Progress With CC Losses Volume 2 & 3

[Oldduffer]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Thank you for your contributions, both on this site and elsewhere, regarding Admiralty Codes. I am grateful for the explanations and as you will doubtless have guessed, I had no understanding of them before.

After some thoughts about these codes, I propose to take the coward’s way out and not try to continue that aspect of Ross’s work at present. There are, to my mind several reasons.

First, I have transferred the accident/loss records from the spreadsheets given me by Ross. Where there is a position quoted, I have used that position and don’t think I can better or add to that in the current climate.

Second, these codes seem to have limited coverage and do not represent what I will call a ‘globally recognised’ unit of measure. It does seem strange that the RAF was using RN codes which the latter were not.

In summary, I think the 80/20 rule might apply and in this case would introduce an unwelcome delay, which I wish to avoid.

I much appreciate your continued interest and if anyone has the full story of the 201 Sqn maintenance boat which sank at Castle Archdale on 14 Oct 42 drowning nine airmen, I should be grateful to hear it.

Colin

[Oldduffer]

As promised, I wanted to keep you up to speed with “Coastal Command Losses – Volume 2”.

In essence the manuscript for that volume is complete and contains three sections of losses: 1942, 1943 and USAAF and USN losses with CC. There are the usual organisation charts and some sections dealing with things like the formation of the Strike Wings. The list of U-boats, sunk in the period by aircraft or in combination with ships, this is still proving difficult despite almost 80 years having passed. I have, however, made a stab at it but have offered some caveats!

Air Britain’s publications team held a meeting several weeks ago and appointed Geoff Negus to be the editor.

As to the next volume (Vol 3) , I have taken the basics of Ross’s work and have collected through various other sources, a total of 720 aircraft losses, not including USN aircraft. This covers the period 1 Jan 44 to 8 May 45 and after the latter date, the losses ought to be available in: “The Price of Peace”. This leads me to think that coastal training losses and the wider maritime and ‘out of area’ losses could make a further volume, possibly split into two parts. At the moment the Air/27 records are free to download and so I shall be cracking on with that part soonest. There are a few issues with Air/27 and the way the NA has digitised the records but there are also issues with the basic and very variable standards of the original compilations – but too late to do anything about that now!

Colin Cummings

[paulmcmillan]

Thanks for update - Colin I have sent you an email Paul

[Alex Smart]

Hello Colin,
Any chance that the book will be available for Christmas ?

[Oldduffer]

The book is finished as far as I am concerned and within the next few days the draft will go to Geoff Negus at Air Britain who is the appointed editor.

I hope that the manuscript will be generally acceptable to A/B and Ross and I have both agreed our positions re the commercial aspects of the project.

With Covid smashing into everything, there will be some things I want to hold over to volume 3 and I believe that it is important to get the book into the public domain as soon as possible. Until I know what remains before the final sign off, I can't give a forecast but Christmas Day is still 5 months away but I accept that is not long in these things.

I've already started with some stuff for Vol 3 and will be pressing on with that ASAP.

Colin Cummings

[Oldduffer]

Ladies & Gentlemen,

I am pleased to tell you that the draft/manuscript for Coastal Command Losses – Vol 2 is now with Air Britain, who agreed to produce the book.

It is proposed that the ‘touch and feel’ of the tome will be similar to Vol 1 and also the book on Mid East bomber losses, which A/B published recently.

At this stage, I cannot say when it might be published because I am not privy to A/Bs methods but I will keep you aware of progress and thank you again to those who have encouraged this project, as well as those who helped with information etc.

Whilst the book is under scrutiny with A/B, there is a gap in my life! I could take up gambling, strong drink or chasing after unsuitable and much younger ladies: or I could get on with Volume 3, which will cover 1944 to mid-1945 and the training schools. As I already do the Lottery, drink too much and am outpaced by the aforementioned ladies, Vol 3 seems the safest option and I am already looking at over 700 losses. If anybody would like to take on the Fleet Air Arm losses within Coastal Command – the job’s yours!

Embracing the new normal – whatever that means

Colin Cummings

[CZ_RAF]

Colin thank you for great news!
If you will have any "white gaps" regarding 311 Sq while working on Volume 3, I will be always happy to help.

Pavel

[PeteS]

Is it possible to pre-order Colin ? I'll buy a copy now
cheers
PeteS

[Oldduffer]

PeteS
Sorry for the delay in responding - been elsewhere for a couple of weeks.

The book is now in the hands of Air Britain, who will edit and produce it and thusfar I have no details about how they intend to do this, although they have appointed an editor to manage their side of the task. It does seem A/B wants something which looks and feels like Vol 1 and I did ask for copies at cost price to distribute to those who have helped.

I'm cracking on with Vol 3 - ever fearful that the RAF 540s/541s will start being charged for again. That said, the 541s are VERY VERY variable in all manner of ways!

Colin

[paulmcmillan]

Colin emailed you a copy of the 2 US Navy losses in the just issued Volume 6 of US 8th and 9th Air Forces losses