Failed to Return: Canada's Bomber Command Sacrifice in the Second World War

Failed to Return: Canada's Bomber Command Sacrifice in the Second World War PDF Author: Keith C. Ogilvie
Publisher: Heritage House
ISBN: 9781772033816
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
A compelling look at the stories of fifteen Canadians killed in the line of duty while serving in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, one of the most dangerous assignments in the Second World War. Royal Air Force Bomber Command was one of the most dangerous divisions for Allies serving in the Second World War. Despite the risks, the opportunity to fly was seen as exciting and glamorous, attracting a steady stream of young volunteers. Of the some 40,000 aircrew who served in Bomber Command, 45% were killed in action. Nearly 10,000 Canadians were among those who perished. Failed to Return tells the stories of fifteen Canadian flyers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Many of the stories in this book are heroic, like those of two Canadian participants in the famous Dambusters raid, while others are simply tragic, describing staggering losses where entire aircrafts and crew disappeared without a trace. At its core, Failed to Return presents these individual accounts as an illumination of, and memorial to, the unique lives that lay behind the dreadful statistics.

Failed to Return: Canada's Bomber Command Sacrifice in the Second World War

Failed to Return: Canada's Bomber Command Sacrifice in the Second World War PDF Author: Keith C. Ogilvie
Publisher: Heritage House
ISBN: 9781772033816
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 288

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Book Description
A compelling look at the stories of fifteen Canadians killed in the line of duty while serving in the Royal Air Force Bomber Command, one of the most dangerous assignments in the Second World War. Royal Air Force Bomber Command was one of the most dangerous divisions for Allies serving in the Second World War. Despite the risks, the opportunity to fly was seen as exciting and glamorous, attracting a steady stream of young volunteers. Of the some 40,000 aircrew who served in Bomber Command, 45% were killed in action. Nearly 10,000 Canadians were among those who perished. Failed to Return tells the stories of fifteen Canadian flyers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Many of the stories in this book are heroic, like those of two Canadian participants in the famous Dambusters raid, while others are simply tragic, describing staggering losses where entire aircrafts and crew disappeared without a trace. At its core, Failed to Return presents these individual accounts as an illumination of, and memorial to, the unique lives that lay behind the dreadful statistics.

In Our Youth

In Our Youth PDF Author: Angus Scully
Publisher: Heritage House Publishing Co
ISBN: 1772034223
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 178

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Book Description
A fascinating, photo-rich exploration of early aviation in Canada, told through the backstories of pilots who flew, fought, and risked their lives in the First World War, through the interwar period, and beyond. In Our Youth explores the lives of thirty-two young Canadian military and civilian flyers, viewed through the medium of archival photography. All of these young men were pilots in the First World War, a time when flying was pure adventure and danger. Some of them were from humble origins, some from elite families, some became heroes, one was cowardly, and most have now faded from our attention. However, all embraced the romance of flight and the danger of war. Although much of the book is focused on military experiences—including the mental stress and injuries faced by pilots who had barely reached adulthood—the book looks beyond war, examining the fascinating world of civilian aviation from 1908 to 1941. Featuring long-hidden photography uncovered from provincial archives, confidential military records, and precious family collections, this book covers the lives of many young Canadians who made important contributions as they flew and fought in what seem today to be the flimsiest of machines.

Reap the Whirlwind

Reap the Whirlwind PDF Author: Spencer Dunmore
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 470

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Book Description


Failed to Return

Failed to Return PDF Author: Bill Norman
Publisher: Leo Cooper Books
ISBN:
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 216

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Book Description
Operations and losses of a British and a Canadian air group operating from Yorkshire.

Through Footless Halls of Air

Through Footless Halls of Air PDF Author: Floyd Williston
Publisher: GeneralStore PublishingHouse
ISBN: 9781896182445
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 344

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Book Description


Under the Maple Leaf

Under the Maple Leaf PDF Author: Ken Cothliff
Publisher: Fighting High
ISBN: 9780993212918
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
The Canadian contribution to the Second World War Allied bombing campaign, from the first days of the war to the last, proved instrumental in securing the defeat of Nazi Germany. Author and historian Ken Cothliff has pieced together the extraordinary stories of four Canadian volunteers who chose to fly 'Under the Maple Leaf'. There was no mandatory conscription in Canada. They chose to serve their country and the British Commonwealth in it's time of greatest need, and the choice was theirs and theirs alone. Reg Lane joined Bomber Command relatively early and was in action by the autumn of 1941, rising from NCO pilot to become a 'Master Bomber' with the elite Pathfinder Force. Jim Moffat, the 'Evader', ended his flying combat career after twelve operations, becoming a fighter on the European mainland with the Resistance. Steve Puskas's comprehensive diaries and unpublished writings provide an extraordinary insight into his training as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, an experience familiar to many Commonwealth and British air crew. Bill Gracie, a Scot who had emigrated to Canada as a boy, was keen to take up the fight when the war began, with the sole aim of becoming aircrew. Sadly, he was one of the 55,573 Bomber Command aircrew, of which over 10,000 were Canadian, who never returned home. These young men volunteered three times; once to join up, the second time to go overseas, and the third to become aircrew. All came from different backgrounds and found life in the air force very different. With the exception of one man, all came home with their lives radically changed for ever. The debt owed to the people of Canada can never be forgotten. Ken Cothliff's 'Under the Maple Leaf' is the story of a few of Bomber Command's many young Canadian aircrew, all of whom made their contribution to the eventual victory over tyranny.

