Piece of Cake - Geoff Taylor
 

Anyone know of this book? I picked it up years ago as an ex-library discard. I've just re-read it, and it is a fantastic read: a perceptive and eye-opening account of an Aussie RAF Lanc pilot shot down & captured with most of his crew.

What concerns me is that someone appears to have written derogatory comments at points throughout the text, which have then been scribbled out or tipp-exed over. However, I can make out things like "I don't believe the bit where he tries to take the plane" or, "Aussie fantasy!". Does anyone know if Taylor has been dis-credited for any part of the book? I found it such an interesting and poignant read that I would hate to think of any part of the story being added or changed.

To mods: I wondered whether to put this on Av. H. & N. instead, but the apparently high incidence of RAF historians here made up my mind!. I've no objection to your moving it if you think it should be.

Is this the book that the BBC based a TV series on some time ago?

I seem to remember the TV series was not well received and I certainly was unable to finish the book.

The TV series was based on a novel by Derek Robinson. Whilst it had the same title, I don't believe that the book is the same one.

The TV series 'Piece of Cake' was about a Hurricane Sqn in France during the German offensive early in WWII. The Sqn Cdr was a complete tit - quite realistic, really. MOD didn't like the script and refused help via BBMF - portrayed RAF in a bad light.

Some wonderful flying shots - particularly the opening shot in the intro of Ray Hanna RIP flying under the masonry arch bridge.

Ah, TY for that. I knew what I was refering to was 100% genuine, diehard cr*p.

http://www.ofmc.co.uk/images/PieceofCake.jpg
(Pic from the OFMC tribute page for Ray)

Have seen that photo a few times. The one man who could make it look easy.:ok:

On the wrong track!
 

Sorry guys - this book was written in 1956! Long before Derek Robinson's book.

I thought Robinson's book was pretty good; there was a follow-up, based in the Western Desert called (I think) A Good, Clean Fight - also a good read. Many people had a problem with the ITV series (still available on DVD) as it seemed to portray the pilots in a bad light (shooting down allied aircraft, taking kit from dead comrades' rooms etc), but Robinson always said that his intent was to show that they were just ordinary people, not superhuman, and that the incidents were all based on true stories. I spoke to one BoB veteran who thought it was fairly true-to-life.

There was also criticism that the TV series had Spits, not Hurricanes; there were of course no Spits based in France in 1940. The producers quite rightly said that, at the time of filming (1989), there were far more Spits flying than Hurricanes; if it were to be made now, you could probably do it with Hurricanes and CGI. Unduly harsh criticism, I feel, from folks who wanted to knock the show in any way they could.

Well, it is included as follows on the 207 Sqn website:

Piece of Cake - Geoff Taylor (Peter Davies, 1956)
Shot down on 18th October 1943, this is an account of Geoff's POW activities.

So I imagine he, and his story, are genuine.....

A bit off thread as we're all now talking about the Robinson book / TV series.
I was glad to read your comments, snapper, as I too thought the TV series was realistic in its portrayal of the sqn pilots. I hasten to add I'm not a BoB veteran, but I was on a squadron at the time and remember being able to identify TV 'types' with 'types' among my colleagues. Squadrons are not full of clean cut, agreeable heroes - sometimes there are some real pains.

And don't let anyone tell you that the "mad CO" is a fiction. I can think of at least 2 definites and a few borderlines.

This Spitfire was being flown by the late Ray Hannah IIRC. Canopy open, must have been some ride!

[quote=kevmusic;2977068]Anyone know of this book? I picked it up years ago as an ex-library discard. I've just re-read it, and it is a fantastic read: a perceptive and eye-opening account of an Aussie RAF Lanc pilot shot down & captured with most of his crew.

my dad...says THE HOLLOW SQUARE.. a novel by the same author..same publisher ... was also a brilliant read...:D check that out if you like bomber stories...lancasters over germany...

he says you wo'nt want to put it down.

gear up.

the dean.

I sometimes think I'm talking to myself on this site. :rolleyes:

Lost Bombers: Lancaster LM326 EM-Z

This aircraft was one 350 Lancasters ordered from A.V.Roe (Yeadon) as Mk.111s except for the first ten as Mk.1 (LM301-LM310), delivered from Oct 42 to Oct 44. Mk.1s had Merlin 20 engines and Mk.111s Merlin 38 engines initially installed. LM326 was was delivered to No.207 Sqdn 31 May 43.

LM326 took part in the following key Operations:
Dusseldorf 11/12 Jun 43;
Bochum 12/13 Jun 43-aborted;
Peenemunde 17/18 Aug 43;
Berlin 3/4 Sep 43;
Hannover 18/19 Oct 43-Lost When lost this aircraft had a total of 267 hours.

LM326 was one of two No.207 Sqdn Lancasters lost on this operation. See: W4276

Airborne 1716 18 Oct 43 from Spilsby. Cause of loss not established. Crash landed 2030 onto the Reim-Reinerbaech Arzen Road, SW of Hamelin.

F/S G.Taylor RAAF PoW
Sgt D.J.Duff PoW
Sgt A.G.McLeod PoW
Sgt C.R.Smith RCAF PoW
Sgt A.R.Burton PoW
Sgt W.Worthington PoW
F/S W.J.McCarthy RAAF PoW

Sgt A.R.Burton was interned in Camps 4B/L3. PoW No.261241 with Sgt W.Worthington, PoW No.259927.

Sgt D.J.Duff in Camps 4B, PoW No.263669 with F/S W.J.McCarthy, PoW No.259887, F/S G.Taylor, PoW No.259915 and Sgt C.R.Smith, PoW No.261188.

Sgt A.G.McLeod in Camp L1. No PoW No.

Dean - thanks to your Dad for the info. I've looked it up on Amazon & there are a couple of copies.........:ok:

Orac, that's a great bit of work! In the book Taylor is unsure whether Duff survived the bale-out. From this info it appears he did.

Erm yeah,

my bad! My skim reading never was that good!:ugh:

From a fellow POW at the same camp:

http://www.nymcam.co.uk/key29e.htm

OK,

I haven't read this, but does the story go along the lines of:

He gets shot down with his crew and survives behind enemy lines until the end of the war on a single piece of cake?:confused:

Sounds like a great movie in the making:}