single seat Jaguar ground attack aircraft and was posted to Germany. By 1990 he was flying the Jaguar at RAF Coltishall, in Norfolk, where he was involved in a supporting role during the first Gulf War and flew operational reconnaissance missions over North Iraq after it. His interest in sailing began during his tour in the Far East. He subsequently qualified as a Commercial Offshore Yachtmaster and took novice servicemen and women on adventurous sailing courses. Julian retired from the RAF in 1996 after 31 years service and now sails a classic Hillyard wooden yacht, which he has skippered commercially. He has also been actively involved in the sailing of the replica eighteenth century frigate Grand Turk and the topsail schooner Julia of Gibraltar, both of which starred in the TV Hornblower series. He recently captained the replica ancient Greek man-of-war Achilles for the blockbuster film Troy starring Brad Pitt. Julian resides by the sea in Devon from where he sails for pleasure, and writes his 'aero-nautical' historical novels.

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Excerpts

Introductory Note by the Author

For Two Sovereigns is a historical novel based on fact but the names of the central characters are fictitious as are some of the events, including 20 Squadron's Action 'Up Country'. Much friendly assistance was given to me during my research by the most helpful staff at the Lostwithiel Public Library and the Lostwithiel Museum. During my researches, I have delved into The Royal Navy A History From the Earliest Times to the Present by William Laird Clowes, A Short History of the Royal Navy 1217-1815 by David Hannay, Logs of the Great Sea Fights 1794-1805 edited by Rear-Admiral T Sturges Jackson in 1900, The Jungle is Neutral by F. Spencer Chapman, DSO and Counter-Insurgency Operations: 1. Malaya and Borneo by E. D. Smith.

I have endeavoured to make the 'flying' chapters as realistic as possible, based on my own experiences as a budding ground attack pilot in the 1960s, and have tried to reduce the number of acronyms and the use of technical jargon to the minimum. The references to experimentation with regression under hypnosis, carried out at RAF South Cerney, are mainly taken from fact and have left me puzzling ever since, though I have not been brave enough to become involved in further experimentation in case there is something in it!

I have been fortunate to be involved in a small way with the full-sized, replica 18th century frigate, Grand Turk and her companion ship the topsail schooner Julia of Gibraltar, both owned by Turk Phoenix Ltd., and employed so dramatically in the Hornblower TV series and other films. That, coupled with my keen interest in the 'Georgian' Navy and all things nautical has, I hope, enabled me to re-create something of the extraordinary true events of that period.

This book begins a series of 'aero-nautical' novels, which I hope will become favourite companions alongside your present favourites.

From Chapter 2 Hypnotic Interlude,

Peter and Frank were in a jovial mood as they walked the few hundred yards to the station medical centre. The beer they had drunk was sufficient to enhance their merry mood and they had enjoyed their first brief flirtation with flying.

The SMC was a two-storey brick building still showing the WWII stained camouflage markings on its walls. It had an impressive entrance door flanked by stone pillars. Colourful flowerbeds along the edges of the walls extended a soothing, scented welcome to whatever lay inside for visiting patients. Inside, the decoration was drab in comparison. Green walls were adorned with notice boards displaying medical warnings of doom for the unwise or unwary. The corridors either side of the entrance hall were lined with doors of a darker green each with a sign announcing the title of the occupant or the function of the room. They were familiar with the far end of the right hand corridor. It was where the course had had to stand in line waiting to have their TABT jabs some time ago. They found Corporal Brown down there and told him that they had come to witness the show. He said he would be up on the ward in a minute and that they could go up to see their friend now.

They walked back to the stairs and went up to see Paul.

'Evening, Paul,' said Frank. 'Stand by your beds for inspection. How're you doing, old chap?' he asked.

'Hi, guys,' replied Paul. 'They say I've got to stay in for another week. Something about a lung infection. Anyway they'll let me out for next weekend and I'm allowed to spend most of the day out of bed, anyway. Though I must say, I'm getting a bit pissed off hearing you lot flying about all day long. I'm thinking of making a noise complaint. What's it like, anyway?' 'Well, if you don't mind getting even more pissed off,' began Peter.

'Don't listen to him, he's a natural,' interrupted Frank. 'It's bloody hard work and incredibly difficult to do anything the instructors say. I've had three trips so far. I can't fly straight and level, I can't land it and I don't have a clue where we are most of the time. He (he indicated towards Peter) can land it, do stall turns and God knows what else besides. He even gets to talk about women's chests whilst he's flying downwind in the circuit.'

'What's this about women?' Paul perked up.

Peter explained his instructor's way of remembering the checks. 'Old Hamer's really good,' he continued. 'He just seems to know when to let me get on with it and when to bollock me for not doing what I should be.'

