I bought Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell as a present for myself last December and finally read it a couple of months back.
It tells the story of the female pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) which ferried thousands of aircraft throughout the UK during WWII.
Earlier this year the survivors were honoured with a long overdue special badge, and very recently Diana Barnato Walker sadly died.
I found this book to be a thoroughly engrossing read and have no hesitation in recommending it. [My friend Jim spotted that one photo is captioned as an Avro Anson but is clearly an Airspeed Oxford!]
Bomber Boys Fighting Back 1940-1945 by Patrick Bishop is a compelling book about the air crews of Bomber Command throughout WWII.
Many of the facts and figures quoted really do make sobering reading. It’s little wonder that two members of my family who were Bomber Boys said virtually nothing of their experiences.
As well as the crews stories it tells that of Sir Arthur Harris , who headed Bomber Command throughout this period.
This was a more weighty book to read but again I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in this period.
18 responses so far ↓
noreen // May 18, 2008 at 4:53 pm
I think I might look out for these - particularly the women - a little known group, I would think
Flighty // May 18, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Noreen hello! I’m sure that you’ll find it a fascinating book. I knew about the ATA but very little about its women pilots until I read it. xx
Glo // May 19, 2008 at 7:09 am
I have a couple of pilots in mind, that would love both of them. I must ask them if they’re familiar with the books. It’s always enlightening to learn more about topics of interest!
polythenepam // May 19, 2008 at 7:54 am
Me too - I love books that dig up forgotten history - sadly much of it seems to be about forgotten women - and challenge perceptions.
Flighty // May 19, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Glo they both had nothing but but good reviews. I certainly learnt things from both of them. xx
Flighty // May 19, 2008 at 4:30 pm
PolythenePam hello! The Spitfire Women book was a really interesting read, and will do that I’m sure! xx
Yolanda Elizabet // May 19, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I didn’t know there were British woman pilots during WWII, let alone Spitfire women, although I must admit that I spit fire from time to time too.
Grrrrrl power, I like it. It’s good that there’s a book written about them, we should all know about these things.
Cheerio!
Flighty // May 20, 2008 at 7:44 am
Yolanda there weren’t many, or nearly enough, in what was a very male orientated world.
If you read the book you’ll also see that it wasn’t only British women pilots but ones from around the world. xx
cafecortado // May 20, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I don’t know what would be worse - flying on a Bomber Command raid (where the survival rates were dismally poor) or manning a supply ship to Russia via the Artic route. There again, fighting the Japs in the jungle would hardly have been a picnic either. We sometimes forget how lucky we’ve been to have lived recently in (almost) constant peace in Europe and the UK. Sobering reading, indeed!
Flighty // May 21, 2008 at 6:28 am
Cafecortado I don’t think that there were any good choices, especially in those circumstances.
At least our armed forces personnel are not conscripted nowadays so it is their choice of profession.
Mildew // May 21, 2008 at 2:40 pm
“I love books that dig up forgotten history - sadly much of it seems to be about forgotten women - and challenge perceptions.”
Too true. I was on a bus going through Whitehall not that long ago with two boys behind me. They couldn’t have been older than 17. This is what their conversation was when we passed the women in WW2 monument:
B1: What do we need a monument for women for?
B2: Dunno. All they did was make bullets in the war.
I really wanted to turn around and tell them how wrong they were, but I just sat there and seethed.
Kids these days, etc, etc…
nikkipolani // May 21, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Flighty, your comment about your family members’ reticence speaks volumes about what they may have experienced. I remember your getting this book last year and am glad to see a little review of it.
Flighty // May 21, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Mildew hello! That monument is a fitting, and when unveiled just under 3 years ago long overdue, tribute to the 7 million women who did just about everything.
Unfortunately as time goes by such perceptions probably get stronger sadly! xx
Flighty // May 21, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Nikki I think that the bomber boys reticence was due to the unease felt by many once the war had ended and the civilian death toll and devastation due to the bombing campaign became known.
Thanks, I’m trying to do reviews of any books that I mention here. xx
beginninghere // May 22, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Thanks for mentioning these books, Flighty. I would really like to read them after I get through this heap at school. I LOVE history and these sound really worthwhile.
Flighty // May 22, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Beginninghere you’re welcome! I’ve never been that interested in history but do enjoy reading about aviation back to it’s earliest days hundred years ago.
Of these two Spitfire Women was the easier one to read, but both were worthwhile. xx
Louise // May 24, 2008 at 6:59 am
How courageous these women were and really do deserve these long awaited awards. Do the families of the other pilots who have since died, receive medals? They must have had determination to be accepted in what would have been thought of a most unsuitable occupation for a woman! x
Flighty // May 24, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Louise they were and they do! I wondered that but it’s certainly not clear if that’s the case. You’re right as it was very much a male preserve at the time! xx
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