Heroes of Bomber Command - Yorkshire

This is the story of the heroes of Bomber Command in Yorkshire - brave young men who came from all over the world to join Yorkshire squadrons during World War II. The exploits, lives, and in all too many cases deaths of these men, have left a powerful torch to bear for everyone who cares about freedom.

Yorkshire was home to Bomber Command’s 4 Group, which had operational bases at Pocklington, Elvington, Melbourne, Full Sutton, Breighton, Holme-on-Spalding Moor, Driffield, Lissett, Snaith, Burn and Leconfield. At the beginning of 1943 they were joined by 6 Group, manned almost entirely by the Royal Canadian Air Force, with bases at Linton-on-Ouse, East Moor, Tholthorpe, Leeming, Topcliffe, Dalton and Skipton-on-Swale, with another two bases at Middleton St George and Croft in County Durham.

From these airfields, young men, all volunteers with an average age of 22, flew dangerous and often suicidal missions into the dark, cold, smoke-filled skies above Germany.

Between 1939 and 1945, Bomber Command suffered no less than 55,888 fatalities from a total of 100,000 men. Yorkshire squadrons alone lost 18,000 aircrew. During this time, 21 Victoria Crosses were awarded to members of Bomber Command, three of which went to men serving in Yorkshire.

In this meticulously researched, fully illustrated book the author describes the air war in Yorkshire, and the young men who flew night after night against desperate odds.

The subject is brought to life with detailed accounts, alongside photos of the men themselves and their aircraft.