The Crowded Hours

The remarkable story of Wing-Commander Lionel Cohen who at the age of sixty-nine served as the oldest aircrew member of the RAF in World War Two. Throughout his long life Cohen was never too far from adventure. He fought in four wars for four different monarchs, and served not only in the air force but also in the army and the navy.

Anthony Richardson's thrilling account of Cohen's unique life should be essential reading for all who enjoy books by Damien Lewis, BenMacintyre and James Holland.

As a young boy Cohen had been sent to South Africa to calm his adventurous spirit, but shortly after he arrived the First Matabele War broke out and, still a teenager, he went off to serve for Queen Victoria in his first war.

The Crowded Hours charts the course of Cohen's life from this initial conflict through the Boer War, which he served as a special force commander behind enemy lines, and World War One, when he fought on the forgotten front of East Africa against General Von Lettow's men, through to the Second World War in which he was twice Mentioned in Despatches and received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service during seventy operational flights.

'He was an inspiration to all of us, in the Headquarters and in the squadrons. One just could not keep him out of the air. ... A wonderful culmination to a life of daring adventure which this book describes so well.' John Slessor, RAF Coastal Command Commander-in-Chief

Cohen was a man who seemed to live a hundred lives, his inspiring story is proof that age should be no barrier to adventure.