'Watson is forever yattering at me,' complained Frank. 'I'm sure that's why I'm finding it hard to do anything right. I really can't see me landing it. He's forever taking control before I've had a chance to show I can get it right.

'Maybe he's just got a good sense of self preservation.' joked Paul not really understanding what the problem was. He began to feel thoroughly depressed that these two friends of his had started before him and would always be ahead of him in the flying training system.

'Anyway, we all reckon Peter's going to go solo first,' confided Frank. 'Who said that?' Peter asked.

'Oh, it's just common knowledge that you're doing the best so far. First to get airborne, first to do a stall turn, first to get it on the ground without the instructor touching the pole. Seems pretty obvious to me that you'll go solo first as well. Anyway Neil overheard Hamer talking to the Flight Commander about you and how he thought he could get you solo early'

'All right. OK, I get the message,' laughed Peter. 'I thought Bill Cliff was ahead of me. I know he's a nutter, but he has flown in his Father's Cessna before.' He felt rather pleased that the others had been talking about him, including Hamer. He really had had no way of judging his progress so early on and had thought he wasn't doing all that well.

Corporal Brown came in. He was wearing a white orderly's jacket over his uniform. 'Right then, sirs, are you ready to witness my hypnotic powers and the reality of reincarnation?'

'Ready when you are,' replied Frank. 'APO Moore has brought his portable tape recorder. Is it OK to record what happens?'

'That'll be OK,' answered the orderly. 'But don't record before he's under. I wouldn't want you to be able to hypnotise people with your tape recorder'.

(Later in Chapter 2)

'I'm there,' said Peter after a few seconds. 'I'm on board the Diamond. We've just hoisted the French colours and we're about to hail a French ship of the line anchored off St. Mathieu Point. My Captain can speak perfect French. If they are not deceived by him I fear we will be blown out of the water as there are other Frenchies around us.'

'What year is it?' asked Brown.

'It's the 4th of January seventeen ninety five,' replied Peter. 'We arrived yesterday from Falmouth to look for signs of the French fleet in Brest.'

'What's your name and rank?' asked Brown.

'I'm Lieutenant Jack Wilbraham, third lieutenant to Captain Sir William Sydney Smith.' He had a slight West Country accent and spoke in a very confident and authoritative manner.

From Chapter 3 For King and Country

Jack had been sailing with his father for as long as he could remember. He, too, knew the coastline down the Channel from Penzance and up past Plymouth and knew his home coastline by day and night.

They arrived safely in just over an hour, stowed their sails and anchored fifty yards from the beach. The Cornishmen began to unload the barrels. There would be two journeys each from the boat to the hidden cave where they would leave them hidden until a more convenient time to move them to a closer cache. The cave would be cut off well before the high tide, which was coming in fast. They needed to hurry.

As the last load reached the shore there was a flash, then a crack, followed by others as the militia opened fire without warning. The eight soldiers were soon upon them. They were outnumbered. John shouted to his son to get away as he was pinioned by two soldiers and subdued with a musket butt from a third. One of the fishermen fell with a groan from a lucky shot in the dark, another was wounded by a sharp blow to the head from a discharged and unloaded musket. Two soldiers were wading into the water. They were some way off but Jack would have to hurry as he would need to set a head sail to catch what there was of the easterly breeze before raising the anchor. He only had time to raise half of the sail. He frantically secured the halyard and grabbed the anchor rope to haul in the lightweight anchor that they had used for their short stop. The boat was picking up speed and he was in danger of running past the anchor and snubbing round on it before he had it aweigh.

From Chapter 6 Per Ardua Ad Astra

'Come on, Peter. Wake up. The bar's been open for ages.' shouted Frank who was wearing his Wednesday evening sports jacket and twills and looking very dapper.

'Oh God, I was well away off Toulon on Romney's quarterdeck,' said Peter. 'I don't know how long I can cope with this dual life. I hope to hell it doesn't come on when I'm flying.'

'You'll be OK,' Frank replied without much conviction. 'Come on. Get your kit on, mine's a beer. It's time to celebrate the end of ground school. Oh, by the way. The flying programme's up for tomorrow on the notice board. We are all to go to Met. brief at seven thirty and then report to the squadron for flying. You and I are on the first wave. Oh nine hundred take-off!'

'Why didn't you tell me!' exclaimed Peter, jumping up excitedly and charging around looking for some clothes. 'We'd better not get pissed tonight. We should test each other on our Checks.'

'First things first. Let's go and have a beer and some food.' Frank calmed Peter down and they went for their celebratory beer.

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Catalogue Information

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