The Pathfinders: The Elite RAF Force that Turned the Tide of WWII

by Will Iredale

The incredible story of the crack team of men and women who transformed RAF Bomber Command and helped the Allies deliver decisive victory over Germany.

The Pathfinders were ordinary men and women from a range of nations who revolutionised the efficiency of the Allies' air campaign over mainland Europe. They elevated Bomber Command - initially the only part of the Allied war effort capable of attacking the heart of Germany - from an impotent force on the cusp of disintegration in 1942 to one capable of razing whole German cities to the ground in a single night, striking with devastating accuracy, inspiring fear and loathing in Hitler's senior command.

With exclusive interviews with remaining survivors, personal diaries, previously classified records and never-before seen photographs, The Pathfinders brings to life the characters of the airmen and women - many barely out of their teens - who took to the skies in legendary British aircraft such as the Lancaster and the Mosquito, facing almost unimaginable levels of violence from enemy fighter planes to strike at the heart of the war machine.

Genres: World War II, History, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Aviation, Military Fiction

400 pages, Hardcover

Published July 15, 2021

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

An uneven, yet intriguing and informative history.

“Uneven” because of its scattershot approach. Is this book about individual British Empire airmen and their families? Is it about the British bombing commanders and their strategy disputes and personal vendettas, is it about the advantages of the equipment, the technology and techniques that were developed by both the British and the Germans in their sky battles, or is it about the German civilian victims on the ground? All these topics are thrown into this volume higgledy-piggledy. But despite the patchwork, the book does manage to hold together, albeit like a flak-battered Lancaster bomber struggling back to base on two engines.

“Intriguing” is shorthand for the feelings of interest, excitement, frustration, anger, and sadness I experienced successively as I progressed through the book. I did not previously know what a nasty piece of work “Bomber” Harris was, and how, in his obsessive desire to ‘show the Germans’, he got hundreds of British bomber crews and thousands of German civilians needlessly killed. It was unfortunate that the intelligence at the time could not know that bombing cities did not have the effect of breaking morale, and all those explosives would have been better used on war logistics centers or production. The disputes and dysfunction among the British top brass and their mistakes about strategy were frustrating. And the personal stories of crew men told in intimate detail in the weeks and days leading up to a final flight operation over Germany usually ended with gut-wrenching abruptness.

“Informative” is for the information on targeting technology that I did not previously know. And it was also interesting to know that, ironically, the British bombing campaign against Germany ended up making essentially the same mistake that it is said the Luftwaffe made during the Battle of Britain. In 1940, the Germans turned from bombing RAF airfields and radar emplacements to bombing British cities just when the RAF was nearly at collapse. In 1943, the British bombing campaign had concentrated on the industrial Ruhr Valley and had reduced steel production by 20% and if they had continued, could have seriously damaged the German war production effort. But the Brits stopped and turned instead to bombing German cities, which had little effect on German morale, and no effect on their war effort.

Overall, a good book.

[Coriolana Weatherby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smartly written book about a special branch within bomber command. It effortlessly weaves personal accounts with facts and statistics. I cried multiple times over the impressive and devastating stories told within this book. May these boys have blue skies ❤️

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pathfinders: The Greatest Untold Story of the Air War against the Nazis - Will Iredale
As a child my grandfather didn't tell me fairytales like my parents did. Instead he told me stories of mischief, cunning, bravery and survival. He imparted to me my love of history, particularly the events of WWII. The Pathfinders is a stunning well researched narrative that will please any fan of history.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I listened to the Audiobook version of this, read by Richard Burnip.

Overall, I thought this was a really interesting look into the often-forgotten Pathfinder force of Bomber Command. I gave this book 3/5 for the whistle-stop history of the Pathfinders force being created, which was very interesting.

However, I found the chapters sometimes bogged down with lots of detail into the individuals’ personal lives which was interesting (don’t get me wrong!) but made the story a lot harder to follow and sometimes slowed the pace down. I found myself wanting to sometimes “get back to the action” when reading about the romances of a particular individual.

Particularly, this book has given me a newfound love for the DH98 Mosquito. After all, as it was summed up toward the end - it carried a similar bombing armament as the B17 Flying Fortress, yet was given the name of an irritating yet mostly harmless bug!

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1941 only around one in five RAF bombers was managing to get within five miles of its intended target. This led to the formation the following year of an elite target finding force called The Pathfinders, selected from the best aircrews and using the latest technology.

The book charts the political battles that led to the formation of the force, the training of aircrews – often carried out in the US and Canada, the development of new tactics and new equipment. From a 21st century perspective it would be easy to get hung up on the tremendous destructive force which this led to the allies unleashing on Germany by the end of the war. But what really shines through here are the human stories, not just the bomber crews but the men and women supporting them on the ground, their families, and also German civilians and night fighter crews.

Overall a well-researched and highly readable account, often using extracts from letters and journals, of a somewhat under appreciated aspect of WWII.

[Andy Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy, compelling read that focuses almost entirely on the human aspect of the Pathfinders, including the stories of some people who may not have appeared in print before. Descriptions of the development and use of technology that helped make the Pathfinders is quite light on and the book would have been all the better for it if it touched on the science a bit more. However, it was written for a broader audience and has excelled in that, hopefully introducing a new audience to the courage and sacrifices of the Pathfinder crews. Despite the slight technical deficiencies, this is one of the more 'unputdownable' books of this genre in recent years. The 'musical' cover is wonderful too!

