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Lancaster Target
Described as one of the best three books about life in Bomber Command during World War II, Lancaster Target is the classic story of one crew's fight to survive a full tour of operations in the night skies of wartime Europe. Flying Lancaster bombers from RAF Wickenby in Lincolnshire between 1943 and 1944, Jack Currie chronicles the life and death struggles against flak, night fighters and perilous weather with clarity and feeling, while capturing the live-for-the-moment spirit of off-duty escapades.
192 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 1977
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About the author
Jack Currie
25 books2 followersCurrie was born in Sheffield but moved as a child to Harrow, London. On leaving school he took a variety of jobs including being a cartoonist for the Harrow Observer and singer with a dance band. On the outbreak of war he volunteered for the RAF and having been successful in the aptitude tests was placed on the deferred service list. While waiting for his call up Currie found full time employment as a stretcher bearer/ambulance driver for Harrow council's rescue team, this was in addition to voluntary activity as an ARP runner.
Jack was called up in 1941 and after initial training was sent to the USA for pilot training under the Arnold Scheme. Narrowly avoiding being failed at primary flying school for low flying, Currie earned his wings and returned to the UK in late 1942 and was posted to Bomber Command with the rank of sergeant. With a crew assembled during the period at Operational Training Unit and final training at a Heavy Conversion Unit they were posted, in June 1943 to 12 Squadron based at RAF Wickenby. 12 Squadron had started the war flying the Fairey Battle and later the Vickers Wellington but since 1942 had been equipped with the Avro Lancaster. The crew consisted of one officer; the navigator, Pilot Officer Cassidy and six NCOs; Sergeant Currie (pilot), Flight Sergeant Myring (bomb aimer), Sergeant Walker (flight engineer), Sergeant Fairbairn (wireless operator), Sergeant Protheroe (mid upper gunner) and Sergeant Lanham (rear gunner). All were on their first operational tour, Cassidy, Myring and Lanham were Australian and the other four British.
Currie's first operation was as second pilot to one of the squadron's more experienced pilots on an bombing operation to Cologne on 3 July 1943, his first operation with his own crew was a mine-laying operation (known as "gardening") in the Bay of Biscay on 6 July 1943.
In August Jack was commissioned as a Pilot Officer (back dated to 4 July), the same month on a mission to attack Hamburg the Lancaster they were flying was caught in severe weather conditions, so bad that Currie did give preparatory instructions to bail out. The aircraft lost 10,000 feet (3,048 m) before Currie regained control and managed to fly the aircraft home despite the loss of aileron control. For this episode an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made to Currie, Cassidy and Lanham and the Distinguished Flying Medal to Fairbairn.
Soon after the crew took part in the raid on Peenemünde where they scored their only aerial combat victory, when Protheroe shot down a German night fighter.
Part way through the tour Currie and his crew became part of the newly formed 626 Squadron still based at Wickenby for the rest of their tour, which completed in early 1944. Lanham's tour finished slightly earlier as he had completed 9 operations before joining Currie and the rest.
After a period of leave Currie was posted to 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit based at RAF Blyton and qualified as an instructor flying the Handley Page Halifax. Promoted to Flying Officer (Probationary), he spent several months at Blyton before being posted to RAF Sandtoft.
After the war, Currie worked in civil defence and became an author of several works on the Second World War.
Jack was called up in 1941 and after initial training was sent to the USA for pilot training under the Arnold Scheme. Narrowly avoiding being failed at primary flying school for low flying, Currie earned his wings and returned to the UK in late 1942 and was posted to Bomber Command with the rank of sergeant. With a crew assembled during the period at Operational Training Unit and final training at a Heavy Conversion Unit they were posted, in June 1943 to 12 Squadron based at RAF Wickenby. 12 Squadron had started the war flying the Fairey Battle and later the Vickers Wellington but since 1942 had been equipped with the Avro Lancaster. The crew consisted of one officer; the navigator, Pilot Officer Cassidy and six NCOs; Sergeant Currie (pilot), Flight Sergeant Myring (bomb aimer), Sergeant Walker (flight engineer), Sergeant Fairbairn (wireless operator), Sergeant Protheroe (mid upper gunner) and Sergeant Lanham (rear gunner). All were on their first operational tour, Cassidy, Myring and Lanham were Australian and the other four British.
