D-Day Bombers: The Veterans' Story : RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force Support to the Normandy Invasion 1944 [Hardcover]

Stephen Darlow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2004

D-Day Bombers: The Veterans' Story is largely an eye-witness account of the vital heavy bomber contribution to the success of the D-Day landings and therefore to the winning of the war in Europe. It is told using considerable first-hand experience from the veterans of the campaign, something not really covered in any other books on the subject, together with background information from primary source documents on the tactics and strategy employed before, during and after the invasion. Eight different aircrews, five RAF and three USAAF, tell widely differing stories of their part in the operations. Their vivid and dramatic accounts are supplemented by numerous contributions from other aircrew and ground crew veterans, army personnel and French civilians, which have been carefully gathered by Stephen Darlow from interviews with the participants and their relatives, through correspondence and contemporary diaries. Certain raids have been selected and described in detail and there are numerous previously unpublished photographs. As Winston Churchill wrote: '...This is no war of chieftains or of princes, of dynasties or national ambition; it is a war of peoples and of causes. There are vast numbers, not only in this island but in every land, who still render faithful service in the war, but whose names will never be known, whose deeds will never be recorded...' By meeting with the veterans themselves, Stephen Darlow has helped to record such deeds. Here is their story, sixty years on.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Stephen Darlow is the grandson of a Bomber Command pilot and author of two previous WWII books, Lancaster Down and Sledgehammers for Tintacks, both published by Grub Street.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Grub Street the Basement (June 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904010792
• ISBN-13: 978-1904010791
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,489,048 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Study on D-Day from the Air, November 16, 2004

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AdvanceBookReviews.com (Sunnyvale, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: D-Day Bombers: The Veterans' Story : RAF Bomber Command and the US Eighth Air Force Support to the Normandy Invasion 1944 (Hardcover)

Much has been written about D-Day, but D-Day Bombers: The Veterans'Story, offers eye-witness accounts of the contribution by heavy bombers without which, the success of the D-Day landings would have been in doubt. Author Stephen Darlow has meticulously interviewed eight different air crews (five RAF and three USAAF). As one might expect, their stories vary widely because each played a different role and experienced different events. Their recollections are vivid and often dramatic. Darlow supplements these accounts with recollections supplied by other crews as well as ground personnel and even French civilians. This is the first time on such a wide scale so many veterans have been interviewed for this subject, and the author presents the story smoothly and with style. Also included is a solid recounting of the tactics and strategy utilized by the Allies before, during, and after the invasion. Includes previously unpublished photographs, index. Highly recommended for all World War II / aviation interests, general interest and military-oriented libraries.