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Lancaster: The Making of a Very British Legend
Praise for Spitfire: A Very British Love Story
‘The best book you will ever read about Britain’s greatest warplane.’ Patrick Bishop author of Fighter Boys
‘As the RAF marks its centenary, Nichol has created a thrilling and often moving tribute to some of its greatest heroes.’ Mail on Sunday
‘A stirring portrait of a piece of aviation art in motion flown by the bravest of the brave. Nichol’s Spitfire is still a sky-borne prima ballerina that kicks like Bruce Lee.’ RAF News
‘A superb journey through the remarkable tale of that British icon, the Spitfire. Brilliantly and engagingly written . . . Truly stunning.’ Andy Saunders, aviation historian
‘A rich and heartfelt tribute to this most iconic British machine. Focusing on the men (and women) who flew the Spitfire, John Nichol has brought a fresh and powerful perspective to the story. By recording their bravery, humility, camaraderie, tragedy and sheer joy in flying their beloved Spits he has done them, and us, a valuable service.’ Rowland White, author of Vulcan 607
‘A superb and compelling book. Brilliantly written with some incredible and astonishing stories; it is gripping, moving, emotional and sometimes humorous – just perfect.’ Squadron Leader (Ret) Clive Rowley, former Officer Commanding RAF Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight
‘There are not many of us left, most of us who survive are over 95 and this is a story of young men. We were the cutting edge of the ‘Shining Sword’ that Bomber Harris dubbed the Lancaster. We survived the Bomber Offensive in which 55,573 — almost half — of our friends and colleagues gave their lives to stop Hitler ruling the world. We are now a whole generation older than the young men and women who serve today and in a few years we will all be gone. Historians will then be able to throw around their insouciant opinions about what we did with no contradiction by those who were there. When we are gone our stories of flying and fighting the Lancaster should not die with us. We are the last witnesses to the legend of the Lancaster and those who fought and died within its metal body.’ - Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beetham
After its maiden flight on 5th January 1941, Lancaster chief test pilot Sam Browne said, ‘Oh boy, oh boy. What an aircraft!’ With a maximum weight of over thirty tons, far heavier than the RAF’s previous generation of bomber, the standard version could lift, on average, 14,000lbs of bombs. Britain was ready to take the aerial war to Nazi Germany in a deadly fashion.
During the course of the Second World War, 7,377 Lancaster bombers were built, flying a total of 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs on German cities such as Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, and, of course, Dresden. Only thirty-five Lancasters completed more than 100 operations, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful, which completed 139 operations, was sent for scrap in 1947. One seventh of all deaths suffered by the British during WWII were incurred by Bomber Command. Over 50,000 aircrew were lost over the skies of Europe.
Now, John Nichol, Gulf War veteran, ex-POW in Iraq and Sunday Times bestselling author of Spitfire: A Very British Love Story reveals the true cost of flying this iconic and deadly airplane – through the few authentic voices of the RAF veterans who are left to us.
‘The best book you will ever read about Britain’s greatest warplane.’ Patrick Bishop author of Fighter Boys
‘As the RAF marks its centenary, Nichol has created a thrilling and often moving tribute to some of its greatest heroes.’ Mail on Sunday
‘A stirring portrait of a piece of aviation art in motion flown by the bravest of the brave. Nichol’s Spitfire is still a sky-borne prima ballerina that kicks like Bruce Lee.’ RAF News
‘A superb journey through the remarkable tale of that British icon, the Spitfire. Brilliantly and engagingly written . . . Truly stunning.’ Andy Saunders, aviation historian
‘A rich and heartfelt tribute to this most iconic British machine. Focusing on the men (and women) who flew the Spitfire, John Nichol has brought a fresh and powerful perspective to the story. By recording their bravery, humility, camaraderie, tragedy and sheer joy in flying their beloved Spits he has done them, and us, a valuable service.’ Rowland White, author of Vulcan 607
‘A superb and compelling book. Brilliantly written with some incredible and astonishing stories; it is gripping, moving, emotional and sometimes humorous – just perfect.’ Squadron Leader (Ret) Clive Rowley, former Officer Commanding RAF Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight
‘There are not many of us left, most of us who survive are over 95 and this is a story of young men. We were the cutting edge of the ‘Shining Sword’ that Bomber Harris dubbed the Lancaster. We survived the Bomber Offensive in which 55,573 — almost half — of our friends and colleagues gave their lives to stop Hitler ruling the world. We are now a whole generation older than the young men and women who serve today and in a few years we will all be gone. Historians will then be able to throw around their insouciant opinions about what we did with no contradiction by those who were there. When we are gone our stories of flying and fighting the Lancaster should not die with us. We are the last witnesses to the legend of the Lancaster and those who fought and died within its metal body.’ - Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Beetham
After its maiden flight on 5th January 1941, Lancaster chief test pilot Sam Browne said, ‘Oh boy, oh boy. What an aircraft!’ With a maximum weight of over thirty tons, far heavier than the RAF’s previous generation of bomber, the standard version could lift, on average, 14,000lbs of bombs. Britain was ready to take the aerial war to Nazi Germany in a deadly fashion.
During the course of the Second World War, 7,377 Lancaster bombers were built, flying a total of 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs on German cities such as Cologne, Hamburg, Berlin, and, of course, Dresden. Only thirty-five Lancasters completed more than 100 operations, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful, which completed 139 operations, was sent for scrap in 1947. One seventh of all deaths suffered by the British during WWII were incurred by Bomber Command. Over 50,000 aircrew were lost over the skies of Europe.
Now, John Nichol, Gulf War veteran, ex-POW in Iraq and Sunday Times bestselling author of Spitfire: A Very British Love Story reveals the true cost of flying this iconic and deadly airplane – through the few authentic voices of the RAF veterans who are left to us.
