The Armed Rovers: Beauforts and Beaufighters Over the Mediterranean

by Roy Conyers Nesbit

The little-known story of how the Royal Air Force kept supplies from reaching Rommel’s Afrika Korps, by an RAF veteran and renowned aviation historian.   By far the most dangerous of the RAF operations during the Second World War were daylight attacks on enemy shipping, yet little has been written about this aerial campaign and the brave airmen who took part. In particular, the intense air-sea battles that were fought in the Mediterranean have been neglected in histories of the war in North Africa and Italy. Roy Nesbit, in this classic account, sets the record straight by describing in vivid detail how a few RAF squadrons were successful in destroying supplies vital to the Italian and German armies during the fighting in Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia.   At critical moments during the land battles, during the dramatic advances and retreats that characterized the fighting in the desert, the failure of supplies to get through to Rommel’s Afrika Korps was decisive. But the casualties suffered by the airmen in these low-level attacks were daunting, as were those among the naval and merchant seamen whose vessels were targeted. This is their dramatic true story, by the author of The Royal Air An Illustrated History From 1918 and Arctic Airmen.

Genres: Aviation

348 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1995

About the author

Roy has a long-established reputation as a leading aviations historian, who served in the wartime RAF.

Reviews

[DAVID C BERNARD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible amount of detail research in an area of maritime air operations often overlooked. Recommended for those who want an insight into Beaufort and Beufighter ops in North Africa and Mediterranean. Well recommended.

[Mr Neil Pitcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

An informative account.

A very interesting review of the airborne maritime offensive operations in the Mediterranean theatre during WW2. Many of the accounts are very similar which can make the accounts quite repetitive but that is exactly how it was. Overall a splendid tribute to all those who served in this endeavour.

[MR ANDREW TUCKER · Rating 4 out of 5]

What sacrifices

I never knew before reading this book how extensively these aircraft were used in the med and how much damage they did. But what a causality rate what brave men flying low over the sea into an infernal of flak.

[MRS S A MARRAY · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Incredible detail in this book can't believe the military operations that took place where people now take their summer holidays a great read

[B Herring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beaufighter

A very detailed account of the Bristol Beaufighter fighting ability also revealing the high cost of losses to their aircrew,

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Research

If there was a book which you need for the role of the beaufighter/bomber this is a must for your Library..

[Shrike58 · Rating 3 out of 5]

An episodic narrative history of the RAF squadrons equipped with maritime strike aircraft, written by a man with experience in such machines. Apart from being a bit too gushing about the impact of Allied signal intelligence, and the legend of Erwin Rommel, this book still fills a real gap about the history of the RAF in World War II.

Originally written: April 22, 2020.