Allied Operations in Europe in World War II

Philip Kaplan & Jack Currie

Book Description

For much of World War II, England provided the only Western European base frm which forces could take their war into Nazi-occupied Europe and Germany. The American Eighth and Ninth Air Forces struck enemy targets by day at great distances, often on raids of eight or nine hours duration, whilst the RAF flew most of its demanding missions at night.

This highly illustrated book conveys what it was like for pilots, aircrew and ground crew during their wartime service. It not only takes the reader on typical USAAF and RAF raids, but it also depicts the work of mechanics and fitters as they struggled to keep battered aircraft airworthy. It shows how medics coped with the countless wounded who returned from raids and looks at the places where airmen relaxed within the various bases or in the local villages and towns.

It includes period and later images of the bases, memorials and relevant locations in Britain, France and Germany. It is a vivid and powerful human expression of the bomber airman's wartime experience.

Review

Two established authors, Philip Kaplan and the late Jack Currie DFC (1921-96) unite once again to produce a rare compilation which successfully brings together RAF Bomber Command and the USAAF Bomb Groups under one cover.

The book reflects the efforts made by the Allied Forces in keeping everything flying and air-crew fit and available for operations by day (USAAF) and by night (RAF). However, it also encompasses the work of a variety of other personnel required to keep a bomber station operational, from the camp cinema, the medics (showing as an example, an extract from the sick-bay log of Grafton Underwood which details the typical aftermath of an operation), mechanics, armourers and a host of other trades, whose work tends to have until now, been relegated to second place. Naturally anecdotes include those centered around the local 'watering hole' - held in particularly high esteem for most air-crew during their off duty time. Although a number of the photographs have previously been used by Philip in previous publications, they are just as relevent here and, combined with the addition of numerous new photographs, do enhance the overall content. 60 or more years later, with many of the bomber airfields having been demolished or left to succumb to the ravages of time, these distant memories and photographs are fast becoming all that remain to tell the stories of the bravery behind the memorials that are left.

Many 'then and now' photographs, memorials, airfields, wartime posters and 'Instructions for American Servicemen in Britain' add to the interest.