Aircrew Book Review: Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain

30 April 2015

Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain - now on sale in the UK

I'm afraid there is no full review for this month as I've been flat out with a few other projects and helping put the latest issue of Flightpath magazine to bed. Anyway, long-time ABR supporter Kristen Alexander has some exciting news - her latest book, Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain - is now on sale in the UK. It is published by Pen & Sword. This publisher makes some good, solid hardbacks but will have to be at the top of their game to match the sublime quality that was the 2014 Australian-published edition. Either way, you are guaranteed an excellent read. This will be one of the, if not the, top books released to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. There should be a review in the next issue of The Aviation Historian but, in the meantime, feel free to read, or re-visit, the full review published on ABR late last year.

For those in the UK, please note there is still a 5.00 GBP discount on the retail price of the book. Get in quick as it may not last too long. It is also available in Kindle and ePub formats.

All I can say is "enjoy" … and don't forget that this is the fourth book from this author. Although I regard it as her coming of age as an aviation biographer, her previous works are very much worth hunting down.

Clive Caldwell Air Ace

Jack Davenport Beaufighter Leader

Australian Eagles

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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

30 April 2015

Australia's Few and the Battle of Britain - now on sale in the UK

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