‘The story and description of life on an operational base ‘bang on’ . . . . . . attack sequences gut wrenching . . . . . . the gamut of death, destruction and loss of close friends made good and descriptive reading . . . . . . a lot more descriptive of action than many others I have read . . . . . . . . . . . . brings back memories both good and not so good’Peter Henderson, former Bomber Command air crew member
The Story of a young Australian, a country boy from New South Wales. He was one of the many thousands who journeyed to Canada to train as a fighter pilot. He was good, very good, finally joining 66 Squadron RAF in Belgium at the end of November 1944.
The German High Command was desperate. They needed fuel and more time, believing their Vengeance Weapons could still turn the tide for them. From numerous bases they were firing thousands of V1 flying bombs and V2 rockets against targets in Britain and Holland. In the bitterly cold winter of 1944 came the Battle of the Bulge, a massive surprise attack against the Western Allies. Their lines crumpled but did not break. They fell back, held the line, then slowly moved forward.
Winter gave way to Spring. The snows began to thaw and the skies to clear. With the weather improving, came the reckoning. The Russian Armies were advancing relentlessly from the East. In the West, the Allies had amassed a mighty invasion force. It crossed the Rhine and surged forward. The war ravaged and depleted Germany could not stand in the face of this onslaught. It was a country facing total chaos and defeat. Our young Australian was caught up in this frantic drive to victory.
Front cover image of Flight Sergeant Les Streete, flying a MkXVI Spitfire in hot pursuit of a V1 flying bomb over the bleak and grey winter landscape of Holland.