A Thousand Shall Fall The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two

A Thousand Shall Fall The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two PDF Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
One of the finest war memoirs ever written. During World War II, Canada trained tens of thousands of airmen under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Those selected for Bomber Command operations went on to rain devastation upon the Third Reich in the great air battles over Europe, but their losses were high. German fighters and anti-aircraft guns took a terrifying toll. The chances of surviving a tour of duty as a bomber crew were almost nil. Murray Peden’s story of his training in Canada and England, and his crew’s operations on Stirlings and Flying Fortresses with 214 Squadron, has been hailed as a classic of war literature. It is a fine blend of the excitement, humour, and tragedy of that eventful era.

Lifting the Silence

Lifting the Silence PDF Author: Sydney Percival Smith
Publisher: Dundurn
ISBN: 1554887747
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 258

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Book Description
At a time of great sacrifice in Canadian history, we are welcomed into the homes, the hearts, and the minds of mothers, sons, fathers, and friends as we follow Syd Smith and his high-school brotherhood of 13 when they answer the call to duty in 1941. Written with his son, David, Lifting the Silence is also a father-and-son journey of discovery that uncovers a remarkable letter that serves as testament to what still defines Canada today. Postmarked "France August 1946," the fragile letter bares the soul of a people beaten down by cruel times and extols their admiration and gratitude for Canada as a nation of spiritual and economic resources that helped them out so much during the war. Within the letter as well, a heartfelt and strikingly prophetic expression of hope to once again receive the downed pilot they had sheltered in 1942. As if by Providence, this letter now serves to reunite Syd with his angel of the French Resistance 61 years later.

Four Who Dared

Four Who Dared PDF Author: Kenneth B. Cothliff
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781772032949
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"The sacrifice of Canadian soldiers in the Second World War was staggering. Over the course of the conflict, more than one million Canadians served in the Canadian Army, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Airforce, and in forces across the British Commonwealth, including the Royal Airforce. More than 44,000 Canadians were killed in the war, and more than 54,000 were left wounded. In Four Who Dared, author and historian Ken Cothliff lifts four Canadian volunteer pilots out of obscurity, highlighting their personal stories and acts of heroism. The four pilots in this book were unknown to each other, but they are forever united in their quest to serve their country and its allies in an unprecedented hour of need. Reg Lane joined British Bomber Command relatively early in the War, rising from NCO pilot to become a Master Bomber with the elite Pathfinder Force. Jim Moffat ended his flying combat career after twelve operations, becoming a Resistance fighter on the European mainland. Steve Puskas's comprehensive diaries and unpublished writings provide extraordinary insight into his training as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, an experience familiar to many Commonwealth and British aircrew. Bill Gracie, a Scot who had immigrated to Canada as a boy, was keen to take up the fight when the war began, with the sole aim of becoming aircrew. Sadly, he was one of the over ten thousand Canadian Bomber Command aircrew who never returned home. Equal parts riveting and humbling, Four Who Dared is a must-read for anyone interested in delving into the lives and sacrifices of our unsung Canadian heroes."--

Bomber Command Battle of Berlin Failed to Return

Bomber Command Battle of Berlin Failed to Return PDF Author: STEVE. BOND
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780993415272
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
'Tonight you are going to the Big City. You will have the opportunity to light a fire in the belly of the enemy that will burn his black heart out.' The message from Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command Sir Arthur Harris was clear. As the Second World War continued into a fifth year, the airmen of Bomber Command were to fly deep into hostile airspace and bring the war direct to the German Nazi capital Berlin. From the autumn of 1943 to the last days of winter in early 1944, during the hours of extended darkness, the bomber crews braved the flak, the searchlights, enemy night fighters and extremes of weather, to bombard the 'black heart'. Prior to the all-out campaign against the 'Big City' Sir Arthur Harris firmly believed his bomber force could break the German will to wage war, but he also prophesied that 'It will cost us between 400 and 500 aircraft'. Fighting High Publishing brings together acclaimed Bomber Command historians to tell the story of some of the thousands of airmen who failed to return from operations as part of the 1943 and 1944 Bomber Command Battle of Berlin. The authors, utilizing family archives, personal testimony and records, wartime memoirs, diaries and letters, witness recollections, logbooks, and official documents, piece together the remarkable, yet ultimately tragic events surrounding the losses described. Illustrated throughout with previously unpublished black and white and color photographs Bomber Command Battle of Berlin Failed to Return ensures the memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice is kept alive. 'We Will Remember Them'.