Shot Down and on the Run: True Stories of RAF and Commonwealth Aircrews of WWII

by Graham Pitchfork

These extraordinary true stories retell the experiences of British, Canadian, Australian and other Commonwealth airmen who survived behind enemy lines. Based on first-hand accounts and the little known official debriefs, they evoke both the heroic characters and the hostile terrain they endured · The Halifax pilot shot down in northern Germany who walked and cycled over 1000 miles to safety in Barcelona · The Wellington crew who were rescued after a 400-mile, 28-day trek through an African desert · The pilot officer who fell in love with a Dutch resistance fighter; she was betrayed and sent to Ravensbruck, yet both lived to get married after the war Illustrated with rare photographs of evaders and their rescuers, the book also explores the organization and evasion by the shadowy Military Intelligence body MI9.

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Rick Brindle · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book does what it says on the tin, tells the stories of RAF and commonwealth aircrew who survived being shot down over enemy territory and made it back to friendly lines. The book covers all main theatres, Europe, middle east and far east.
All good so far, so why only two stars?
The problem is the narrative. The content is fine, and let's face it, that's what draws the reader in. Unfortunately, Graham Pitchfork's writing style leave a lot to be desired. Guys like Anthony Beevor and John Keegan have told us that it's really OK to write military history and still make it entertaining. Sadly, Graham Pitchfork writes as though he'd lecturing officers at the staff college and we're expected to take notes and cascade back to the chaps. At times also, the limited variety of vocabulary makes some of the stories a little difficult to follow, and, sorry to say, a bit boring and samey.
A shame, really, because we all like reading stories about blokes who went through exactly what is being written about in this book.

[Colin Kitchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thorough history of the airman who crashed but made it home on foot during WWII. Some of the technical stuff is tedious but the first hand accounts are brilliant. If u like Colditz or the great escape u will like this. The stories are set all over Europe and the Middle East. V original