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Air Battle for Dunkirk, 26 May–3 June 1940: 26 May - 3 June 1940
A gripping account of the Royal Air Force's daring exploits during the heroic evacuation of Allied troops from France in World War II.
"Where is the RAF?" was the oft-quoted question asked by soldiers waiting on the beach at Dunkirk, to where they had retreated following the German blitzkrieg through northern France, and where they were now being pounded by the Luftwaffe. The air forces were there, as Norman Franks proves, detailing the outstanding achievements of the Allied pilots who fought, using outmoded tactics, against enemy pilots who had earlier had easy victories over the Polish, Dutch and Belgian air forces. The RAF's achievement reminds us just how close Britain came to disaster in June 1940.
"An absorbing read, which vindicates the RAF." --RAF Historical Journal
"Leveraging mission logs and splicing firsthand written accounts, the narrative is both cohesive and seamless. The details are incredibly rich, yet not burdensome." --Air & Space Power Journal
"With the recent release of the blockbuster film on the same subject, Franks' recounting of the air battle for Dunkirk is timely for those who left the movie theater wanting more . . . Air Battle for Dunkirk is recommended for those who loved the film and wanted more context. This book is especially recommended for those who are interested in aviation history." --Nicole Granados, Picture This Post
"Where is the RAF?" was the oft-quoted question asked by soldiers waiting on the beach at Dunkirk, to where they had retreated following the German blitzkrieg through northern France, and where they were now being pounded by the Luftwaffe. The air forces were there, as Norman Franks proves, detailing the outstanding achievements of the Allied pilots who fought, using outmoded tactics, against enemy pilots who had earlier had easy victories over the Polish, Dutch and Belgian air forces. The RAF's achievement reminds us just how close Britain came to disaster in June 1940.
"An absorbing read, which vindicates the RAF." --RAF Historical Journal
"Leveraging mission logs and splicing firsthand written accounts, the narrative is both cohesive and seamless. The details are incredibly rich, yet not burdensome." --Air & Space Power Journal
"With the recent release of the blockbuster film on the same subject, Franks' recounting of the air battle for Dunkirk is timely for those who left the movie theater wanting more . . . Air Battle for Dunkirk is recommended for those who loved the film and wanted more context. This book is especially recommended for those who are interested in aviation history." --Nicole Granados, Picture This Post
- GenresWorld War II
296 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1983
12 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Norman L.R. Franks
110 books8 followersNorman Leslie Robert Franks was an English militaria writer who specialised in aviation topics. He focused on the pilots and squadrons of World Wars I and II.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 9, 2017
A really good reference guide, documenting the RAF action day-by-day from the 26th May to the 3rd June 1940. Not the most thrilling read if you read straight through it (like I did), but incredibly comprehensive.
I was taken aback by how many kiwi fighter pilots were involved in the evacuation (especially as there were no ANZAC troops in France as far as I know) - I counted 13 in all mentioned, they were (more for my reference than anyone else's): G.M. Simpson, V.B.S. Verity, F.N. Clouston, A.E. Clouston, K.E. Newton, H.D. McGregor, E.W. Whitley, R.M. Trousdate, K.R. Park (AVM), A.C. Deere, C.F. Grey, W.G. Clouston, and at least one unnamed, although he could have been any one of the above list.
I was taken aback by how many kiwi fighter pilots were involved in the evacuation (especially as there were no ANZAC troops in France as far as I know) - I counted 13 in all mentioned, they were (more for my reference than anyone else's): G.M. Simpson, V.B.S. Verity, F.N. Clouston, A.E. Clouston, K.E. Newton, H.D. McGregor, E.W. Whitley, R.M. Trousdate, K.R. Park (AVM), A.C. Deere, C.F. Grey, W.G. Clouston, and at least one unnamed, although he could have been any one of the above list.
Displaying 1 of 1 review