There are no records of war more valuable than the firsthand accounts of
the individuals who were actually there. The vivid honesty of the
stories on display here brings into sharp focus the personal fears as
well as the sheer exhilaration of flying sorties by day, often through
heavy flak, sometimes at hedgehopping or wave- skimming heights, as the
squadrons of Blenheims, Mosquitoes, Mitchells and Venturas swept across
the Continent towards their targets.
From the outbreak of the Second World War to the eve of VE Day, the
medium bomber crews of 2 Group RAF and 2nd Tactical Air Force flew vital
operations over Europe. Here their story is told, month by perilous
month, often in the words of the airmen themselves, their accounts
supported by meticulous research. Their exploits include the first
sorties of the war, the famous Operation Oyster to bomb the Philips
works at Eindhoven and other low-level pinpoint attacks against key
targets in occupied Europe and Scandinavia.
While sharing in the triumph of their bombing successes, we are not
spared details of the appalling sacrifices and the failed and aborted
raids. These details are relayed in a series of poignant personal
snapshots, highlighting the extraordinary valor of these ordinary men.
Remarkable photographs include aerial views of targets under attack, as
well as dramatic portraits of the aircraft involved. This book serves as
a moving tribute to the efforts of the pilots involved in some of the
most perilous daylight bombing operations of the Second World War.
