A Bundu Boy in Bomber Command: Memoirs of a Royal Air Force Lancaster Pilot from Rhodesia [Paperback]

DFC William Dives (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 7, 2003

The memoirs of a boy from Central Africa who becomes captain of a Lancaster bomber in WWII.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Born 22nd March 1924 at Que Que (now called Kwe Kwe) Southern Rhodesia (now called Zimbabwe.) Raised and educated in Salisbury (Harare) Joined the Royal Air Force May 1942 and qualified to wear the flying badge March15th 1943. Trained on N.American Harvard Posted to England July 1943 Converted to multi-engine aircraft. Wellington, Stirling, and Lancaster. Posted to No 44(Rhodesia) Squadron R.A.F. No 5 Group Bomber Command August 25th 1944 with a seven English crew members. Together they completed 36 missions over France Germany and the Baltic Sea. Demobilized in October 1945. Entered Witwatersrand University 1946 to study Agriculture. Joined the Southern Rhodesia Civil Service and Married June 1949. First son born February 1950 Returned to an aviation career with Central African Airways 1951 Second son born July 1951 Daughter born November 1952 Reverted to the agricultural profession 1956. Divorced 1957. 1959 joined a large fertilizer company as an agronomist (agricultural advisor) and remarried. After 18years with the company accepted a managerial post with an American Tobacco company working in Portugal. Transferred the company to the Azores in 1976 and engaged in raising tobacco, for eight years before retiring to live in England in 1983. As the Zimbabwe Government devalues the Z$ to the £ by over 100% it became necessary to seek employment to supplement the decreasing Zimbabwe pension. From 1985-1993 six month contracts were made with International Tobacco Companies for consultancy work to improve tobacco quality in China, Thailand and the Philippines. Second wife died 1999. Now living permanently in France

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing (April 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1553958799
• ISBN-13: 978-1553958796
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,199,559 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)