The author is to be congratulated for giving readers a book that covers and adds significantly to a subject that has already been the focus of many other histories of those fateful months in 1940 and the disgraceful treatment of the two senior RAF leaders who did more to ensure that we can look back on the Battle of Britain as a deliverance. Dilip Sarkar provides a mass of detailed information to set out a clear analysis that explains how and why the Head of the Royal Air Force Fighter Command, Hugh Dowding and Keith Park, the Air Officer Commanding number 11 Group, that saw the most intensive air to air combat of the Battle of Britain, were unceremoniously removed from their commands soon after the day we now celebrate as Battle of Britain Day. The ‘Big Wing’ controversy is a topic most readers looking to this book will be familiar with. However, the shocking treatment of Dowding and Park by the ‘inner circle’ within the Air Ministry and the clique of senior officers and junior officers from their Cranwell days is shameful and little excused by reference to ‘different times’.
If there is one minor criticism it would be a suggestion that tabulated data might be better in an annex, rather than scattered through the text. The biographical passages, too, could be considered somewhat excessively detailed, but that is likely to vary from reader to reader in terms of previous knowledge of the key players.

Strongly recommended

Author & historian Dilip Sarkar published the book “Bader’s Big Wing Controversy: Duxford 1940” earlier this week. He has published ten books.

I categorize this book as ‘G’. The book looks at the Battle for Britain in 1940. In particular, the book focuses on the tactics in use by the RAF to challenge the German Luftwaffe and political skirmishing within the RAF. The air defense of Britain was divided into Air Groups 10, 11, and 12. Group 11 under the command of Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding had the responsibility of protecting London. Under his direction, the “Dowding system” of aircraft interception was developed. This system detected in-bound German aircraft then scrambled fighter units to intercept it.

RAF Group Captain Sir Douglas Bader was popular before WWII. He crashed in 1931 while performing low-flying aerobatics, which resulted in the amputation of both legs. He fought his way back and was finally allowed to fly again. He rejoined the RAF in October of 1939 as an active fighter pilot. He became the leader of the Canadian 242 Squadron, a part of 12 Group.

Bader became an advocate of the ‘Big Wing’. That is, gathering a large group of fighters to meet German aircraft. Dowding generally rejected this approach. 12 Group Commander Trafford Leigh-Mallory supported Bader. The tactical differences were not the only issue. There were those in the RAF, including Leigh-Mallory, that wanted Dowding removed from 11 Group.

I enjoyed the 9.5 hours I spent reading this 304-page WWII history. Several of the engagements between the RAF and Luftwaffe are described in detail. The book uncovers more of the political infighting within the establishment. The cover art is OK. I rate this book as a 4.2 (rounded down to a 4) out of 5.

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My dad introduced me to Douglas Bader through the film "Reach for the Sky" when I was very young (it was also the last film I ever watched with him), and I've never lost my admiration. Really, anyone who has watched the film should read this book as it gives a far more rounded picture of who Bader was and the events surrounding him. I'm sure my dad would have loved this book too - and he would have thoroughly enjoyed the photos, as I did. Brilliantly written, informative, and a darn good read!

My thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

As Dilip Sarkar says in his introduction, Douglas Bader became a household name and probably the most famous RAF pilot of WW2 through the Paul Brickhill biography Reach for the Sky, later made into a film with Kenneth More playing the lead role. Their portrayal of a determined, competitive individual who sought to excel at everything he ventured combined with an engaging personality and boundless enthusiasm is truly what heroes are made from. That is what makes this book a fascinating challenge for Sarkar, to piece together a compelling argument that Bader’s most notable contribution to the Battle of Britain (the concept of attack through multi squadron “big wings”) was not as successful as was claimed at the time. This he achieves with great skill compiling a forensic level of detail citing Air Ministry and Luftwaffe records, primary source documents and recorded interviews with some of the main actors. It becomes a compelling story covering, in detail, the plan of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding to defend the UK under attack from German bombers and Fighters in 1940. There is plenty of detail for the true WW2 fans on how this defense plan worked in action on a day-to-day basis. However, the real intrigue in the book is the background clash of personalities in the RAF Leadership eventually leading to a shameful outcome where the true heroes responsible for victory in the Battle of Britain are banished to the sidelines as others bask in the glory.