Books: RAF Benson - A Diary of Wartime Losses

[Pierre Renier]

Dear All

Given my interest in all things photo recce, spotted this publication written by Richard Ottaway and printed by Speedman Press Ltd. Not seen a copy but have placed an order and hopefully it will be a good read. Will be interesting to see how extensive the coverage is and if it possibly even covers PR losses flown from other RAF stations such as St Eval or Wick amongst the appendices. I know that such queries pop up on the main forum almost every month.

Looks to be available from the usual online retailers and also direct from the publishers www.speedmanpress.co.uk at no extra cost for those lucky enough to be in mainland UK.

If anyone has had a chance to peek at a copy, would be interested on first impressions.

Regards
Pierre

[Andy Fletcher]

Hi Pierre,

I've got a copy waiting for me in the UK but I haven't been back to look at it yet. Like you I hope it covers losses for other stations that had PRU detachments but I've got a feeling it is Benson and satellite only.

Richard Ottaway was ground crew based at Benson during the war, unfortunately he never got his work published while he was alive. I understand it has been publshed now due to the efforts of his daughter.

If you get to see a copy before I do (not back in the UK until October at the earliest) I'd be very interested to hear what you think.

On a related note I did ask my mother (whose house the book is at) to look up the loss of F/S Wright on 17 Aug 42 (the subject of a recent thread) but unfortunately it gave no initials.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

[Pierre Renier]

Hi Andy

Still waiting on my copy to pitch up, however the banana boat only visits Guernsey once a week! ;) More seriously though, hopefully you'll like my clue on the main forum to F/S Wright's ID.

Another one for you library if not already there is V Weapons Hunt, Defeating German Secret Weapons. Written by Colonel Roy Stanley USAF (Ret'd), its about the behind the scenes efforts to defeat the V weapon menace. Looks to be a very good read and an inciteful analysis as to how events unfolded and how the whole history should be perceived by what was known in the 1940s and not with our huge benefit of hindsight.

A chunky volume, lashings of text and pics. More than a few hours to read!!

Cheers
Pierre

[Andy Fletcher]

Thanks Pierre,

I may have to add Stanley's book to my list. If it is a detailed analysis it no doubt covers the intelligence aspects comprehensively and more specifically the PR and TacR efforts.

Cheers

Andy Fletcher