400 pages, Hardcover
Published May 28, 2020
96 people are currently reading
520 people want to read
About the author
John Nichol
31 books59 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Flight Lieutenant Adrian John Nichol (born December 1963) is a retired Royal Air Force navigator who was shot down and captured during the first Gulf War.
Flight Lieutenant Adrian John Nichol (born December 1963) is a retired Royal Air Force navigator who was shot down and captured during the first Gulf War.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
October 18, 2022
My father-in-law’s father was a rear gunner in a Lancaster and got killed in 1944. He was 35. John Nicol details that normally the crew of seven were in their early 20s. I am not sure why a 35-year-old with a 7-year-old child was given the rear gunner job especially as the likelihood of being killed was very high. This year we have been lucky enough to see a Lancaster bomber do fly overs twice. Once at the Rickmansworth festival and the other down at Swanage carnival. It was a great sight.
This is my first book by Nicol although I have had my eye on ‘Spitfire’ for a long time waiting for the price to drop before I buy it, but Lancaster came first. Initially Nicol focuses on a surviving rear gunner called Ron Needle who was from Birmingham, England. Ron was born on 17-Mar-1925 so by the time the Second World war came around he was in his teens. He would be one of those very young Lancaster crew members.
This is not a Haynes manual for the Lancaster, thankfully. That would be dreadfully dull to me. This is about the human stories around that particular beast of an aircraft. The people that made the bombers in the factory, the crew, the actual bombing raids (the first one to bomb a factory in Augsburg is horrendous), the senior management in Bomber Command and more.
I just felt this was a fantastic book full of human stories. Happy, sad, tragic, funny and everything in-between. I am definitely going to buy his others. I have already bought ‘Tornado: In the Eye of the Storm’. The writing just flowed and even for a non-war buff like me I really enjoyed it.
This is my first book by Nicol although I have had my eye on ‘Spitfire’ for a long time waiting for the price to drop before I buy it, but Lancaster came first. Initially Nicol focuses on a surviving rear gunner called Ron Needle who was from Birmingham, England. Ron was born on 17-Mar-1925 so by the time the Second World war came around he was in his teens. He would be one of those very young Lancaster crew members.
This is not a Haynes manual for the Lancaster, thankfully. That would be dreadfully dull to me. This is about the human stories around that particular beast of an aircraft. The people that made the bombers in the factory, the crew, the actual bombing raids (the first one to bomb a factory in Augsburg is horrendous), the senior management in Bomber Command and more.
I just felt this was a fantastic book full of human stories. Happy, sad, tragic, funny and everything in-between. I am definitely going to buy his others. I have already bought ‘Tornado: In the Eye of the Storm’. The writing just flowed and even for a non-war buff like me I really enjoyed it.
June 23, 2020
War is such a contradiction, it brings out the best and the worst, or the best in the worst. The human ingenuity invested in machines of destructive power, the courage and commitment of those flying them in the face of surely the most horrific casualty rate of any service (40% of Bomber Command's airmen died - possibly only the U-boat crews had a worse outcome) - yet night after night they delivered devastation to civilian cities as well as military targets.
Nichol tackles that dichotomy head on with precious eyewitness accounts from both the bombers and the bombed. As I enjoy most in history, he weaves the story of the Lancaster's wartime service around the threads of individual crew members' memories. It is telling how many of them include accounts of survival after having been shot down and in not one case did a whole crew survive.
My first experience of Lancaster's was in making Airfix kits of them, even in polystyrene form, the elegance of the design the majestic sense of power is so clear. To fly in these machines is clearly an unforgettable experience.
While the Lancaster is the spine of this book, Nichol ranges widely in his subject matter, the Chapter on Pilots of The Caribbean acknowledges the part played and the prejudices faced by black flyers volunteering for service in defence of a Great Britain despite the rising pressures for independence at home.
He touches too on the domestic lives of the flyers, the febrile atmosphere of young men and women living their lives at a time of national and personal peril snatching moments of comfort and intimacy where they could. The notion that many a hurried liaison may have taken place in the back of a partially assembled Lancaster on the Avro production lines, is an angle on history I had not seen before.
Nichol's experience, as an RAF veteran and survivor of a crash and POW experience in the Gulf War, may have made him more able than most to tease out recollections that many of these men had locked away for decades. For those who survived it was the defining period of their lives. While Nichol acknowledges the post-war revisionism towards "Butcher" Harris's carpet bombing strategy (a view that some of his aircrew echo as they remember flying over the ruins they had created), he does not let that dim in anyway the challenges or accomplishments of the many heroes of this book. He captures in the cone of his attention, both those who bombed, and those who hunted them, those on the ground who harboured them in escape, or showed them kindness in imprisonment. The threads of a common humanity stretched across the boundaries imposed by war.
Nichol, as an ex-RAF man perhaps, is staunch in defence of his bombers, giving voice to their certainty that they had done a good and necessary thing, that they had fought the war the best way they could, any many of their fellow aircrew perished in the attempt.
There was an episode of Star Trek I once watched about a war on a planet that had been "sanitised" by the leadership of the opposing sides. No bombs were let off, no buildings destroyed, hits were recorded electronically like a game of battleships, but the casualties were real - those identified as being hit presenting themselves for disposal in termination booths. The story point was that this sanitised but murderous game of war had desensitised the participants and allowed the war to go on for generations without resolution. The reality of war is what creates the impetus to secure and preserve a peace.
Nichol's book reminds us what a terrible thing war is. As one participant remembers, reflecting on a joyless VE day having lost her father on a raid two years earlier, it wasn't a triumph and so many young men in their twenties didn't come back.
Most poignant of all in this book are the captions to so many of the photographs, the name of the bright-eyed and unbowed veteran and the year of the photo is noted, followed in so many cases by the observation that they died just a few months after recording their interviews and before the book's publication. Their stories are fragments of memory caught and preserved so faithfully by Nichol in this a collection of tales of ordinary people living through extraordinary events.
