The crews were men from the united kingdom, other commonwealth countries, and occupied europe. For an overview of second world war operations try the periodical returns and summaries in air 22. Royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1942. German night fighters versus bomber command, 19431945. This book contains a full quotation of the two paragraphs quoted here, and cites the source as albert speer.
Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1941. It was an attempt to win the war in europe by strategic bombing on such an enormous scale that historians have only recently begun to piece together the finer details of the individual raids. German night fighters versus bomber command 19431945 the. Details the losses suffered by raf bomber command, 1945. This is the second volume in the series which deals with the losses sustained by the raf bomber command during the 2nd world war. German night fighters versus bomber command 19431945 the second world war by night. The royal air forces raf bombing offensive against nazi germany was one of the longest, most expensive and controversial of the allied campaigns during the second world war. He authored the previous volumes in this series as well as other titles concerning the raf bomber command. We specialise in publishing and selling books about raf bomber command in the second world war and related topics. They include weekly intelligence reports, losses sustained and allied and enemy activities as well as statistical material.
Details the losses suffered by raf bomber command, 1941. Marshal of the royal air force sir arthur travers harris, 1st baronet, gcb, obe, afc april 1892 5 april 1984, commonly known as bomber harris by the press and often within the raf as butcher harris, was air officer commandinginchief aocinc raf bomber command during the height of the angloamerican strategic bombing campaign against nazi germany in the second world war. One of max hastings first of many books on the history of the 2nd world war. The best books on pilots of the second world war five. The vast majority of aircrew were in their late teens or early twenties. Mosquito down the extraordinary memoir of a second world. A raid over berlin a miraculous truelife second world war. From then until the end of the war the squadron was part of bomber command s main bomber force. To mark the twentieth anniversary of this authoritative work, the book has been updated with additional photos and published in paperback.
This is the fifth volume of a unique series of reference books by w r chorley that lists the aircraft, aircrew, the circumstances of each loss on a day by day basis. Bowman, a british world war ii aviation historian and author, traces the final two years of world war ii, from 19431945, focusing on aerial battles between german night fighters and allied bomber crews and their nighttime conflicts, including the roles of specific pilots. The best books on pilots of the second world war five books. Like so many of his generation, john martin is very selfdeprecating, saying little about his own achievements but praising the sacrifices of others. Bomber command s campaign started on the very first day of the second world war and ended within a few hours of the final victory in europe five and a half years later. The valour and the horror is a canadian television documentary miniseries, which aired on cbc television in 1992. From 1942, bomber command seriously damaged the third reichs war economy by attacking industrial, communications and fuel targets in occupied europe and germany. An increasing flow of canadians, australians and new zealanders meant that one in four aircrew came from the dominions. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read lancaster. Bomber command is max hastings in depth account of the rafs bombing offensive, one the most controversial struggles of the second world war. Raf bomber command controlled the rafs bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1944 subtitel. At the start of the second world war in 1939, bomber command faced four problems.
Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, vol. This is a very good book on the combat record of the handley page halifax. From 1942 onward, the british bombing campaign against germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian manpower base essential for german war. Bomber commands air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. Chorley is the author of royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war 5. Buy raf bomber command losses of the second world war. Aviation world war ii bomber command lost over 9000 aircraft and 50000 aircrew in world war ii. It covers much more than just its role as a front line bomber, with chapters on the halifax with coastal command, the pathfinders and soe, amongst others.
The series investigated three significant canadian battles from the second world war and was a coproduction between the cbc, the national film board of canada nfb and galafilm inc. Bomber command books is the sales site for mention the war ltd. It has already found favour with historians, and those friends and relatives affected by the loss. Raf bomber command aircrew of world war ii wikipedia. During the second world war, 55,573 raf bomber command aircrew were killed, a shocking 44. This is the third volume in the series which deals with the losses sustained by the raf bomber command during the 2nd world war.
The aircrews of raf bomber command during world war ii operated a fleet of bomber aircraft carried strategic bombing operations from september 1939 to may 1945, on behalf of the allied powers. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, v. During 12 years of research, he has interviewed more than a hundred raf aircrew. Originally published in 1956, former second world war prisonerof war calton youngers no flight from the cage received critical acclaim.
Bomber command veterans were given no campaign medal, despite the scale of losses, and air chief marshal harris was. Hastings explores the history of the rafs bomber command in world war ii. Since serving in the raf for six years, bill chorley has had a lifelong interest in military aviation. While winston churchill acknowledged the vital contribution of the raf bomber command in the second world war, it has recently come under fire from a whole generation of historians. It was an attempt to win the war in europe by strategic bombing on such an enormo. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war by wr chorley amendments and additions, to be used in conjunction with the royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war 9 volume series from ian allan publishing. He was awarded the victoria cross, the order of merit. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1941 subtitel. The second world war s greatest bomber ebook written by leo mckinstry. German night fighters versus bomber command 19431945 the second world war by night bowman, martin w. Like most of bomber command the squadron had a quiet start to the war, but bombing operations began on 19 march 1940. Chorley is the author of royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war vol.
The nature of the entries is really the main determining factor. Second world war books, military manuals, militaria, raf manuals, compass and naviagtion manuals, small arms handbooks, and british army manuals, 19391945. The author of this thrilling memoir defied the odds becoming one of the few lancaster c. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1944. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Life and death in bomber command imperial war museums. Raf bomber command during the second world war imperial. They claim that the raf offensive against germany was immoral because so many civilians were killed, and wasteful because so many attacks were not on specific military targets. The films were also broadcast by radiocanada, the french network of the cbc. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, 1942 subtitel.
Details the losses suffered by raf bomber command, 1944. Raf bomber command losses of the second world war, wr. The fighters are our salvation, but the bombers alone provide the means of victory. They claim that the raf offensive against germany was immoral. Steve darlow is the grandson of a bomber command pilot and the author of nine books on military aviation. See section 4 for advice on locating operations record books, vital documents when piecing. The bomber war was fought largely by young, civilian volunteers from britain and the commonwealth, commanded by men who joined up before the second world war. Among all the books about bomber command, this must be unique in the combination of its story surviving being shot down, and life as a pow and its being published so long after the events depicted. Raf bomber command deserves to be remembered with honesty. Royal air force bomber command losses of the second world. In his book bomber offensive, published in 1947, marshal of the royal air force sir arthur harris wrote that all the credit for preventing the invasion of britain had. Leonard cheshire, the author of bomber pilot was one of the most highly decorated members of the raf.
Along with the united states army air forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of germany in world war ii. Its first operation, a patrol over the north sea, came on 26 september 1939, and the squadron then spent the. One critic wrote, the book goes below the surface of prison camp life and shows a remarkable insight into the minds of men forced to. Royal air force bomber command losses of the second world war book. A further 8,500 were wounded and 9,800 became prisoners of war. Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
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