Bomber command books from mention the war publications home. Research based site with hundreds of thousands of data points on pilots, crew and ground crew associated with flying, particularly ww11. Our growing list of titles focuses on the aircraft, squadrons and above all the men and women who shaped the legend that endures to this day. Form 78 movement cards for lancaster, halifax, wellington. If you can provide copies of any log books of former no. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. These include royal flying corps rfc and royal naval air service rnas squadrons incorporated into the raf when it was formed on 1 april 1918, during the first world war.
By july 1941 the strength of bomber command stood at 45 raf squadrons with a theoretical deployment of 1,000 aircraft. In many ways, they were typical of bomber command crews, comprised of young men from across the. Bomber command training 19423 part of the training needed to fly the lanasters bombers during ww2 before flying lancasters on operation at 460 squadron, our crew were required to train on other bombers which included the vickers wellington and the handley page halifax ii. Aug, 2019 aircraft and bases of the royal air force in june 1942.
Raf bomber command controlled the rafs bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Overviews like the individual aircraft histories will be of great use for amateur researchers. The aim of this site is simple, to perpetuate the memory of a generation of young men drawn from every part of britain its commonwealth and the dominions who served with no. This reflects the number of men in the unit and the various levels of responsibility. Raf bomber command night raid reports, raf bomber command loss cards 1939 1945. Royal air force operations record books 19111963 the national. An raf bomber command squadron commander was a wing commander, and in path finder force pff, where ranks were one higher than regular bomber command, a group captain. With firsthand descriptions of the experiences of aircrew from 1939 to 1945based on one hundred interviews with veteransand a harrowing narrative of the experiences of germans on the ground during the september 1944 bombing of darmstadt, bomber command is widely recognized as a classic account of one of the bloodiest campaigns in world war ii history. Raf bomber command during the second world war imperial war. Thus, bomber command and its relentless cinc, sir arthur harris. Raf rank structure varied according to the branch of the command.
The sites main aim is to perpetuate the memory of those who served and died with no. The raf split into bomber, fighter, coastal and training commands. This book contains a full quotation of the two paragraphs quoted here, and cites the source as albert speer. High degree of reader involvement in supplying information. In 1939 there were 6 groups in bomber command, 5 no 2 gp to no 6 gp the united kingdom and a sixth advanced air striking force aasf in france. It provides the reader with a myriad of facts and the opportunity to compare the records of a single squadron with another. More than 56,000 british and commonwealth aircrew and 600,000 germans died in the course of the rafs attempt to win the war by bombing. From 1942 onward, the british bombing campaign against germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian. Buy bomber command pan military classics main market by hastings, max isbn. During the second world war no 101 squadron served with bomber command, equipped initially with bristol blenheims, then vickers wellingtons and from september 1942 with the avro lancaster. Formed in august 1943 it operated until disbanded in august 1945. Number 9 squadron is the oldest dedicated bomber squadron of the royal air force. Early in 1942 101 squadron carried out trials with the gee navigation aid, which went some way to improve bombing accuracy. The squadron was created as part of 1 group bomber command from the detached c flight of 103 squadron also based at raf elsham wolds plus several more.
Royal air force bomber command allied air forces battle of normandy no 1 group bawtry hall. The squadron had stumbled in its journey, but it was just a stumble, as 100 torpedo bomber squadron metamorphosed into 100 bomber squadron in bomber command back in england at the end of 1942. It flew its first raid on 6 december 1942, and remained part of the main bomber force until late in 1943. Number of squadrons, locations and aircraft equipment in britain, africa, middle and far east. Its story is told as an inuniverse journal written by resistance gunner paige tico. I read it in preparation for an upcoming trip to lincolnshire, where there is a museum on bomber command. Im currently trying to get in contact with anyone, or any organization, that deals with the historical squadrons to see if it would be possible to get 52 squadrons emblem to cover the coffin during the ceremony, or anything else in fact. Now, a new book is shining a light on the story of the men aboard the lancaster that night. Made up of about 30 british commonwealth heavy bomber squadrons, a reduction of the original plan of about 1,000. Briefing for the crew of a heavy stirling bomber of the raf bomber command. Chris wards profile of 101 squadron is a comprehensive history of the unit through world war two and contains details of every aircraft operated between 1939 and 1945. 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. Ix squadron fought with raf bomber command in europe all the way through the second world war, took part in all the major raids and big battles, pioneered and proved new tactics and equipment, produced several of the leading figures in the great escape, such as les cookie long, as well as colditz inmates including the legendary medium sized man flight lieutenant dominic bruce obe.