Nichol tackles that dichotomy head on with precious eyewitness accounts from both the bombers and the bombed. As I enjoy most in history, he weaves the story of the Lancaster's wartime service around the threads of individual crew members' memories. It is telling how many of them include accounts of survival after having been shot down and in not one case did a whole crew survive.
My first experience of Lancaster's was in making Airfix kits of them, even in polystyrene form, the elegance of the design the majestic sense of power is so clear. To fly in these machines is clearly an unforgettable experience.
While the Lancaster is the spine of this book, Nichol ranges widely in his subject matter, the Chapter on Pilots of The Caribbean acknowledges the part played and the prejudices faced by black flyers volunteering for service in defence of a Great Britain despite the rising pressures for independence at home.
He touches too on the domestic lives of the flyers, the febrile atmosphere of young men and women living their lives at a time of national and personal peril snatching moments of comfort and intimacy where they could. The notion that many a hurried liaison may have taken place in the back of a partially assembled Lancaster on the Avro production lines, is an angle on history I had not seen before.
Nichol's experience, as an RAF veteran and survivor of a crash and POW experience in the Gulf War, may have made him more able than most to tease out recollections that many of these men had locked away for decades. For those who survived it was the defining period of their lives. While Nichol acknowledges the post-war revisionism towards "Butcher" Harris's carpet bombing strategy (a view that some of his aircrew echo as they remember flying over the ruins they had created), he does not let that dim in anyway the challenges or accomplishments of the many heroes of this book. He captures in the cone of his attention, both those who bombed, and those who hunted them, those on the ground who harboured them in escape, or showed them kindness in imprisonment. The threads of a common humanity stretched across the boundaries imposed by war.
Nichol, as an ex-RAF man perhaps, is staunch in defence of his bombers, giving voice to their certainty that they had done a good and necessary thing, that they had fought the war the best way they could, any many of their fellow aircrew perished in the attempt.
There was an episode of Star Trek I once watched about a war on a planet that had been "sanitised" by the leadership of the opposing sides. No bombs were let off, no buildings destroyed, hits were recorded electronically like a game of battleships, but the casualties were real - those identified as being hit presenting themselves for disposal in termination booths. The story point was that this sanitised but murderous game of war had desensitised the participants and allowed the war to go on for generations without resolution. The reality of war is what creates the impetus to secure and preserve a peace.
Nichol's book reminds us what a terrible thing war is. As one participant remembers, reflecting on a joyless VE day having lost her father on a raid two years earlier, it wasn't a triumph and so many young men in their twenties didn't come back.
Most poignant of all in this book are the captions to so many of the photographs, the name of the bright-eyed and unbowed veteran and the year of the photo is noted, followed in so many cases by the observation that they died just a few months after recording their interviews and before the book's publication. Their stories are fragments of memory caught and preserved so faithfully by Nichol in this a collection of tales of ordinary people living through extraordinary events.
July 15, 2020
Stunning. So many stories of personal heroism, battling against fear and a stunningly high chance of death by nazi artillery, Luftwaffe, own plane collisions and so much more. Gallantry, Resilience, Teamwork, Fear and Talent all working together to win the war. I am humbled by all of the stories in this book.
February 11, 2022
Brilliant and moving personal stories of a huge point in history. Brave Men and Women who fought and kept this vital plane air worthy to protect the home lands.
Didn't think I would enjoy this as much as the Spitfire by the same author but probably enjoyed it more and has inspired me to read more by this author.
Didn't think I would enjoy this as much as the Spitfire by the same author but probably enjoyed it more and has inspired me to read more by this author.
September 2, 2021
Was given this as a present because I would not buy such a treatment for myself, this is more for the general reader I feel. What is in a title I often ask myself. Well, in this case you know what you might find inside, the "forging" an odd blacksmithy term that, of a genuine legend, though I dislike that overused word in these frightfully overeager times.
In case you read this review and have not got the book I should read the flyleaf because this is about the crews and much less about the Avro design and its utilisation let alone detail of its "forging" as a weapon of war warts and all because it was a machine with its faults as much as its successes. But that aside, it was flown by the gutsiest men the commonwealth and others could provide and I have always had great respect for them not to mention gratitude.
So if you want to know how a handful of blokes took the war to the enemy when it was more or less all we could do until D-Day, in the West at least, this book will thrill and entertain but sadly it was not for me, sorry John.
In case you read this review and have not got the book I should read the flyleaf because this is about the crews and much less about the Avro design and its utilisation let alone detail of its "forging" as a weapon of war warts and all because it was a machine with its faults as much as its successes. But that aside, it was flown by the gutsiest men the commonwealth and others could provide and I have always had great respect for them not to mention gratitude.
So if you want to know how a handful of blokes took the war to the enemy when it was more or less all we could do until D-Day, in the West at least, this book will thrill and entertain but sadly it was not for me, sorry John.
September 23, 2020
A roller coaster of a book every bit as good as Spitfire. Paying tribute to the brave men and women of Bomber Command and the mighty Lancaster. I had the honour of meeting one of the vets in the book who was volunteering at the Battle of Britain memorial flight near Woodhall Spa. The Lancaster crews had the highest fatality rate of WW2 they also got the most criticism and were accused of war crimes because of the Dresden and cologne bombings . However this book addresses it head on and although in WW2 civilian casualties were high the cost of losing to the Nazis would have been a hundred times worse. As with Spitfire it follows a group of RAF personnel and tells the stories of their war and their connections with the Lancasters they served along side.
November 24, 2020
Very worthwhile addition to the bookshelf of any Lancophile, well-written & researched with some wonderful first hand accounts from those who flew in her. Much more than a tale of the rivets and aluminium and steel from which the Lancs were built, this a story of the men and women who were invested in a much deeper way with WWIIs greatest 4 engine heavy bomber. Highly recommended.
