Airmen of Arnhem

Airmen of Arnhem PDF Author: Martin W. Bowman
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1526746123
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 467

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Book Description
A history of the airborne portion of Operation Market-Garden during World War II, from the perspective of the airmen fighting the battle. Martin Bowman presents an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation Market-Garden in September 1944. Market-Garden was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses—both airborne and ground forces—in killed, wounded, and missing amounted to more than 17,000. “Market,” the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation “Market,” 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft. This is narrative is punctuated with stories of individual heroism such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem—the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar, and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX U.S. Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator resupply crews. All their incredible, illuminating, and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror, and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalized view of “Market” and are complemented by the author’s background information that give an overall picture of each air operation.

Airmen of Arnhem

Airmen of Arnhem PDF Author: Martin W. Bowman
Publisher: Pen and Sword
ISBN: 1526746123
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 467

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Book Description
A history of the airborne portion of Operation Market-Garden during World War II, from the perspective of the airmen fighting the battle. Martin Bowman presents an unparalleled account of events as they unfolded in the skies above Holland during Operation Market-Garden in September 1944. Market-Garden was a heroic failure conducted at great cost; combined losses—both airborne and ground forces—in killed, wounded, and missing amounted to more than 17,000. “Market,” the airborne part of the operation, spanned ten Allied lifts in a calamitous nine days of operations, often in foul weather. Over the course of Operation “Market,” 4,050 aircraft saw employment; most of them towed the 1,205 Hamilcar and Horsa gliders and were confronted by an unknown number of Luftwaffe aircraft. This is narrative is punctuated with stories of individual heroism such as that of David Lord, a RAF Dakota pilot who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. There is no doubting the gallant and valorous contribution of the airmen of Arnhem—the RAF Dakota, Stirling, Halifax, Albemarle, Horsa, Hamilcar, and Glider Pilot Regiment crews together with those of the USAAF C-47 Troop Carrier Groups of the IX U.S. Troop Carrier Command, the Waco and Horsa gliders, and the B-24 Liberator resupply crews. All their incredible, illuminating, and often understated accounts of extraordinary courage, camaraderie, shared terror, and encounters with the enemy offer a more personalized view of “Market” and are complemented by the author’s background information that give an overall picture of each air operation.

Arnhem 1944

Arnhem 1944 PDF Author: Martin Middlebrook
Publisher: Stackpole Books
ISBN: 0811708268
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 546

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Book Description
* Exciting overview of the World War II battle made famous by the classic movie and book A Bridge Too Far * Boots-on-the-ground story of British paratroopers fighting off Germans in Holland during Operation Market Garden * Masterly analysis of why the operation failed * Draws from the personal experiences of more than 500 participants * Written by an accomplished military historianMartin Middlebrook has written numerous works of military history, including the classic The First Day on the Somme (978-1-84415-465-4). He lives in England

Air Force Combat Units of World War II

Air Force Combat Units of World War II PDF Author: Maurer Maurer
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1428915850
Category : United States
Languages : en
Pages : 520

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Book Description


Journey's End

Journey's End PDF Author: Kevin Wilson
Publisher: Weidenfeld & Nicolson
ISBN: 0297858238
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 487

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Book Description
'A brilliant insight into life in the air and on the ground' Observer In February 1945, British and American bombers rained down thousands of tons of incendiaries on the city of Dresden, killing an estimated 25,000 people and destroying one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The controversy that erupted shortly afterwards, and which continues to this day, has long overshadowed the other events of the bomber war, and blighted the memory of the young men who gave their lives to fight in the skies over Germany. Journey's End neither condemns nor condones the bombing of Dresden, but puts it in its proper context as part of a much larger campaign. To the young men who flew over Germany night after night there were other much more pressing worries: the V2 rockets that threatened their loved ones at home; the brand new German jet fighters that could strike them at speeds of over 600mph. They lived life at a heightened tempo during these final unforgiving months of the bomber war when no quarter was given on either side. As the climactic volume in Kevin Wilson's acclaimed bomber war trilogy, Journey's End chronicles the brutal endgame of a conflict that caused such devastation and tragedy on both sides.

Airmen Behind the Medals

Airmen Behind the Medals PDF Author: Graham Pitchfork
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1473874289
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 303

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Book Description
Of the many human characteristics, few evoke greater admiration and respect than gallantry in the service of one's country. Here, Graham Pitchfork describes the outstanding bravery of twenty-one air men who served in the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. These accounts encompass most theaters of operation as well as a host of aircraft types and aircrew categories. Accounts of the gallantry of those who served on the ground in support of flying operations are also relayed in this substantial anthology. rnrnThe book explores the gallantry of airmen who fought in a variety of contexts, including that band of men who are so often forgotten, the Burma veterans. A gallant RAF sergeant and an RAF doctor who cared for and inspired fellow prisoners in Japanese camps are both included here, as are stories relating the extreme bravery of a Fleet Air Arm pilot, a Pathfinder pilot and a Typhoon wing leader.rnrnThe valorous acts of these airmen serve as inspirational examples to a new generation of flying men and women. Graham Pitchfork extracts the drama and poignancy of their tales, enlivening them to great effect in this riveting publication that is sure to appeal broadly to enthusiasts of the era.Links End Links Author End Author

