Hurricanes over Burma [Hardcover]

Matthew C. Cotton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1996

This is two books in one. The first, written by Monty "Bush" Cotton, gives details of his early years before reaching the UK and flying Hurricanes with 43 Fighter Squadron in 1941. There is then a more comprehensive account of the years Cotton spent in the Burma-India theatre, again on Hurricanes with, and eventually commanding, 17 Squadron. Examining the role played by a pitifully small RAF force flying over the jungle in face of chilling odds, Cotton analyzes his friends, enemies, flying tactics and feelings. "Bunny" Stone's memoirs form the second book - an account of his three-year tour with the RAF in the Far East and centred around over 30 drawings in pen and ink which he started in India after the first Burma campaign. Stone commanded 17 Squadron during that campaign and the retreat, and his is a highly personal story.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Grub Street the Basement; First edition (March 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 189869740X
• ISBN-13: 978-1898697404
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,414,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An air war often neglected, July 26, 2006

By 

Andy Wright (Melbourne, Victoria) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hurricanes over Burma (Hardcover)

Following Australian "Bush" Cotton through his early fascinations with flight to soloing in Australia and then being part of the first Empire Air Training Scheme group of cadets to graduate in Canada, the first combat action for the author is over England. The perils of flying at night in a single engined fighter are well described. Cotton is a confident man, confident in his abilities and in his demeanour but never to the detriment of others. He is promoted to flight leader largely through his skills. Transferring to 17 Sqn from the famous 43, Cotton ends up in Burma, again flying Hurricanes (often in company with the P-40s of the Flying Tigers) against the rapidly advancing Japanese. Cotton eventually goes on to command 17 Sqn and its conversion to Spitfires, spending almost three years in theatre.

The author does not mince his words and writes with a casual air. He writes of the mad scrambles to intercept incoming raids during the retreat from Burma detailing the continual losses and struggle to keep aircraft airworthy. Readers of this type of book would be familiar with the superiority of the Japanese aircraft at this time of the war. The bravery of the men who continued to face them is unsurpassed.

Although there are many books written by members of the "greatest generation" there are relatively few written by or about Australian airmen. In that respect, this is a rare book and well worth reading for a rare glimpse into a part of the WWII air war not often covered.