October 27, 2024
As someone who's just beginning to gain a great appreciation for the history of airplanes and especially the Lancaster bombers, this was a fantastic book to read. Picked it up at a museum I went to recently incidentally to see the Lancaster they have there and to tell stories to a friend of one of my relatives who had flown in one as a navigator during the war.
I wasn't quite expecting to cry as much as I did, but it was a good kind of cry, and I'm very glad that I read this book. It'll likely take me a while to better formulate my thoughts on this book, but I'll certainly be able to articulate those thoughts better on subsequent re reads.
Either way, I loved the emphasis on first-hand accounts and the human moments of love fear and everything else between throughout. When much of what I've looked into before tends to be very technical, it was something that was very appreciated.
If the subject of this book sounds interesting to you, I can not recommend it enough. However, do prepare yourself for how emotional it will be and be aware of the number of possible triggers as this is a war time book and many of the descriptions tend to be rather vivid and hard hitting at times.
I wasn't quite expecting to cry as much as I did, but it was a good kind of cry, and I'm very glad that I read this book. It'll likely take me a while to better formulate my thoughts on this book, but I'll certainly be able to articulate those thoughts better on subsequent re reads.
Either way, I loved the emphasis on first-hand accounts and the human moments of love fear and everything else between throughout. When much of what I've looked into before tends to be very technical, it was something that was very appreciated.
If the subject of this book sounds interesting to you, I can not recommend it enough. However, do prepare yourself for how emotional it will be and be aware of the number of possible triggers as this is a war time book and many of the descriptions tend to be rather vivid and hard hitting at times.
March 28, 2022
RAF Bomber Command carried out operations from day one of the Second World War until the very last day, some 5.5 years later, headed by the controversial Sir Arthur Harris. Of the 7,377 Lancasters built, more than half of these were lost to enemy action. Harris’s crew had an approximately 40 per cent chance of surviving the war, with their average life expectancy at times being only 2 weeks.
This book is a profoundly moving tribute to the Lancaster bomber, the men who flew them and the women who built them. Nichol has done extensive research and it was wonderful to hear first-hand accounts from some of the brave men who flew these historic aircraft.
An excellent book for anyone interested in the Lancaster bomber and World War Two history.
This book is a profoundly moving tribute to the Lancaster bomber, the men who flew them and the women who built them. Nichol has done extensive research and it was wonderful to hear first-hand accounts from some of the brave men who flew these historic aircraft.
An excellent book for anyone interested in the Lancaster bomber and World War Two history.
June 20, 2025
Like the authors book Spitfire this is a collection of memories from the amazing and brave men who flew in the aircraft during WW2. Their memories are mixed with other stories gathered from crew, families, friends and even those who experienced the horrors of the bombing raids that the Lancaster took part in. My only criticism is the lack of a chapter that looked at the aircraft’s development with a bit more technical information but overall it is a detailed and often moving collection of the stories and experiences of the brave Airmen who flew the iconic aircraft into battle.
September 15, 2022
Apart from the commercially journalistic style, this is an excellent, well researched and intensely personal story. Given the scope of the topic it is well structured with relevant detail. Highly recommended.
September 7, 2024
What a journey, splendidly personal with enough factual details to understand the journey of the aircraft through the war. I must’ve cried over 15 times reading all these incredible, harrowing but also inspirational stories. Forever in debt to the many.
January 1, 2026
Absolutely fantastic, a third of the book is about the aeroplane, the other two thirds is about the men (and the women) who flew them and their families. Many times I had tears in my eyes.
War is a dirty and abhorrent business, but if you aren't prepared to get your hands dirty, you will lose and your family will suffer.
War is a dirty and abhorrent business, but if you aren't prepared to get your hands dirty, you will lose and your family will suffer.
May 25, 2024
A powerful and profoundly moving account of the development of a bomber that became an icon of the RAF during WW2. Nichols writes with an efficiency that puts him 'up there' with the best military historical writers, managing to achieve the balance between detail and human interest that draws you into his narrative and keeps the pages turning like the propellor of a Merlin engine.
The way he links some of the aircrew accounts across the chapters makes this book almost seem like a novel at times, but it is in fact carefully researched accounts and archives that make this book of value to both the general reader and the researcher of aviation history. A brilliant and exciting read!
The way he links some of the aircrew accounts across the chapters makes this book almost seem like a novel at times, but it is in fact carefully researched accounts and archives that make this book of value to both the general reader and the researcher of aviation history. A brilliant and exciting read!
January 13, 2021
One of the very best books about WW2, more about the people who flew in (and died in) Lancasters than the plane itself. Highlights both their bravery and devotion to duty and the sometimes futile nature of what they were ordered to do. By telling their stories without preaching John Nichol leaves you to make up your own mind about the morality of the area bombing campaign and whether the resources might have been better deployed; but there is no doubt about the courage and achievements of those who were at the sharp end of the campaign.
April 17, 2025
An intense and deeply moving book about one of the most ubiquitous and effective war machines ever made, and the men that crewed them.
The book starts with an emotional tour of a museum that the author took with a former rear gunner of the aircraft, Ron Needle. Decades have passed for Ron, who at the tender of age 19 was shot down in midst of recently liberated France, only one of two survivors in the Lancaster's crew of seven, however for Ron seeing the massive aircraft standing proud in the middle of the museum brings back a raw emotion of a harrowing time, long-passed but not dulled in it's intensity.
RAF Bomber Command's death toll was staggering, of the 125,000 men who served nearly half died, basically giving you a 50:50 of seeing the end of World War 2 alive.
The author brilliantly explains the Lancaster's humble origins, from AVRO's conceptual idea to Sir Arthur Harris's 'Shining Sword', for years the main element of Britain's ability to export the war from it's beleaguered island at a time when it stood largely alone in the face of Nazi Germany.
