An outstanding book about a Bomber Command pilot, William (Bill) Meyer, and his crew members during the Battle of the Ruhr in WW2. The author has clearly put a lot of effort into researching the histories of the main character and the men that he flew with, on his terrifying operations into Germany and occupied Europe.

I have a massive amount of empathy for the bomber crews, my Father served as a Wireless Operator in a Lancaster during the same campaigns as Bill. He only just survived his designated tour, after many near fatal operations, which I discovered in his log book. Like most veterans, he hardly ever spoke about his missions, but his stories of the RAF selection process and life off-duty totally aligned with the author’s descriptions.

Luella Langevad, the author, is a skilled, passionate, writer who fully understands the bravery of these extraordinary airmen who risked their lives on a nightly basis. She puts a human sensitive touch into her descriptions of the crews.

I wont reveal Bill's secret, because it my spoil the plot!

What a riveting account of what the RAF Bomber personnel endured during the war. The horrors and terrible conditions they were able to overcome was inspirational. A great account that should be read by all.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

At 31, Bill Meyer was nearly too old to volunteer to be an RAF pilot. He did so because he knew better than most what they fought against in Germany. His parents were German citizens. His father likely committed suicide in 1938 to avoid internment like in the last war.
The RAF was the only means of attacking Germany directly before 1944, and the odds of survival for airmen were dismal. Yet Bill flew, and died in Germany in March, 1944.
The final chapter details the search for information about Bill and his RAF career. Lengthy descriptions of all the details give a total picture of life for the airmen in Bomber Command.