Aircrew Book Review: Ted The Lad

05 June 2011

Ted The Lad - Ted Cachart

It never ceases to amaze me how many stories are out there. As far as I'm concerned all are worthy of publication be it in a magazine or the 'complete' treatment - a book (or, in the case of someone like Terence O'Brien, a trilogy!). Considering the story detailed below, it was quite a surprise to speak with Ted Cachart earlier this year and discover he and a friend had set up their own publishing house to ensure their stories got out there.

Ted and his partner-in-crime, John Ward, are perhaps best known for their No. 49 Squadron history Beware Of The Dog At War (now in its second printing). It is Ted's time with 49, and his RAF career beforehand, however, that has only recently been made known through the publication of Ted The Lad. The sub-title could not be more apt - A Schoolboy Who Went To War - as Ted "accepted the King's Shilling" and became an aircrew trainee a month before his sixteenth birthday!

Trained as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, he and his crew became POWs on their seventh op after their Lancaster collided with another in the first few days of January, 1944. While all of the men we read about were way too young, having access to a boy's perspective of the bomber crew experience must surely be unique?

While not a new book by any means, this is certainly one to consider. Visit the JoTe Publications page or email Ted direct tedtheladATtiscali.co.uk

2 comments:

Susan at FrugaldomOctober 08, 2011 3:27 am
This is one book I am going to have to read after hearing so much about Ted Cachart.

Did you know he has now teamed up with World War II Heritage to help veterans or their widows/widowers and carers apply for lottery funding through the Heroes Return 2 scheme?

He secured funding to make his own return trip to Avignon & Nice, so he's now trying to spread the word that the scheme ends in January 2012. He's even offering his free help with form filling & general advice about accessing funds.

The email address I have for him is info @ worldwartwoheritage .com as per the World War Two Heritage website.

He's some man, quite the entrepreneur, it seems! I can't wait to read his book. Did you enjoy meeting him?
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Andy WrightOctober 08, 2011 3:50 pm
Ted struck as a man who would want others to experience what he did when he went to France. I thank you for taking the time to post about his new and beneficial venture.

I haven't met him. We shared a couple of international phone calls earlier this year.

Thanks

Andy
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Welcome

Welcome to one of my silly ideas. I have been an avid reader of aircrew memoirs from the Second World War for as long as I can remember (not counting the various other interests that I have flitted to over time). I started collecting titles as found on Amazon but in the past few years have concentrated on books about the members of the RAF, FAA and Commonwealth air forces. I still maintain an interest in the operations of the USAAF, USN, Luftwaffe and Japanese forces but, as an Australian, you can probably understand where my heart lies!

Around about 2000, when I started collecting in earnest, I stuggled to find vast amounts of books on the subject. For those of you in the know this is a ridiculous thing to say as there are thousands of titles on the RAF alone.

In the past four or five years I have been fortunate to make some excellent friends in the UK and Australia who have helped broaden my knowledge of what's available and, in some cases, spend my money for me. In doing so, I have also corresponded with and met several authors and gained some insight into what it takes to put a well-researched book together. One of these days I hope to do the same but for the time being writing reviews and the occasional article will see me through as I gather what I need.

I have worked as a journalist in the past and run my own online magazine which was very time consuming and eventually led to another blog which is much easier to maintain. My interest in the aviation of the Second World War began with a school library book on The Battle of Britain when I was nine. Numerous plastic models, museum visits, magazine subscriptions, movies and Commando comics later I branched out into books like Squadron Signal's 'In Action' series (cheap for a teenager) and generalist titles covering certain aircraft. My first memory of a memoir (ha) was an oldish, secondhand copy of Alex Henshaw's superlative Sigh for a Merlin bought at a primary school market - incidentally, still the best Spitfire book I have ever read. I devoured it and although I haven't read it since (early 1990s) I can still vividly remember many of Alex's adventures testing this greatest of aircraft. One of these days I'll read it again.

My time as a journalist proper was short-lived as I had to make some decent money but it followed time as an accountant, truck driver and recruitment researcher. As of March 2010, I have stepped into commercial accounting which is a different kettle of fish and certainly not all spreadsheets and numbers (to be honest, the best job I have ever had).

Throughout my various incarnations I have maintained a fascination for what aircrew experienced during the war. I have been fortunate enough to meet several veterans and have even worked alongside some on a couple of major aircraft restorations down here in Australia. To a man I have found them friendly, modest and, at times, wondering what all the fuss is about. A gross generalisation perhaps but any variance would be understandable considering what they lived through. I know I could certainly not have done what they did in their late teens/early 20s. Fortunately, I have not had the opportunity to prove this otherwise and that's largely because of what these men (and women) sacrificed for what we have today.

Each book is a pleasure to read (even the not-so-great ones) and I try to convey what each is like to read without giving the game away too much. I also endeavour to let you know when or where I bought my copy and where it is available now as I try to review a mix of old and new titles (basically whatever takes my fancy at the time although when review copies come in, these take precedence). Honesty is at the core of everything I write on here so if something doesn't sit right with me or I feel it affects the 'experience' of the book, I will mention it.

Please feel free to recommend titles I may not be aware of or that you think would complement a reviewed title.

Cheers

Andy Wright