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Australian Hawk Over the Western Front: A Biography of Major R S Dallas DSO, DSC, C de G Avec Palme
Major Roderick Dallas is Australia's leading air ace of all time and, with fifty victories, also one of the highest-scoring Commonwealth aces.
Even so, until this excellently researched volume, there has never been a full biography of this exceptional pilot, whose fighting career spanned from 1916 to 1918. Flying Nieuport Scouts, Triplanes and Camels with the RNAS and RAF, he was an ever-present threat over the Western Front and the scourge of the German Air Force.
Hellwig's book has been taken principally from primary sources (Dallas' own letters, log book and service record, in addition to squadron record books, combat reports and contemporary accounts), and his resulting conclusions will surprise many. Here is a fitting tribute not just to Australia's greatest war hero of the air but to a man any country would be proud to call their own. It will be read avidly by all those interested in WWI history.
REVIEWS:
"very thorough...works hard at showing many discrepancies between various records, other books and letters written." - Over the Front, 09/2009
Even so, until this excellently researched volume, there has never been a full biography of this exceptional pilot, whose fighting career spanned from 1916 to 1918. Flying Nieuport Scouts, Triplanes and Camels with the RNAS and RAF, he was an ever-present threat over the Western Front and the scourge of the German Air Force.
Hellwig's book has been taken principally from primary sources (Dallas' own letters, log book and service record, in addition to squadron record books, combat reports and contemporary accounts), and his resulting conclusions will surprise many. Here is a fitting tribute not just to Australia's greatest war hero of the air but to a man any country would be proud to call their own. It will be read avidly by all those interested in WWI history.
REVIEWS:
"very thorough...works hard at showing many discrepancies between various records, other books and letters written." - Over the Front, 09/2009
192 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2006
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July 30, 2021
Books like this tend to follow a format of comparing official records, logs, and journal entries and that's exactly what this is. Interesting to read an early account of the RNAS and how this Australian found his mark in WW1. Well researched and engaging.
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