Searching for a good read...

[OJ 72]

I would echo sorvad's recommendation for 'No Moon Tonight'. When I was the 'Tame Crab' (sic) attached to an Army Brigade HQ, I lent the Brigadier a copy and he said that it was probably the best book about the RAF in WWII that he had ever read.

However, in 1991 Don Charlwood brought out a 'companion piece' if you will to 'No Moon Tonight' entitled 'Journeys Into Night'. This book expands on the experiences recounted in the earlier book, but, more than that, it is a sort of 'gloves off' version of 'No Moon Tonight'. By that I mean when 'No Moon Tonight' was first published in 1956 wartime memories were still raw and Charlwood, necessarily, bowdlerised some of his experiences; he even admitted that some of the names had been altered to protect individual sensitivities. However, by 1991 he believed that the time was right for a full and frank retelling of his wartime 'journey' (pun entirely intentional) hence he re-structured 'No Moon Tonight' and, 'Journeys Into Night' was the result.

I thoroughly recommend both books to anyone with an interest in wartime flying in general, and Bomber Command in particular!

PS... the fact that Don Charlwood was a Navigator in no way influenced my endorsement!! Honest...