A Thousand Shall Fall: The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War TwoOne of the finest war memoirs ever written. During World War II, Canada trained tens of thousands of airmen under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Those selected for Bomber Command operations went on to rain devastation upon the Third Reich in the great air battles over Europe, but their losses were high. German fighters and anti-aircraft guns took a terrifying toll. The chances of surviving a tour of duty as a bomber crew were almost nil. Murray Peden’s story of his training in Canada and England, and his crew’s operations on Stirlings and Flying Fortresses with 214 Squadron, has been hailed as a classic of war literature. It is a fine blend of the excitement, humour, and tragedy of that eventful era. |
Contents
1 | |
15 | |
29 | |
4 Service Flying Training School | 58 |
5 Convoy | 91 |
6 Boumemouth Leave English Map Reading | 110 |
7 No 20 Pilot Advanced Flying Unit | 147 |
8 Operational Training Unit First Phase | 166 |
14 Farewell to the Stirling | 316 |
15 The Americans Conquer the RAF | 337 |
16 Return to War With New Weapons | 365 |
17 The Move to Oulton and Blickling Hall The Invasion | 375 |
18 Gelsenkirchen | 386 |
19 Phantom Fleets and Other Weapons | 413 |
20 Operations The Secondary Toll | 424 |
21 Closing Glimpses Mainly Pleasant | 450 |
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Common terms and phrases
214 Squadron aerodrome aeroplane afternoon Air Force aircraft aircrew American approach attack began Billy Bishop Blickling Hall bombaimer Bomber Command bombing called carried Cessna Cranes Chedburgh Chipping Warden climbed cockpit course crew bus Downham Market drome dropped engine exercise eyes F Fox fact feet fire five flak flare flash flew flight commander Flight Lieutenant Flight Sergeant flown Fortress Freddie Taylor front Gelsenkirchen going ground gunners half hand head heavy instructor intercom knew Lancaster landing later looked Mackie Main Force McGlinn mess miles minutes morning navigation night fighter Officer Oulton Peden Penkuri Penky pilot Plate pulled RCAF roll Royal Air Force runway Shotteswell side signal Skipper solo speed Squadron Leader Stan starboard station Stirling Strecker Sywell target taxied thought throttle told took train trip turn WAAF walked window Wing Commander Wingco wireless operator yards