Nichol has took great pains to interview many of those who undertook terrifying missions over the heart of Hitler's Germany; the crew who endured great peril from German Flak, night fighters and in the all too often event of being shot down, the wrath of the bombed German populace. Furthermore he also delves into the experiences of those who supported the crew, the women of WAAF who debriefed and supported the crew, and the families of those men for whom the war left an indelible, tragic impact.
What makes it especially poignant in 2025 is that so many contributors to this book have since unfortunately passed, the author managing to capture such a critical link to such a pivotal time period.
Finally, Nichol also touches on the more controversial aspects of Britain's strategic bombing campaign and the lasting impact of Arthur Harris's mission to take the war to the German populace.
This book is an essential component of those interested in the time period. I can't recommend it enough.
The book starts with an emotional tour of a museum that the author took with a former rear gunner of the aircraft, Ron Needle. Decades have passed for Ron, who at the tender of age 19 was shot down in midst of recently liberated France, only one of two survivors in the Lancaster's crew of seven, however for Ron seeing the massive aircraft standing proud in the middle of the museum brings back a raw emotion of a harrowing time, long-passed but not dulled in it's intensity.
RAF Bomber Command's death toll was staggering, of the 125,000 men who served nearly half died, basically giving you a 50:50 of seeing the end of World War 2 alive.
The author brilliantly explains the Lancaster's humble origins, from AVRO's conceptual idea to Sir Arthur Harris's 'Shining Sword', for years the main element of Britain's ability to export the war from it's beleaguered island at a time when it stood largely alone in the face of Nazi Germany.
Nichol has took great pains to interview many of those who undertook terrifying missions over the heart of Hitler's Germany; the crew who endured great peril from German Flak, night fighters and in the all too often event of being shot down, the wrath of the bombed German populace. Furthermore he also delves into the experiences of those who supported the crew, the women of WAAF who debriefed and supported the crew, and the families of those men for whom the war left an indelible, tragic impact.
What makes it especially poignant in 2025 is that so many contributors to this book have since unfortunately passed, the author managing to capture such a critical link to such a pivotal time period.
Finally, Nichol also touches on the more controversial aspects of Britain's strategic bombing campaign and the lasting impact of Arthur Harris's mission to take the war to the German populace.
This book is an essential component of those interested in the time period. I can't recommend it enough.
December 17, 2023
When I first selected this book I thought that, based on its title, it would be a rather straightforward account of the design, production and operational history of the Avro Lancaster. I was expecting a fairly academic and perhaps 'dry' account of the famous British bomber aircraft type, with lots of terchnical information regarding its manufacture and a similarly detailed review of its deployment during the Second World War. However, as I started working my way through Nichol's text, I was disappointed initially as Nichol had taken a far more anecdotal approach to his work. Then, I came to realise that this was a more human story that he was telling; yes, the 'Lanc' was at the heart of the book. It was in fact the stories of the people who flew in the type, and those who were affected by its service during World War Two, who formed the bulk of the author's history. And to be honest, whilst Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend disappointed me a little at first, I've now come to the conclusion that this is a brilliant account of the Commonwealth's bombing campaign against the Third Reich, and it does a fantastic job of giving a voice to all who came to know the aircaft.
That Nichol shifts the potential agenda for this book away from a purely technical and academic consideration of the Avro Lancaster's history is signalled in the opening chapter of the book, wherein he narrates the experiences of just one Lancaster's crew on one bombing raid, late in the war. To his credit the author understands that whilst there are those of us who are aviation history geeks who love learning all the ins and outs of a plane, others are not so fascinated the minutiae of data and facts. As shown from the beginning, he opens the narrative out to explore what Bomber Command's bloody bombing war meant to those in the sky and those on the ground. Oral history and personal accounts become far more crucial to what Nichol writes about in this book.
There is enough 'dry' information in the book to give sustenance to military history nerds, and this can be seen in how Nichol reviews the development of the failed Avro Manchester into the famed Lancaster. It could be argued that the advent of the Lancaster reflected and underscored the Allied war effort; flawed strategies, tactics and weapons that were improperly implemented were remedied, improved and then used in greater numbers and to a greater effect than the enemy could deal with, no matter how ingenious or how desperate they were in their response.
As part of this approach to his history Nichol works his way through the significant aerial battles of the war over Europe, including the raids on Cologne, the Ruhr, Hamburg, Peenemunde, Berlin and Dresden. The author makes much of the successes of Operation Gomorrah, the devastation of Hamburg in 1943, and of course he also draws attention to the famed 'Dambusters' raid of May in that same year. Nichol is not so explicit in his discussion of the notorious raid on Nuremberg on March 31st 1944, where 95 Bomber Command aircraft were lost, thus helping to bring a temporary end to Air Marshal Arthur Harris's offensive campaign against Germany itself. However, whilst this is a concern, it is not that damaging to the overall impact of the book. As stated earlier, it is the people's accounts of their experience of the war through their relationship with the Avro Lancaster that is key to this book.
Nichol takes a highly personal approach to this aspect of Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend. He follows about twenty men who served as air crew on the Lancaster, tracking their lives as they fought against the enemy in the skies over Germany and Occupied Europe. Nichol uses their own testimony, whether verbal or written, as well as the testimony of those who knew these men, to help the reader understand what flying the Lancaster during the Second World War meant. He doesn't pull many punches, and there is one particular figure whose fate will leave the reader incredibly saddened. Nichol is also not shy of relating the sheer physical and mental cruelty of the war in the air as fought by the Lancaster's crews, nor indeed what their bombing menat to them and to those on the ground.
Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend makes it clear that whilst the area bombing undertaken by the Commonwealth bomber squadrons over Europe during WW2 might have had moral implications, for the men who flew the missions their job was, at heart, to defeat a monstrous enemy and stay alive for as long as possible. Personally I think Nichols is spot on with his assessment of what the Lancaster and those who flew it did during the war. He lets those who did the fighting have their say and they themselves are very aware of the tragedy they participated in.