Currie's first operation was as second pilot to one of the squadron's more experienced pilots on an bombing operation to Cologne on 3 July 1943, his first operation with his own crew was a mine-laying operation (known as "gardening") in the Bay of Biscay on 6 July 1943.
In August Jack was commissioned as a Pilot Officer (back dated to 4 July), the same month on a mission to attack Hamburg the Lancaster they were flying was caught in severe weather conditions, so bad that Currie did give preparatory instructions to bail out. The aircraft lost 10,000 feet (3,048 m) before Currie regained control and managed to fly the aircraft home despite the loss of aileron control. For this episode an award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made to Currie, Cassidy and Lanham and the Distinguished Flying Medal to Fairbairn.
Soon after the crew took part in the raid on Peenemünde where they scored their only aerial combat victory, when Protheroe shot down a German night fighter.
Part way through the tour Currie and his crew became part of the newly formed 626 Squadron still based at Wickenby for the rest of their tour, which completed in early 1944. Lanham's tour finished slightly earlier as he had completed 9 operations before joining Currie and the rest.
After a period of leave Currie was posted to 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit based at RAF Blyton and qualified as an instructor flying the Handley Page Halifax. Promoted to Flying Officer (Probationary), he spent several months at Blyton before being posted to RAF Sandtoft.
After the war, Currie worked in civil defence and became an author of several works on the Second World War.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 7, 2016
My interest in Bomber Command was piqued by two brilliant novels I read last year about WWII pilots – the well-known A God in Ruins and the relatively unknown but equally as good The Way Back to Florence.
Jack Currie was the pilot of a Lancaster Bomber and this is his memoir of his experiences during WWII. The first thing to be said in its favour is how brilliantly Currie writes – he has a lyrical, self-deprecating style brimming with wit and sensibility. The surreal nature of the life these men lived is poignantly captured – one night larking about in a village pub or tucking into eggs and bacon in the regimental mess; the next flying through searchlights, a torrent of anti-aircraft guns over the heartlands of Nazi Germany while also being attacked by German fighter planes. No surprise then that the casualty rate in Bomber Command was almost 50%. Every night they took off they only had a 50/50 chance of returning to their beds.
Currie’s descriptions of his experiences are fantastically visual and vivid.
If the subject interests you I can’t recommend this too highly. An absolutely engrossing and inspired read.
Jack Currie was the pilot of a Lancaster Bomber and this is his memoir of his experiences during WWII. The first thing to be said in its favour is how brilliantly Currie writes – he has a lyrical, self-deprecating style brimming with wit and sensibility. The surreal nature of the life these men lived is poignantly captured – one night larking about in a village pub or tucking into eggs and bacon in the regimental mess; the next flying through searchlights, a torrent of anti-aircraft guns over the heartlands of Nazi Germany while also being attacked by German fighter planes. No surprise then that the casualty rate in Bomber Command was almost 50%. Every night they took off they only had a 50/50 chance of returning to their beds.
Currie’s descriptions of his experiences are fantastically visual and vivid.
If the subject interests you I can’t recommend this too highly. An absolutely engrossing and inspired read.
July 5, 2024
One of many WW II memoirs of British pilots I have read recently. In this case. Currie was a Lancaster pilot 1943 to early 1944 who, you might have guessed by now, completed his tour of 30 missions.
This book covers exclusively his Lancaster service (an earlier work covers training to become a pilot).
What makes this book stand out from, say the Spitfire and Typhoon pilot memoirs, is that his combat experience consisted solely of night missions, many over Berlin and other flak hot spots. Only once does he encounter German night fighters and only once does he have worrisome mechanical problems.
Thus, if you're looking for a seat-of-your-trousers gripping narrative of high drama over the night skies of Germany as searchlights strain to pinpoint bombers for the anti-aircraft batteries and night fighters swoop in blowing off bits of aircraft and wounding crew, then look elsewhere.
