Bomber Command

Richard · #1 (**permalink**) February 26th, 2006, 09:28 PM

Can any one recommend a book on Bomber Command along the style of The Mighty Eighth which I got recently to complete my books in that area?

Martin Bull · #2 (**permalink**) February 26th, 2006, 11:13 PM

Sadly, there is no single book about Bomber Command which is in the same style, or as comprehensive, as 'The Mighty Eighth'.

One of the better general histories is Denis Richards' 'The Hardest Victory' ( Hodder, 1994 ), but you'll need a number of books to cover the same ground as Freeman did in his classic book.

Richard · #3 (**permalink**) February 26th, 2006, 11:56 PM

Thanks Martin Its a starting point.

TA152 · #4 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2006, 12:27 AM

I would recommend "A Thousand Shall Fall" by Murray Peden. It tells about a Sterling bomber pilot who later went to B-17's for 214 squadron. It starts from his signing up in Canada to the end of the war when he was shot at over Sweden. May be out of print but I saw it in paper back a few years ago.
Has some chilling numbers; over 55,000 were killed in RAF Bomber command alone. Fighter and training and Coastal Command also had many deaths. That is a small city of dead people. [img]graemlins/no.gif[/img]

Stevin · #5 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2006, 10:16 AM

Thanks for that title, TA. I was not aware of that book. I have been researching several 214 Sqn crews who crashed her ein Holland but have not run across this title yet.

Was Peden a US citizen?

Martin Bull · #6 (**permalink**) February 27th, 2006, 10:35 AM

Can I jump in here - because strangely enough I have a copy of the book here with me...

Murray Peden was a Canadian who became an important figure in Canadian legal circles post-war. The book is rightly regarded as a Bomber Command classic because it is very detailed and more 'literary' than many others. Peden is a superb writer and depply sympathetic to his fellow-flyers.

It was first published in Canada in 1979 and subsequently by the IWM in London - it can sometimes be tricky to find but there should be some on 'Bookfinder'.