Product Description

There were many ways for a combat crew to die during Bomber Command's war of 1944. Over German territory, bursts of heavy flak could tear the wings from their planes in a split second. Flaming bullets from German fighter planes could explode their fuel tanks, cut their oxygen supplies, destroy their engines. In the spring of that year, thousands of young men were shot, blown up, or thrown from their planes five miles above the earth; and even those who returned faced the subtler dangers of ice and fog as they tried to land their battered aircraft back home. The winter of 1944 was the most dangerous time to be a combat airman in RAF Bomber Command. The chances of surviving a tour were as low as one in five, and morale had finally hit rock bottom. In this comprehensive history of the air war that year, Kevin Wilson describes the most dangerous period of the Battle of Berlin, and the unparalleled losses over Magdeburg, Leipzig and Nuremberg. He tells how ordinary men coped with constant pressure of flying, the loss of their colleagues, and the threat of death or capture. And, by telling the story of the famous events of this period - the Great Escape, D-Day, the defeat of the V1 menace - he shows how, through sheer grit and determination, the 'Men of Air' finally turned the tide against the Germans.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44029 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

The Times
"thorough, thrilling and profoundly moving"

Review
"Tales of everday heroism" (GOOD BOOK GUIDE )

Scottish Legion News
"Those who wonder is we need another book on Bomber Command should bear this in mind. Wilson's book does their memory a magnificent service"

Customer Reviews

Hampden
Today's generation of authors have a distinct advantage over the immediate and later post-war breed of writers- that of an unlimited bibliography upon which to draw. The notable raids of 1943 and 1944 carried out by Bomber Command Aircrew - Hamburg, Peenemunde, Nuremburg, the Dams Raids, covered by the more eminent historians, have been well documented requiring entire volumes to accommodate the wealth of material required for such projects.

These texts however were technical in nature and were directed more to defining history for the more serious Bomber Command historians and aficionados; the modern-day journalist now merely resorts to conducting as many interviews as are possible with remaining Bomber Command survivors weaving their personal recollections around the material already provided by their peers , subject to the required credits being attached.

Wilson's new book, as was the case with his first publication , is an example of this type of journalism; this does not detract from the content however, as he is an excellent writer and has obviously empathized with these crew members; the downside is that in this endeavour, he has allocated complete chapters to these previously well chronicled sagas which renders much of the material redundant for many readers all too familiar with history , and the consequences, of membership in the 'Lost Command'.

This book, while not necessarily being recommended for ex: Air-Crew, should be required reading for a younger generation who have no conception of what was expected of young men who, driven maybe by patriotism and the prospect of adventure, were exposed to the harsh realities of war where life expectancy could be measured in such short terms. Men who were subjected nighty to ill-planned raids by chair-borne Air Staff, at times having to operate with faulty equipment, constrained by career-concious squadron and wing commanders , which combined with frequent inaccurate weather predictions, resulted in an horrific loss of life often under appalling circumstances.

In preserving these vignettes, Kevin Wilson has served his subjects well; with the above reservations, it is without doubt a worthy validation of their commitment for which, from an ungrateful country, they received no official recognition. The recollections of these survivors are poignant and will remain with them for the rest of their lives ; stories which had to be told before being lost to an indifferent society whose values are perhaps less than those of previous generations.

Highly recommended - a must read
My Father was an air Gunner in World War 2 with the RCAF, stationed at Skipton-on-Swale in Yorkshire in 1944 and 1945. This incredible book helped me to understand the quiet heroism of the very young crews who did their job, night after night. Easy to read, well documented, well written, but also filled with thorough understanding of what it was like. If you have a relative who was in the war, and you are only going to read one book about it, this is the one.

WHAT OUR BOYS HAD TO GO THROUGH
Having spent many hours engrossed in the content of this book, I can certainly say this is one of the better accounts of life in bomber command during WW2. It really opens your eyes as to what it was like to serve. I actually felt I was there during certain parts of the book. Highly ecommended. Another excellent book is 'Carried on the Wind' by Sean Feast, The story of Ted Manners (101 Squadron - ABC operator on Rusty Waughman's Crew). A riveting read to anyone interested in Bomber Command.