Bomber command books is a community site from mention the war publications, a specialist in publishing and selling. Many of the senior officers in bomber command were experienced from world war one but none of them had experienced modern bombing as seen at guernica in the spanish civil war. Encyclopedia of modern royal air force squadrons, wellingborough, uk. Bomber command orgnisation during ww2rafcommands archive. He was a ww2 veteran, his squadron being, bomber command 52 squadron. Second world war royal air force 9 squadron raf bomber command 9 squadron raf museum. The unit flew on more bombing raids than any other squadron in bomber command, but suffered the highest casualties, with 1176 airmen killed in action. Bomber command is the companion book to the last jedi. Along with the united states army air forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of germany in world war ii. Jan 01, 1979 bomber command was one of his first books. The squadron reformed on 15 october 1957 as part of raf bomber command s v bomber force maintaining the uks strategic nuclear deterrent, equipped with avro vulcan b1s from raf finningley, and in 1961 the squadron moved from finningley to raf waddington where it remained until disbandment in 1982.
Raf bomber command aircrew of world war ii wikipedia. We specialise in publishing and selling books about raf bomber command in the second world war and related topics. Second world war fatalities, 467 squadron raaf, raf bomber. The history of 153 squadron, bomber command, october 1944.
Raf bomber command controlled the raf s bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Unlike stamp collectors and their knowledgeable breadth of history, when you pick up raf bomber command profiles. Buy 10 squadron raf bomber command profiles by chris ward, ian macmillan isbn. Raf bomber command battle order 1944 royal air force.
Hastings has a particular skill at weaving together the different aspects of a war such that one can see both the broad max hastings is arguably the top british war historian working today. It would later play its own role in that expansion when c flight was used to form no. Bomber command books is the sales site for mention the war ltd. Bomber command books from mention the war publications, merthyr tydfil.
Please remember when your asking for help or information that without your input the association will cease to exist. Even on the australian bomber command squadrons, which began. In 1942 he was appointed to command another wellington squadron, no 104, at kabrit in egypt. The following pages include copies in full or in part of log books i have managed to view and copy over the past few years. The book was published by studio fun international on december 15, 2017.
He also had direct communications with fighter command and the air ministry. It continued to carry out this role until it merged with no. Raf bomber command deserves to be remembered with honesty. Yates book came out somewhat later, but was, and is, remarkable for a first book written at the age of 77. Chris wards profile of 75 nz squadron is the longawaited, definitive and comprehensive wartime account of this wellknown and highlyregarded bomber command outfit. Bomber command suffered heavier casualties than any other raf command during the battle of britain, with a total of 718 personnel lost. Bristol blenheim iv aircraft of 40 squadron taxying at raf wyton, july 1940. The next available bomber command table of strength chart is for 29th may 1941, still with the same five groups, and all with twoflight squadrons apart from no.
Over the course of the war, it developed from a limited and relatively ineffective force into a weapon of immense destructive power. Raf bomber command controlled the rafs bomber force from 19361968. The squadron is still operational in the present day, flying the airbus voyager in the transport tanker role. When the lancaster came into service the squadron reequipped and joined 8 group and had the dubious reputation of suffering the third greatest loss of aircraft in bomber command. In 1939 raf bomber command had 23 operational bomber squadrons, with 280 aircraft.
Volume 5 raf bomber command squadron profiles 1 by ward, chris isbn. It did however participate in more lancaster raids than any other 8 group squadron. Sep 23, 20 bomber command s air offensive against the cities of nazi germany was one of the most epic campaigns of world war ii. It received a major slice of britains economic and technological resources, and many of its brightest and best. Royal air force bomber command december 1943 to september 1945. Raf bomber command was created in 1936 and comprised the rafs light and heavy bomber squadrons. Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the royal air force raf. On the 15th december 1942, 100 squadron reemerged at raf station waltham, close to grimsby, in lincolnshire, equipped with lancaster mkiii aircraft. The crews were men from the united kingdom, other commonwealth countries, and occupied europe, especially poland, france, czechoslovakia and norway, as. On the 30th may 1942 ten 101 squadron wellingtons took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid on cologne, but losses began. In june 1943 the squadron moved to raf ludford magna and then flew specially equipped lancasters fitted with airborne cigar ecm. Raf bomber command during the second world war imperial.
Dec 16, 2014 don charlwoods and miles tripps books caused sensations when they were first published, giving a personal and very direct view of what life was like in bomber command at different times in the war. List of royal air force aircraft squadrons wikipedia. Don charlwood, journeys into night, burgewood books, warrandyte. 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 production.
Manuals, notebooks and various instruction manuals. These are royal air force raf operations record books orbs, though the. There is a case to recognise the sacrifice of 55573 air crew, and to hold to account those who ordered them to kill so many. Our growing list of titles focuses on the aircraft, squadrons and above all the men and. On the 24th july 101 squadron lost its first wellington on another daylight raid against brest. The author examines bomber commands search for equipment and doctrine suitable to the war, in the process shedding much light on the politics of making war within the raf and the british government. In 1941 he dropped rank from squadron leader to flight lieutenant to join bomber command, and in december of that year joined no 458 raaf squadron flying wellingtons as a flight commander.