How the Girl Guides Won the War, By Janie Hampton

Crikey! Hitler didn't know what he was up against

This compelling and often surprising book uncovers the role played by Lord Baden-Powell's Girl Guide movement in resisting fascism during the Second World War.

Guides in Britain dug bomb shelters, cared for young Jewish refugees and applied First Aid during the Blitz, while those in mainland Europe helped deliver food and messages to concentration camp internees. Her title may be extravagant, but the author convincingly argues that the efforts of these brave children were invaluable in lifting spirits and saving lives. Her attempt to paint the notoriously conservative Baden-Powell as some sort of proto-feminist, on the other hand, will raise eyebrows.