We Die Alone (Signed by David Howarth and Jan Baalsrud)

London: Collins, 1955. 1st Edition 1st Printing. Hardcover. Good / Fair/Good / Fair. First edition, first printing. Hardback in dustwrapper. 20.5 × 14cm, 255pp. This copy has been signed to the title page by both David Howarth and Jan Baalsrud. The author, David Howarth, served in the Royal Navy and SOE in the Second World War, setting up the Shetland Bus operation which was a clandestine route between Shetland and Norway. We Die Alone recounts one of the most exciting escape stories to emerge from the challenges and miseries of World War II. In March 1943, a team of expatriate Norwegian commandos sailed from northern England for Nazi-occupied arctic Norway to organize and supply the Norwegian resistance. But they were betrayed and the Nazis ambushed them. Only one man survived - Jan Baalsrud. This is the incredible and gripping story of his escape. Frostbitten and snowblind, pursued by the Nazis, he dragged himself on until he reached a small arctic village. He was near death, delirious, and a virtual cripple. But the villagers, at mortal risk to themselves, were determined to save him, and - through impossible feats - they did. Illustrated with photographs. Condition: The book has quite heavy foxing / tanning to the page edges and margins but remains in strong readable condition. The dustwrapper is rubbed to the edges and is also quite heavily foxed, particularly to the fore-edge but has not been price-clipped and is now within a protective sleeve.