- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Pen & Sword Aviation; illustrated edition edition (22 Mar 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1844154858
- ISBN-13: 978-1844154852
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 507,668 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
 Trade In this Item for up to £2.25
Trade in Black Night for Bomber Command - The Tragedy of 16 December 1943 for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £2.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Plus, get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
"I am not pressing you to fight the weather as well as the Germans, never forget that." So wrote Winston Churchill to Arthur Harris, the Commander-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command, after the terrible events of 16 December 1943. In the murky dusk almost five hundred heavy bombers, almost entirely Lancasters, set out for Berlin from their bases in eastern England, from north Yorkshire to southern Cambridgeshire. They lifted off at around 4 pm to bomb the target four hours later and were expected to return at midnight. 328 aircrew lost their lives that night - they were the victims of the weather, not the Germans. This book relates the tragic circumstances of individual crews as they struggled to find their home bases in low cloud and fog. It also includes stories from the local people who remember hearing a low-flying aircraft and all too often the frightful explosion as it struck unexpected high ground or even trees. Some rescue attempts were successful, but for most aircrew it was death in a blazing wreck. Many of the crash sites have been explored by the author as he tried to imagine exactly how each aircraft came to grief. It contains many photos of aircraft as they were and the remaining impact areas that remain to this day.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Richard Knott's book on that the tragic events back in 1943 `feels right' I suspect that the huge amount of research that went in to this title was a labour of love.
The style of writing will appeal to both those who have an interest in Bomber Command as well as a wider readership. In several of the chapters the reader is put in the position of those whose lives were affected and in many cases lost on that black night.
The biggest enemy that night was not the Luftwaffe but the British weather.
The author not only researched the book by conventional means and the interviewing of survivors but visited the locations concerned and by doing so has given the reader the right feel of what it was like at the time.
Both well illustrated and written I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
A fitting tribute to those young men whom Bomber Harris referred to as his `Old Lags' who made the final sacrifice not over Germany but so close to Home.
Martin Foley
The style of writing will appeal to both those who have an interest in Bomber Command as well as a wider readership. In several of the chapters the reader is put in the position of those whose lives were affected and in many cases lost on that black night.
The biggest enemy that night was not the Luftwaffe but the British weather.
The author not only researched the book by conventional means and the interviewing of survivors but visited the locations concerned and by doing so has given the reader the right feel of what it was like at the time.
Both well illustrated and written I would not hesitate to recommend this book.
A fitting tribute to those young men whom Bomber Harris referred to as his `Old Lags' who made the final sacrifice not over Germany but so close to Home.
Martin Foley
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Its taken me a few months to get round to reading this fine book As soon as I started reading it I was back at Bourn on that dark damp foggy night, its difficult to put into words the atmosphere one felt in the very early hours of the Friday morning when the Bombers were due to return. I remember standing at our dispersal point waiting and waiting, you could hear the drone of the Lancasters engines as they circled trying to find a gap in the fog to get down, and for so many, time ran out as the fuel in their tanks diminished to zero. Richard Knott describes everything so well in his book. I can only relate to 97 squadron as we lost so many wonderful young guys, it was the squadrons worst night, not through enemy action, but lousy British weather and bad weather prediction by whom I know not..What this book reminded me of was the bravery of these young aircrews. Names come back to me with clarity and some of those who managed to get down were to lose their lives very shortly afterwards on similar raids to Berlin. I was ground crew, a flight mechanic, these guys although of higher rank than me were friends, and many of my friends who were ground crew shed many tears that night.We mixed well with our aircrews, trouble was we would just get to know them well, and then suddenly they were gone, and a day or two later you were introduced to a new young crew.---how long would they last--that was the question. In most cases, not very long. I recommend this book. When I'm asked, what period of your life was the best. This book is the answer. I learnt trust,comeradeship and loyalty AND I learnt about sadness.
Des Evans ex.97
Des Evans ex.97
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The two previous reviews really say it all, but I had to add a comment. Jennie Gray's earlier 'Fire By Night' told the tale of just one aircraft lost on this awful night, and now this book is a worthy companion volume ; telling as it does the full story. Richard Knott's book is a masterpiece of personal research with many rare photos and documents included. The story of Bomber Command in WWII is a huge subject - by focusing on the events of just one night, Mr Knott helps us understand the dangers and terrors faced by those young men.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Was this review helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > History > Britain & Ireland
- Books > History > Europe > Germany
- Books > History > Military History > Armed Forces > Air Forces
- Books > History > World History > World War II 1939-1945 > Battles & Campaigns
- Books > History > World History > World War II 1939-1945 > Origins
- Books > Reference > Transport > Aviation
- Books > Science & Nature > Engineering & Technology > Military & Naval > Military Aircraft
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