It Never Snows in September

It Never Snows in September PDF Author: Robert J. Kershaw
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781910809617
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 448

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Book Description


Airmen's Incredible Escapes

Airmen's Incredible Escapes PDF Author: Bryn Evans
Publisher: Pen and Sword Aviation
ISBN: 1526761734
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 419

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Book Description
Harrowing true stories of WWII Allied airmen who were shot down and survived, with maps and photos included. Allied air power made a major, arguably decisive, contribution to victory in the Second World War both in the European and Pacific theaters. But the cost in men and machines was horrific, with Bomber Command suffering 50% aircrew casualties. While many perished, others—shot down over enemy territory or water—survived only after overcoming extraordinary danger and hardship. Their experiences often remained untold, not just for the duration of the war but for many years. In this book, Bryn Evans has gathered together a wealth of unpublished stories from airmen of many nationalities, be they British, Commonwealth, or American. Some involve avoiding or escaping from capture, others surviving against all the odds, braving extreme elements and dodging death from wounds, drowning, or starvation. Importantly, the accounts of those who survived the battle in the skies cheating the enemy and the grim reaper give us a chilling insight into the fate of the many thousands of brave young men who were not so fortunate. The result is an inspiring and gripping read which bears testimony to human courage and resilience.

A Pride of Eagles

A Pride of Eagles PDF Author: Beryl Salt
Publisher: Helion and Company
ISBN: 1908916265
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 857

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Book Description
This is the story of military aviation in Rhodesia from the romantic days of 'bush' flying in the 1920s and '30s-when aircraft were refueled from jerrycans and landing grounds were often the local golf course-to the disbandment of the Rhodesian Air Force (RhAF) on Zimbabwean independence in 1980. In 1939 the tiny Royal Rhodesian Air Force (RRAF) became the first to take up battle stations even before the outbreak of the Second World War. The three Rhodesian squadrons served with distinction in East Africa, the Western Desert, Italy and Western Europe. At home Rhodesia became a vast training ground for airmen from across the Empire-from Britain, the Commonwealth and even Greece. After the war, Rhodesia, on a negligible budget, rebuilt its air force, equipping it with Ansons, Spitfires, Vampires, Canberras, Hunters and Alouettes. Following UDI, the unilateral declaration of independence from Britain in 1965, international sanctions were imposed, resulting in many remarkable and groundbreaking innovations, particularly in the way of ordnance. The bitter 'bush war' followed in the late 1960s and '70s, with the RhAF in the vanguard of local counterinsurgency operations and audacious preemptive strikes against vast guerrilla bases in neighboring Mozambique, Zambia and Botswana and as far afield as Angola and Tanzania. With its aging fleet, including C-47 'Dakotas' that had been at Arnhem, the RhAF was able to wreak untold havoc on the enemy, Mugabe's ZANLA and Nkomo's ZIPRA. The late author took over 30 years in writing this book; the result is a comprehensive record that reflects the pride, professionalism and dedication of what were some of the world's finest airmen of their time. The late Beryl Salt was born in London in 1931. She emigrated to Southern Rhodesia in 1952 to get married in Salisbury, where her two sons were born. In 1953 she joined the Southern Rhodesian Broadcasting Services (later the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation, the RBC). With a love of history she wanted to find out as much as she could about her new country. This interest led to radio dramas and feature programmes, followed by several books: School History Text Book, The Encyclopaedia of Rhodesia and The Valiant Years, a history of the country as seen through the newspapers. She also produced a dramatized radio series about the Rhodesian Air Force. In 1965 she left the RBC and spent three years with the Ministry of Information, following which she was a freelance writer/broadcaster involved in a wide variety of projects until 1980 when she moved to Cape Town. She died in England in November 2001.

The Long Road

The Long Road PDF Author: Oliver Clutton-Brock
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing
ISBN: 1909166200
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 384

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Book Description
This book is firstly a testament to those of many nationalities who found themselves imprisoned at Stalag Luft VII, Bankau (Luft 7 for short) in Upper Silesia, the Luftwaffe’s last prisoner of war camp. Having survived the trauma of action against, and capture by, the enemy, some as far back as 1940, they came from France, the Low Countries, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Poland, the Balkans, Italy, Hungary, the Mediterranean and other seas, and from North Africa. Many of their experiences and adventures have never been documented before. It is also the complete history of their prisoner of war (POW) camp, Luft 7, told in full detail for the first time, a camp that existed for barely thirty-two weeks from its opening in early June 1944 to its closure in mid January 1945.

The Crucible of War, 1939-1945

The Crucible of War, 1939-1945 PDF Author: Brereton Greenhous
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
ISBN: 9780802005748
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 1148

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Book Description
The RCAF, with a total strength of 4061 officers and men on 1 September 1939, grew by the end of the war to a strength of more than 263,000 men and women. This important and well-illustrated new history shows how they contributed to the resolution of the most significant conflict of our time.