There are some lighter moments in Nichol's book, and they help broaden the readers' understanding of the aircrew's humanity. He includes some discussion of the relationships formed between the air crew of the Lancasters that flew against the Third Reich, and the women who either waited for their husbands, sons, brothers or boyfriends to come back, or those who served in the rear in logistical and other roles. Then there is Nichol's inclusion of some of the German responses to the bombing campaign, ranging from the humane to the savage. The author tackles the thorny subject of Dresden with compassion and truthfulness, and whilst he never underestimates the death and destruction wrought on those who had Lancasters raining bombs down on them, Nichol reminds the reader that this was a war that was made total by those who initiated it and supported it in the Axis camp.
One final note before I finish this review. I understand the title's parochial statement (i.e. the 'British' nature of the Lancaster's success), however it does a disservice both to the author and to the history. Yes, the Avro Lancaster was designed and (mostly) built by the British. However, as shown in Nichol's narrative, the men who flew in the bomber were from the wider Commonwealth, from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Carribbean etc. The Lanc may have emerged out of the UK but it was a weapon used resolutely and skillfully by so many different nationalities.
All up, Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend is a great read. If you are looking for the definitiev history of the Avro Lancaster or indeed the bombing war against Nazi Germany this won't be it. If on the other hand you want to learn about the plane and the people who experienced its greatness, then this is the book.
That Nichol shifts the potential agenda for this book away from a purely technical and academic consideration of the Avro Lancaster's history is signalled in the opening chapter of the book, wherein he narrates the experiences of just one Lancaster's crew on one bombing raid, late in the war. To his credit the author understands that whilst there are those of us who are aviation history geeks who love learning all the ins and outs of a plane, others are not so fascinated the minutiae of data and facts. As shown from the beginning, he opens the narrative out to explore what Bomber Command's bloody bombing war meant to those in the sky and those on the ground. Oral history and personal accounts become far more crucial to what Nichol writes about in this book.
There is enough 'dry' information in the book to give sustenance to military history nerds, and this can be seen in how Nichol reviews the development of the failed Avro Manchester into the famed Lancaster. It could be argued that the advent of the Lancaster reflected and underscored the Allied war effort; flawed strategies, tactics and weapons that were improperly implemented were remedied, improved and then used in greater numbers and to a greater effect than the enemy could deal with, no matter how ingenious or how desperate they were in their response.
As part of this approach to his history Nichol works his way through the significant aerial battles of the war over Europe, including the raids on Cologne, the Ruhr, Hamburg, Peenemunde, Berlin and Dresden. The author makes much of the successes of Operation Gomorrah, the devastation of Hamburg in 1943, and of course he also draws attention to the famed 'Dambusters' raid of May in that same year. Nichol is not so explicit in his discussion of the notorious raid on Nuremberg on March 31st 1944, where 95 Bomber Command aircraft were lost, thus helping to bring a temporary end to Air Marshal Arthur Harris's offensive campaign against Germany itself. However, whilst this is a concern, it is not that damaging to the overall impact of the book. As stated earlier, it is the people's accounts of their experience of the war through their relationship with the Avro Lancaster that is key to this book.
Nichol takes a highly personal approach to this aspect of Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend. He follows about twenty men who served as air crew on the Lancaster, tracking their lives as they fought against the enemy in the skies over Germany and Occupied Europe. Nichol uses their own testimony, whether verbal or written, as well as the testimony of those who knew these men, to help the reader understand what flying the Lancaster during the Second World War meant. He doesn't pull many punches, and there is one particular figure whose fate will leave the reader incredibly saddened. Nichol is also not shy of relating the sheer physical and mental cruelty of the war in the air as fought by the Lancaster's crews, nor indeed what their bombing menat to them and to those on the ground.
Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend makes it clear that whilst the area bombing undertaken by the Commonwealth bomber squadrons over Europe during WW2 might have had moral implications, for the men who flew the missions their job was, at heart, to defeat a monstrous enemy and stay alive for as long as possible. Personally I think Nichols is spot on with his assessment of what the Lancaster and those who flew it did during the war. He lets those who did the fighting have their say and they themselves are very aware of the tragedy they participated in.
There are some lighter moments in Nichol's book, and they help broaden the readers' understanding of the aircrew's humanity. He includes some discussion of the relationships formed between the air crew of the Lancasters that flew against the Third Reich, and the women who either waited for their husbands, sons, brothers or boyfriends to come back, or those who served in the rear in logistical and other roles. Then there is Nichol's inclusion of some of the German responses to the bombing campaign, ranging from the humane to the savage. The author tackles the thorny subject of Dresden with compassion and truthfulness, and whilst he never underestimates the death and destruction wrought on those who had Lancasters raining bombs down on them, Nichol reminds the reader that this was a war that was made total by those who initiated it and supported it in the Axis camp.
One final note before I finish this review. I understand the title's parochial statement (i.e. the 'British' nature of the Lancaster's success), however it does a disservice both to the author and to the history. Yes, the Avro Lancaster was designed and (mostly) built by the British. However, as shown in Nichol's narrative, the men who flew in the bomber were from the wider Commonwealth, from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Carribbean etc. The Lanc may have emerged out of the UK but it was a weapon used resolutely and skillfully by so many different nationalities.
All up, Lancaster: The Forging of a Very British Legend is a great read. If you are looking for the definitiev history of the Avro Lancaster or indeed the bombing war against Nazi Germany this won't be it. If on the other hand you want to learn about the plane and the people who experienced its greatness, then this is the book.