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many books and movies about the bomber boys but very little about this group of fliers who went in first and marked where to drop the bombs. The book covers the overall Pathfinder story as well as that of a number of individual pilots and navigators. A well written addition to my WW2 library.

[Jules Begg · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt it was a bit light on technology & flying techniques.

[Graham Mott · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good modern history of the RAF Pathfinders in WW2. While occasionally drifting into hyperbole (especially on the cover notes) the actual book is very balanced in the telling of the main characters and Bennet’s battles with Harris and the effectiveness of Bomber Command. It is a worthy testament to the crews involved, the ground crews and WAAF support and the emotional toll even on the survivors. Little perspective from the German side which is a shame as much information is available on this area now as well.

Recommended for anyone interested in Bomber Command.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is better for having focused on the men and women, both in the air and on the ground, who were part of the Pathfinders story. It would be easy to get caught up in the technological wizardry that made the RAF's Pathfinders so important. But Iredale never forgets that real people flew and often died in these planes -- and that real people died on the ground in both the UK and Germany as a result of the WWII air war. The ultimate triumph of the Pathfinders came at a horrible price, but one that most would agree had to be paid. A compelling story, although perhaps a bit too long.

[Dan Cohen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book giving a solid account of the formation and subsequent operations of the Pathfinder RAF unit that transformed the fortunes of the British air offensive against Nazi Germany. I particularly enjoyed the exposition of some of the technical aspects of how the RAF managed to improve the accuracy of their raids.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt this book shared a similar trait with the authors other book, The Kamikaze Hunters: It lacks that certain something. Some books I just know I’ll never read again and this is one of them. Not a bad story, one fairly well told, just not the best you’ll read.

[Jason Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reading. I have read a lot about bomber command and the various groups and squadrons and the pathfinders are always mentioned so it was great to finally read about the Pathfinders. Well written with enough detail that you are not felt wanting. Defitely enjoyed it and would recommend it.

[Jacks Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book, didn't have much of a clue about this part of WW2

A rather long book (although about 30% on my Kindle was acknowledgements and references so not quite as long as originally thought)

[Gregor Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating look at how the squadron was formed, the techniques they used to turn the tide of the bombing campaign over Germany and the stories and lives of everyone from Bomber Command through all the way to ground crew at the various bases.

[Froggarana · Rating 4 out of 5]

very much about the human costs, the bombers and the bombed
has a fair amount of the stats

[Donald Pryde · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was overall a good read, just found it slow going at times, but very informative book

[Francesca Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

So moving and very insightful. Makes you appreciate the scale of sacrifice they made for us all to prosper.

[Harris Maidment · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent account of the organisation and tactics of the pathfinders. I had no idea about the methods and focus of allied bombing during the second World War.

[Martyn Howe · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best accounts of the RAF Bomber Command during WW2 I have read, not for the details of history, covered by many others, but for the stories told of the individuals involved.

[Peter Timson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly moving and thought provoking book.

[Malcolm Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's impossible not to feel some emotion for the brave Bomber Crews who were asked to go out day after day with every chance that they would not be coming back.Very well written.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The Pathfinders' tells the story of the 20,000 elite men of Bomber Command who flew during the Second World War, undertaking the dangerous task of 'marking' targets, at the vanguard of the main bomber force. It is through their work, so Iredale argues, that Bomber Command went from an impotent force in 1942 to one that time and again could successfully pinpoint, and destroy, a range of objectives across Germany and occupied Europe.

Undoubtedly, this is a controversial topic. Discussion of the area bombing of German cities, and their civilian populations, is one that is awkward at best. But as Iredale rightly points out, the strategic air war was an important aspect of the Allied victory in the Second World War and one that - along with the men and women who fought and worked in Bomber Command - has often been overlooked.

Iredale does not glorify the bombing of civilians, instead making the human cost for all involved all too obvious, but he does bring to life the Pathfinders in a way that no-one has done before. He tells their story with verve and style, making individual characters leap from the pages, showing their heroism and their frailty. Alongside this, Iredale weaves their stories into a compelling narrative that, although containing military and technical detail, is fast-paced and an absolute pleasure to read. Reading this really is watching a master at his craft: it is the best work of military history I've read in a long time.

[Rick Brindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Will Iredale book I've read, the other one being the Kamikaze Hunters. On balance, I liked the other one better.
So, this book deals with the Pathfinder Force, a unit within Bomber Command that marked targets for the rest on the bombers to attack. In a time when there wasn't satellite navigation, at the start of the war it was pretty much dead reckoning. The book tells us how the RAF was able to develop its own methods for target marking, based on initial German successes during the Blitz and earlier.
Iredale also highlights the interesting personal interplay between Don Bennett, head of the Pathfinders, Ralph Cochrane, head of a rival RAF group, and Bomber Harris, who seemed to play them off against each other.
But where the book loses momentum is in the early biographies of the Pathfinders. For me, they were too long, too involved, and frankly, involved too many people. I couldn't keep track of them all in my mind, and it took some of the pace from the story, a bit like the Game of Thrones books when the action suddenly grinds to a halt to mention yet another family and their history. Overall, not a game changer, but it takes a star away, at least in my eye.
That aside, a good read, and an interesting piece of history.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read.
A story that had to be told and the Author has done a brilliant job of telling their story, both the men and women.
The activities and heroics have been told in a thorough and informative manner.
Well researched with the history recorded in a timely and easy to read format.
The Pathfinders, through their endeavours, earned their place in the successful end of WW2