Rather, it is a story of the incredible kinship amongst the crew, their antics on and off-base between missions (fairly mild antics but amusing nonetheless), and a deep commitment to do their jobs, even knowing that the odds of completing a tour were low (1 in 7 when he started, 1 in 4 by the 15th mission).
There's a lot of quotidian (and funny at times) experiences and banter aboard the bomber. Oxygen lines freeze, gas is passed, navigational errors are made, props are feathered and so on.
At base, a lot of beer is drunk in the mess; leave is short and hard to enjoy due to poor pay. Over the course of 30 missions, it was not unusual for some craft to not return and hence friends are lost. Currie doesn't dwell too much on this and doesn't appear to have survivor's guilt. Commanding officers come and go (go as in - lost over Germany). There is certainly an air of professionalism on the part of the whole crew, Currie included. Perhaps that helped them survive. Or, maybe, just luck.
The weather is usually bad and could make for excitement in landing after a long mission (some went as far as Italy).
It all has the makings of a multi-part Masterpiece Theatre drama on PBS (or perhaps not, as Currie is circumspect over any relationships he had with women).
A few photos, no maps. Fairly short so you'll be done quickly.
Read this to round out your RAF memoir readings once you've done First Light or The Big Show: The Classic Account of WWII Aerial Combat.
This book covers exclusively his Lancaster service (an earlier work covers training to become a pilot).
What makes this book stand out from, say the Spitfire and Typhoon pilot memoirs, is that his combat experience consisted solely of night missions, many over Berlin and other flak hot spots. Only once does he encounter German night fighters and only once does he have worrisome mechanical problems.
Thus, if you're looking for a seat-of-your-trousers gripping narrative of high drama over the night skies of Germany as searchlights strain to pinpoint bombers for the anti-aircraft batteries and night fighters swoop in blowing off bits of aircraft and wounding crew, then look elsewhere.
Rather, it is a story of the incredible kinship amongst the crew, their antics on and off-base between missions (fairly mild antics but amusing nonetheless), and a deep commitment to do their jobs, even knowing that the odds of completing a tour were low (1 in 7 when he started, 1 in 4 by the 15th mission).
There's a lot of quotidian (and funny at times) experiences and banter aboard the bomber. Oxygen lines freeze, gas is passed, navigational errors are made, props are feathered and so on.
At base, a lot of beer is drunk in the mess; leave is short and hard to enjoy due to poor pay. Over the course of 30 missions, it was not unusual for some craft to not return and hence friends are lost. Currie doesn't dwell too much on this and doesn't appear to have survivor's guilt. Commanding officers come and go (go as in - lost over Germany). There is certainly an air of professionalism on the part of the whole crew, Currie included. Perhaps that helped them survive. Or, maybe, just luck.
The weather is usually bad and could make for excitement in landing after a long mission (some went as far as Italy).
It all has the makings of a multi-part Masterpiece Theatre drama on PBS (or perhaps not, as Currie is circumspect over any relationships he had with women).
A few photos, no maps. Fairly short so you'll be done quickly.
Read this to round out your RAF memoir readings once you've done First Light or The Big Show: The Classic Account of WWII Aerial Combat.
July 15, 2022
A fantastically written and well detailed first hand account of a tour in Bomber Command- it is both valuable for its insight and very enjoyable to read
August 19, 2025
I started off struggling a little with this book, the language and writing style being very from the era. But the more I read the more it started coming naturally.
Was really interesting to read what it felt like for a pilot of the time, getting the events from that perspective and seeing the camaraderie of the crew throughout the tour. I can’t imagine a life like that where you get sprung into flying a tank of a machine with a load of random people that in the end you’d remember for life.
Was really interesting to read what it felt like for a pilot of the time, getting the events from that perspective and seeing the camaraderie of the crew throughout the tour. I can’t imagine a life like that where you get sprung into flying a tank of a machine with a load of random people that in the end you’d remember for life.
March 16, 2021
Excellent read
One of the best books on the subject I have ever read. Well written and entertaining, I would recommend it.
One of the best books on the subject I have ever read. Well written and entertaining, I would recommend it.
March 29, 2024
Excellent read. Brilliant insight to the crews that fly the Lancaster.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews