What do you think?
Rate this book
The Odds Against Us
In this autobiographical account of a flying nightfighter during the Battle of Britain the author relates his experiences as a pilot in the greatest air battle in history
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1987
1 person is currently reading
36 people want to read
About the author
Peter Townsend
29 books15 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC and Bar, RAF was Equerry to King George VI 1944–1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II 1952–1953. Townsend is best known for his ill-fated romance with Princess Margaret. Despite his distinguished career, as a divorced man there was no chance of marriage with the princess and their relationship caused enormous controversy in the mid 1950s.
Peter Townsend spent much of his later years writing non-fiction books. His books include "Earth My Friend" (about driving/boating around the world alone in the mid 1950s), "Duel of Eagles," (about the Battle of Britain), "The Odds Against Us" (also known as "Duel in the Dark") (about fighting Luftwaffe night bombers in 1940-1941), "The Last Emperor" (A biography of King George VI), The Girl in the White Ship (about a young refugee from Vietnam in the late 1970s who was the sole survivor of her ship of refugees), The Postman of Nagasaki (about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki), and Time and Chance, (an autobiography). He also wrote many short articles and contributed to other books. [wikipedia]
Group Captain Peter Wooldridge Townsend, CVO, DSO, DFC and Bar, RAF was Equerry to King George VI 1944–1952 and held the same position for Queen Elizabeth II 1952–1953. Townsend is best known for his ill-fated romance with Princess Margaret. Despite his distinguished career, as a divorced man there was no chance of marriage with the princess and their relationship caused enormous controversy in the mid 1950s.
Peter Townsend spent much of his later years writing non-fiction books. His books include "Earth My Friend" (about driving/boating around the world alone in the mid 1950s), "Duel of Eagles," (about the Battle of Britain), "The Odds Against Us" (also known as "Duel in the Dark") (about fighting Luftwaffe night bombers in 1940-1941), "The Last Emperor" (A biography of King George VI), The Girl in the White Ship (about a young refugee from Vietnam in the late 1970s who was the sole survivor of her ship of refugees), The Postman of Nagasaki (about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki), and Time and Chance, (an autobiography). He also wrote many short articles and contributed to other books. [wikipedia]
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 11, 2022
The Odds Against Us by Peter Townsend serves as a bookend to his previous work, Duel of Eagles, which detailed the development of military aviation during World War I as well as a history of the development of both the RAF (Royal Air Force) and what was to be the Luftwaffe during the interwar years, culminating in the Battle of Britain, during which both forces were pitted against each other in aerial combat over Britain between July and October 1940.
The Odds Against Us mainly deals with the Blitz of 1940-41 as experienced by British civilians and RAF Fighter Command when the Luftwaffe, as part of its ongoing efforts to defeat Britain, shifted from daytime operations to nocturnal bombing of British cities and ports. Townsend himself was in command of a Hurricane squadron at the time that was ordered to convert to night fighting after September 1940. From time to time, he shares with the reader the challenging and at times frustrating experiences his squadron had during those grim nights between October 1940 and May 1941.
As someone with an interest in the air war aspect of World War II, I was fascinated to learn how unprepared the RAF was in 1940 in terms of airborne radar development and anti-aircraft night defense against the Luftwaffe. Some Hurricanes and Spitfires were used as stop-gap night fighters. Of the two, the Hurricane was a better performer. The exhaust given out by the Spitfire’s engine was blinding to pilots on night operations and the fighter itself just wasn’t suitable for the task of seeking out and destroying Heinkels, Junkers 88s, and Dorniers in the night skies of Britain. Nor was the Boulton Paul Defiant, a two-seater fighter that was also employed in the role of night fighter. The Bristol Beaufighter was Britain’s first effective night fighter with airborne radar that would play a vital role in helping defeat the Luftwaffe’s 1940-41 bombing offensive.
Gradually, the RAF's night fighter squadrons would improve with experience and through the receipt of better aircraft with AI (aircraft identification) equipment for nocturnal air combat. And contemporaneously, Britain's anti-aircraft defenses would significantly improve along with countermeasures devised by British scientists to the Luftwaffe's technical gadgets that had allowed its bombers to bomb at night with a marked degree of accuracy. Thus taken together, the RAF and the sheer determination of the British people to "stick it out" helped to frustrate Germany's efforts to humble Britain before moving east to invade the Soviet Union in June of 1941.
For anyone with a general interest in World War II history, The Odds Against Us is well worth reading.
The Odds Against Us mainly deals with the Blitz of 1940-41 as experienced by British civilians and RAF Fighter Command when the Luftwaffe, as part of its ongoing efforts to defeat Britain, shifted from daytime operations to nocturnal bombing of British cities and ports. Townsend himself was in command of a Hurricane squadron at the time that was ordered to convert to night fighting after September 1940. From time to time, he shares with the reader the challenging and at times frustrating experiences his squadron had during those grim nights between October 1940 and May 1941.
As someone with an interest in the air war aspect of World War II, I was fascinated to learn how unprepared the RAF was in 1940 in terms of airborne radar development and anti-aircraft night defense against the Luftwaffe. Some Hurricanes and Spitfires were used as stop-gap night fighters. Of the two, the Hurricane was a better performer. The exhaust given out by the Spitfire’s engine was blinding to pilots on night operations and the fighter itself just wasn’t suitable for the task of seeking out and destroying Heinkels, Junkers 88s, and Dorniers in the night skies of Britain. Nor was the Boulton Paul Defiant, a two-seater fighter that was also employed in the role of night fighter. The Bristol Beaufighter was Britain’s first effective night fighter with airborne radar that would play a vital role in helping defeat the Luftwaffe’s 1940-41 bombing offensive.
Gradually, the RAF's night fighter squadrons would improve with experience and through the receipt of better aircraft with AI (aircraft identification) equipment for nocturnal air combat. And contemporaneously, Britain's anti-aircraft defenses would significantly improve along with countermeasures devised by British scientists to the Luftwaffe's technical gadgets that had allowed its bombers to bomb at night with a marked degree of accuracy. Thus taken together, the RAF and the sheer determination of the British people to "stick it out" helped to frustrate Germany's efforts to humble Britain before moving east to invade the Soviet Union in June of 1941.
For anyone with a general interest in World War II history, The Odds Against Us is well worth reading.
February 2, 2021
I read every World War II book I can get my hands on, and this one was no different. I am looking forward to reading the other books written by Group Captain Peter Townsend. I discovered his titles when I was doing an internet search to see what happened to him while I was watching The Crown on Netflix. I enjoyed the first hand account of someone who was present during certain events.
June 12, 2009
The Odds Against Us was a well written book about the night war on London during WWII from the perspective of an RAF fighter pilot. Not only do you learn much about the advent of night combat, but also the lush history of Hitler's plans for Europe and Russia, but mostly England. Perhaps the best aspect of this book was the fact that the author was able to contact crewmembers of aircraft he shot down so that their story is told as well. Townsend, while obviously repulsed by the brutality of war, displayed significant admiration and respect for those German pilots who, night after night, flew into enemy fire and risked their lives for their country as well. This book earned 4 oiut of 5 stars for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews