A Thorn in the Side: Story of Johnny Hopper Book

Many incredible stories of courage and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds have been told arising from the backdrop of World War 2. One of the most amazing and heroic is the story of Ian (Johnny) Hopper. As a young boy, he and his British-born parents relocated to the northern French town of Caen. By the time of the Nazi Blitzkrieg, as the German army marched through town, Hopper was determined to live life on his own terms. Along with his wife, Paulette, his goal was to everyday do something to fight back against his oppressors. First in Caen and continuing in Paris, Hopper stole, killed, committed acts of sabotage, and worked in whatever way possible to disrupt the German war machine. Eventually, inevitably Hopper was captured and spent the remaining years of the war, along with a tight-knit group of fellow Brits, being shuttled from one prison camp to the next, finally reaching the end of the line at Dachau. Along the way, he continued to resist the Germans, worked to help those he could, and struggled to survive while still holding on to his humanity.Read More