January 31, 2024
took a couple notes whilst reading.
superb job from nichol on this book. would not have expected any less from him after previously reading return of the dambusters, about 617 sqn. definitely recommend to history and aviation nerds like myself.
i like that nichol included a section talking about the women of the war, including the few piloting the planes themselves to be delivered. women were a massive part of the war effort often skipped over in favour of the more traditionally masculine storyline, so props to nichol for that section. however, this definitely could have been expanded on more.
there was a time i wondered if i had somehow gone back in the book, but nichol had simply put the same account from a man twice. this may have been an error or just careless planning, but it worked well with the storyline nonetheless so all good.
i was thoroughly enjoying the account of jim, who was shot down over germany. it was interesting to read about, but then it moved on suddenly to statistics, not going back to jim until much further into the book, by which point i was devoted to different accounts. which i found unsatisfactory. i would have liked to hear more of his story.
however, the subheading on the cover is slightly inaccurate. it states, 'the forging of a very british legend' and although the lancaster is most definitely a british legend, there was barely anything on the forging of it. i do personally love the book and way it told the stories of the lancaster and the bomber command who flew it though, so no complaints about this.
again - brilliant job. props to john nichol!
superb job from nichol on this book. would not have expected any less from him after previously reading return of the dambusters, about 617 sqn. definitely recommend to history and aviation nerds like myself.
i like that nichol included a section talking about the women of the war, including the few piloting the planes themselves to be delivered. women were a massive part of the war effort often skipped over in favour of the more traditionally masculine storyline, so props to nichol for that section. however, this definitely could have been expanded on more.
there was a time i wondered if i had somehow gone back in the book, but nichol had simply put the same account from a man twice. this may have been an error or just careless planning, but it worked well with the storyline nonetheless so all good.
i was thoroughly enjoying the account of jim, who was shot down over germany. it was interesting to read about, but then it moved on suddenly to statistics, not going back to jim until much further into the book, by which point i was devoted to different accounts. which i found unsatisfactory. i would have liked to hear more of his story.
however, the subheading on the cover is slightly inaccurate. it states, 'the forging of a very british legend' and although the lancaster is most definitely a british legend, there was barely anything on the forging of it. i do personally love the book and way it told the stories of the lancaster and the bomber command who flew it though, so no complaints about this.
again - brilliant job. props to john nichol!
October 10, 2021
This book tells the story of the Lancaster bomber used by bomber command in WW2. Brought into service late 1941, it superseded the Manchester bomber which had not lived up to expectations. The Lancaster bomber went on to be the dominant aircraft used by bomber command. The author tells the history of bomber command through the individual stories of flight crews and pilots. The story of bomber command can be well pieced together by this method as the flight crews were only expected to fly combat missions until they had completed an ops which was 37 missions or they crashed. Through several stories of individuals contribution to the war effort one can both get an individual perspective and a global perspective of the war effort. There are some great stories demonstrating the bravery and heroism of these men. The toll on these flight crews was tremendous. Of the 125000 flight crew 55000 lost their lives. Ironically after the war these flight crews were looked down upon by the public as people questioned the morality and even the importance of the bombing campaign in the success of the war effort. I realy enjoyed the book more than I thought I would. I will definitely read the authors book Spitfire.
January 26, 2022
This is not an in-depth examination of Bomber Command operations, nor a detailed technical examination of the Lancaster but covers both topics, largely through the prism of personal accounts. It's broadly chronological with thematic chapters - the only problem I found was keeping track of who everyone was as the book dips in and out of their stories, but it's not a big issue. The stories are undoubtedly moving and give a good flavour of life as part of a Lancaster crew. There is enough technical detail on the development of the aircraft and how it worked - but I'm not a 'techie'. The controversy of Bomber Command's strategic bombing campaign is addressed, although not in great depth, but this is probably not the book for that. Ultimately it's a tribute to those who developed and built the Lancaster and, above all, the young men who flew in it and died in their thousands.
August 5, 2022
Fantastic, fascinating read. Loved the personal histories of the fliers who featured in the book, some of them shot down over enemy territory, and how they survived. Very poignant as many had passed away by the time the book was published; the passing of a golden generation.
The debate around the massive bombing campaigns over Germany with all their civilian losses is balanced and very well handled.
Reading this book I could imagine being in a bomber in the night sky over Germany in the early 1940s, flak coming at me, friendly bombers around me ablaze and spinning down to earth, the orange glow of burning cities below me, being attacked by German fighter planes out of no-where; moments of sheer terror alongside the discomforts of flying in the plane, as well as all the spirit camaraderie amongst the crews.
The debate around the massive bombing campaigns over Germany with all their civilian losses is balanced and very well handled.
Reading this book I could imagine being in a bomber in the night sky over Germany in the early 1940s, flak coming at me, friendly bombers around me ablaze and spinning down to earth, the orange glow of burning cities below me, being attacked by German fighter planes out of no-where; moments of sheer terror alongside the discomforts of flying in the plane, as well as all the spirit camaraderie amongst the crews.
January 22, 2024
“More and more recruits were needed to replace the ever-increasing casualties. Huge numbers were going into training, taking their first steps in a process that would produce finished bomber crews, but of the 125,000 men who served in Bomber Command, some 75,000 – 60 per cent of operational airmen – would be killed, wounded or taken prisoner.”
WWII stories of the Lancaster bomber and the (almost exclusively) men who flew in the aircraft.
Interesting, if this sort of thing interests you. The author has interviewed survivors, some were injured, some shot down and put in prisoner of war camps, and some who survived unscathed – physically. Comprehensive notes for each chapter, bibliography, photographs and an index. First published in 2020. I note that the book The Destruction of Dresden, by David Irving and published in 1963 was not included in the bibliography.
WWII stories of the Lancaster bomber and the (almost exclusively) men who flew in the aircraft.
Interesting, if this sort of thing interests you. The author has interviewed survivors, some were injured, some shot down and put in prisoner of war camps, and some who survived unscathed – physically. Comprehensive notes for each chapter, bibliography, photographs and an index. First published in 2020. I note that the book The Destruction of Dresden, by David Irving and published in 1963 was not included in the bibliography.
