Thunder and Lightning

by Charles Allen

This is the story of the thousand hour war as it was fought by the RAF; as viewed by the young men and women sent out to the Gulf initially to reinforce the air blockade against Iraq but who went on to play key roles in both the air and land wars that followed.

Genres: History

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Charles Allen is a British writer and historian. He was born in India, where several generations of his family served under the British Raj. His work focuses on India and South Asia in general. Allen's most notable work is Kipling Sahib, a biography of Rudyard Kipling. His most recent work, Ashoka: the Search for India's Lost Emperor, was published in February 2012.

Selected works:

Plain Tales from the Raj: Images of British India in the Twentieth Century (1975)
Raj: A Scrapbook of British India 1877–1947 (1977)
Tales from the Dark Continent: Images of British Colonial Africa in the Twentieth Century (1979)
A Mountain in Tibet: The Search for Mount Kailas and the Sources of the Great Rivers of India (1982)
Tales from the South China Seas: Images of the British in South-East Asia in the Twentieth Century (1983)
Lives of the Indian Princes, with co-author Sharada Dwivedi (1984)
Kipling's Kingdom: His Best Indian Stories (1987)
A Glimpse of the Burning Plain: Leaves from the Journals of Charlotte Canning (1986)
A Soldier of the Company: Life of an Indian Ensign 1833–43 (1988)
Architecture of the British Empire, Ed. R. Fermor-Hesketh (1989)
The Savage Wars of Peace: Soldiers' Voices 1945–1989 (1990)
Thunder and Lightning: The RAF in the Gulf War (1991)
The Search for Shangri-La: A Journey into Tibetan History (1999)
India Through the Lens: Photography 1840–1911, Ed. Vidya Dehejia (2000)
Soldier Sahibs: The Men who Made the North-west Frontier (2000)
The Buddha and the Sahibs: The Men who Discovered India's Lost Religion (2002)
Duel in the Snows: The True Story of the Younghusband Mission to Lhasa (2004)
Maharajas: Resonance from the Past (2005)
God's Terrorists: The Wahhabi Cult and the Hidden Roots of Modern Jihad (2006)
Kipling Sahib: India and the Making of Rudyard Kipling (2007)
The Buddha and Dr Führer: An Archaeological Scandal (2008)
The Taj at Apollo Bunder: The History of the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, with co-author Sharada Dwivedi (2011)
Ashoka: The Search for India's Lost Emperor (2012)

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very interesting book. As one begins, it looks like a history of the RAF's effort in Gulf War II, with an emphasis on equipment sent. Lots of pics of the four main types that fought the air war- Jaguars, Tornado F3s, Buccaneers, and the Tornado GR1. But the book evolves to be an oral history of the entire effort-"amateurs discuss tactics, professionals, logistics". So you come away with a healthy respect for the aircraft and crew in Victor Tankers, Tri-Star Tankers CH47 Chinooks, Puma Helos, Nimrods, and "Hercs", the ubiquitous C-130 Hercules. The RAF Regiment security details and RAF "MASH" Hospital staff get their fair share of the spotlight as well.

Come for the great Pics. both B/W and Colour, stay for the insight in to the great people of the RAF. I thought it would be a dry discussion of missions and effectiveness- but it's really about how a great military institution adapted to it's first action away since the Malayan and Oman emergencies in the 60s and 70s. You meet the people and get an understanding about the motley start to the deployment and the massive challenges to be overcome. Then you get to listen in while each issue is sorted out and the mission comes together. For every mission story, you get at least two that set the scene and help you understand the mindset. As an oral history of the deployment it does a very good job.

There are some complex emotional states discussed in the book, but this would be a fine book for the junior reader with an interest in the period- they'll come away with a real respect for the support teams in war and their importance with modern ordnance. The Gamer/Modeller/Military or Aircraft enthusiast will enjoy this book for the great combination of Good B/w pics, GREAT Colour pics (several sections) and lovely prose about all the factors at play in the Desert War of 1990. The pieces about the RAF POWs are handled quite well, as is the airmen's reaction to the "Highway of Death". I quite enjoyed this book- I think you may like it too.

[Dark-Draco · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the RAF in the Gulf war, told by the people who were there. From the pilots to the groundcrew, from the Commanders to the medical core, representatives from all ranks have their say.

I found it very moving and heartfelt, and was written in such a way to give an accurate portrayal of how they felt out there. The parts written by the two airman who were captured is especially hard, but important to read. It's also especially poignant with today's events catching it up.

[Rick Brindle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book detailing the contribution the RAF made to Operation Granby. In my day, it was essential reading for anyone serving in the air force. A thoroughly good history, and call me biased if you will, but all the better for at least mentioning the RAF Regiment, Per Ardua.