January 11, 2022
Ostensibly a tribute to the RAF bomber that helped win World War II, Nichol's book actually ends up being more of a tribute to the men who flew the Lancaster. Their bravery, heroism and sacrifice is never far from the surface of the story of the plane itself. After all, the air crews are what really made the Lancaster legendary. Give Nichol credit, in what is basically a laudatory study, for not skipping over the post-war controversy about Bomber Command's bombing of German cities (as opposed to strictly military targets), but he is careful to give the crew members the last word on that topic. Noteworthy also that he addresses battle fatigue, how it affected some men both during and after the war. A dignified, rewarding and frequently moving book.
August 2, 2022
This is probably one of the best books I’ve ever read. Everyone should read it as it hits home the horrors of war and the sacrifice made by so many young Bomber command crew . Superbly written . In places it had me in tears with the accounts of Lancaster crew members. It’s only recently that Bomber command have received the adulation they deserved and this book will tell you why. There are no winners in war but if it wasn’t for these brave young men then god knows what life we would have had. The Lancaster was a game changer and we all need to understand why. At the end of the day the Nazi’s bombed large areas of the UK knowing that the British didn’t have a plane to fight back. 1942 changed all that with the introduction of the Lancaster. Please read this book. You will not regret it.
December 23, 2024
Lancaster effectively portrays the grim reality of life in Bomber Command in the Second World War. Nichol lends his unique perspective to the story as an ex-serviceman, with the human cost at the forefront of his narrative. It is a story written from the veteran’s perspective, both English and German, serving and non-serving - while a technical history it is not. If I had to offer a criticism, he somewhat glosses over the other uses of the Lancaster - the test pilots in development, the work of the special squadrons (the ABC Lancasters at Ludford Magna only get a brief mention, nothing on the Tirpitz raids either) and its post World War II service (Lancastrian airliner?). Overall however, a gripping read and highly recommended.
March 20, 2025
The Lancaster Bomber is an iconic Second World War aircraft. As Arthur Harris, Chief of Bomber Command, famously said, the Lancaster was the single most important factor in winning the war. This book, however, looks beyond the machine itself, telling the human story of the Lancaster through the experiences of those who flew, built, and maintained her.
John Nichol, drawing on veterans' eyewitness accounts, reconstructs the iconic bomber command missions of the Second World War, showcasing the crucial role the Lancaster played in securing Allied victory. Reading about the struggles and dangers faced by the young bomber crew men, typically aged 18-25, is truly sobering. Sadly, many did not survive to witness the fruits of their labour, with over 55,000 airmen dying in action. Those who did survive were left mentally and physically scarred, and faced a complex public perception. While their actions were essential to the war effort, the destruction caused by strategic bombing missions led to them being labelled as villains by some, a harsh judgement considering that they were in the midst of war following government orders.
It is extremely important that John Nichol captured the stories in this book, given that each day fewer veterans remain to share them. The Lancaster, and the sacrifices of its crews, will remain a symbol that stands the test of time.
John Nichol, drawing on veterans' eyewitness accounts, reconstructs the iconic bomber command missions of the Second World War, showcasing the crucial role the Lancaster played in securing Allied victory. Reading about the struggles and dangers faced by the young bomber crew men, typically aged 18-25, is truly sobering. Sadly, many did not survive to witness the fruits of their labour, with over 55,000 airmen dying in action. Those who did survive were left mentally and physically scarred, and faced a complex public perception. While their actions were essential to the war effort, the destruction caused by strategic bombing missions led to them being labelled as villains by some, a harsh judgement considering that they were in the midst of war following government orders.
It is extremely important that John Nichol captured the stories in this book, given that each day fewer veterans remain to share them. The Lancaster, and the sacrifices of its crews, will remain a symbol that stands the test of time.
September 24, 2023
This is an interesting read, focussing on the personal experience of people who flew in Lancaster bombers during the second world war. Given that the author is a retired bomber pilot, it comes as no surprise that he is sympathetic, although he does cover some of the anti-bombing point of view.
The book is quite a disturbing read as he details both the thousands of civilians killed by the 'strategic bombing' campaign and the thousands of airmen killed in carrying it out. While one has to recognise the bravery of the bomber crews and the sacrifices they made, it's nevertheless hard to get one's head round the carnage they caused.
Thought provoking.
The book is quite a disturbing read as he details both the thousands of civilians killed by the 'strategic bombing' campaign and the thousands of airmen killed in carrying it out. While one has to recognise the bravery of the bomber crews and the sacrifices they made, it's nevertheless hard to get one's head round the carnage they caused.
Thought provoking.
July 29, 2021
Wonderful history. I've been lucky enough to live near the BBMF for a few years, moving to one of the old villages that had the Lancs flying out during the war, we live in the pub where many of the air men would have drank before flying out, so thought this was an important part of history to read up on.
It doesn't disappoint, and I'm happy to recommend to everyone who has an interest.
The audio book was brilliant.
*Absolutely broke down in tears during parts of it.
It doesn't disappoint, and I'm happy to recommend to everyone who has an interest.
The audio book was brilliant.
*Absolutely broke down in tears during parts of it.
November 13, 2021
I've a feeling that many who espouse patriotism and venerate the military have forgotten (or never knew) that war is hell. This book would set them straight on how thousands of men were killed and families ripped apart in a war not of their making. The bits about Stan Shaw and his young daughter Elaine are incredibly moving. The book is all the more poignant knowing what happened to the author in the first Gulf War.
January 7, 2024
A really, really interesting book. Stories of the Lancaster in operation over the skies or Germany, as well as stories of the lives of the men and women who maintained and operated them. What was really interesting is that you don't shy away from the damage that was truly caused by all this, with some memories of life on the ground for normal German citizens. It genuinly brought tears to me in some parts
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