Pathfinders: 7790 Wartime Classics

Imperial War Museum Wartime Classics

by Cecil Lewis

A new edition of Cecil Lewis’s 1944 aviation classic.

Over the course of a single night in 1942, the crew members of a Wellington bomber reflect on the paths of their own lives as they embark on a fateful mission deep in the heart of Nazi Germany. Based on his own experience as a World War I fighter ace, Cecil Lewis’s stunning novel examines the life of each man, rendering a moving account of each as not merely a nameless crew member, but as an individual with a life “A life precious to some, or one. . . . These men with dreams and hopes and plans of things to come.”

This new edition of the 1944 classic includes a new introduction from an Imperial War Museums historian that puts the novel in historical context and shines a light on this vital and sometimes contested aspect of Britain’s involvement in World War II.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War

264 pages, Paperback

Published July 28, 2021

About the author

Cecil Arthur Lewis MC was a British fighter pilot who flew in World War I. He went on to co-found the BBC and enjoy a long career as a writer, notably of the aviation classic Sagittarius Rising (inspiration for the movie Aces High).

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like me, readers may have been expecting the main focus of the book to be on the crew’s mission, leading the way in a bombing raid over the heart of industrial Germany. The chapter in which the crew carry out their meticulous pre-departure checks on the Wellington bomber certainly gives a sense of the tense atmosphere in the hours preceding a mission. However it’s the reflections of pilot and Wing Commander Hugh Thornly that provide a clue to the direction the book will take. ‘He felt he could understand anything they had done, could pardon or console, help or advise, and yet, there it was they were practically strangers to each other. Only the job kept them together.’

The way the book focuses on the stories of the six men who make up the crew of ‘P for Pathfinder’ reminded me a little of the 1953 film The Cruel Sea, based on Nicholas Montserrat’s novel of the same name, in which the viewer gets small but telling glimpses into the personal lives of some of the crew members. In Pathfinders these are much more than glimpses. Instead, the stories illustrate the varied backgrounds of those who served in the Royal Air Force and explore each man’s motivation for doing so, whether that’s a sense of duty, a desire for revenge or the impulse to escape from the struggles of their current life.

Co-pilot Peter Morelli memories are of a chance encounter and the brief but tender romance that followed. In particular, he recalls an idyllic few days spent in the Italian Lakes, a snatched moment of happiness before the war intervened.

Front-gunner Sam Dollar’s solitary life as a trapper in the wilds of northern Canada ends as a result of a blizzard leading him to flee the wilderness he has grown to love in order to join up. I loved the author’s descriptions of the harshly beautiful landscape. It brought to mind the writing of one of my favourite authors, John Buchan who, during his time as Governor-General of Canada, fell in love with the country and whose final novel, Sick Heart River (published posthumously in 1941) contains scenes similar to those in Sam’s story. Coincidentally, one of Buchan’s final acts as Governor- General was to authorise Canada’s declaration of war against Germany.

Wireless operator Benjy Lukin’s ambition to be part of the film industry leads him into an unhappy marriage with an aspiring film actress whose enticing attitude of ‘rustle and froth and languor, was an invitation to break all the Commandments’. By chance he meets a woman who seems the exact opposite of his wife – cultured, intellectual and serious – but with it comes a conflict between love and duty.

Navigator Tom Cookson’s memories are of an eventful voyage from New Zealand through stormy seas with his friend Dick in a yacht they built together. The level of detail about the process of building the boat suggests the author was as knowledgeable about boats and seamanship as he was about aircraft and flying. One of the most memorable scenes is an encounter described as ‘a glimpse of the eternal struggle for existence among the giants of the ocean’.

In what for me was the most touching section of the book, rear-gunner Nobby Bligh’s thoughts are directed towards his wife Sally.  He recalls joyful moments from their courtship, wedding and honeymoon.  However, as he observes, ‘The Valley of the Shadow is narrow: men and women walk that path alone’.  Like many, personal loss becomes the motivation for him to enlist.  When asked why he’s volunteering he responds, ‘To get behind a gun… and the quicker the better’.

Throughout the book, the author makes occasional diversions to ponder on the nature of courage, the ‘Blitz spirit’ of Londoners and the universal desire for freedom.  In the section from the point of view of Hugh Thornly, this becomes more like a lecture (albeit a very cogently argued one) reflecting, I suspect, many of the author’s own views on national identity, the consequences of developments in scientific knowledge and globalisation.  Although this was the least successful part of the book for me, the author could have been writing about the current pandemic when he has Hugh observe, ‘Everybody behaves well in an emergency: the difficulty is to get them to do so when there is no emergency’. Quite.

The disparate stories of the crew come back together in the penultimate chapter as ‘P for Pathfinder’ nears its objective and each man is fully engaged in carrying out their role to the best of their ability. As it turns out, they will need to go far beyond their allotted roles.

Pathfinders is both a glimpse into one eventful night during the Second World and an exploration of the human spirit.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved Sagittarius Rising so I had high hopes. I also love the niche genre of 'lots of guys in a plane, each with their own story'. Sadly, this didn't really do it for me; it was nowhere near as vivid, and as convincingly human, as Squadron Airborne, which I read shortly earlier.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pathfinders is the tale of the crew of a Wellington bomber, they are preparing for a mission (little do they know it is their last).

This is not an action packed war story, but one about the men who fought in one. It tells of their backgrounds, their different nationalities and lives before the war.

It is also about camaraderie and trust. For me, it’s a reminder that these men are not just part of the huge number of casualties and deaths at war, everyone of them was a man with lives and families waiting for them to come home…...and many never did.

A heart breaking and thought provoking read.

Thank you to Random Things Tours for the opportunity to be part of this blog tour, for the promotional material and a copy of Pathfinders.

[dimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

as always, the IWM classics do not disappoint. this is a new favourite for me. I wish I loved any country as much as Lewis loves England. I wish I had half the enthusiasm and desire to live, to prosper, to feel so profoundly enchanted by mankind and to have a quarter of his good nature and hope for the future. each and every one one of these characters is so well developed and all have left such a profound impression on me, their stories all so touching and the prose so beautiful I can't comprehend how anyone could give this book any less than the highest praise. truly one of the best things i've ever read. cant wait to add 'sagittarius rising' to my collection asap.

[Sariya · Rating 3 out of 5]

An insight into the lives of the crew members of a Wellington bomber in the Second World War. Lewis writes with a prose that is poetic. Each chapter delves into the life of a crew member so we get to know the character so intimately before we move onto the next one. I found all of these short slices of life to be so very human, but Hugh's one did bore me the most, I have to say. The novel finishes with a climax and a beautiful note about England's steadfastness and stoicism in the face of war. The pace and way this book is laid out makes me think it would actually make a really solid movie or miniseries.

[Jaffareadstoo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stepping back in time with this 1944 edition of Pathfinders reiterates the danger and complexity of airborne manoeuveres and of the sheer bravery of the flying crews who manned the bomber aeroplanes during some of the most dangerous times of WW2.

Pathfinders is the story of the crew members of a Wellington bomber, coded 'P' for Pathfinder, as it embarks on a mission into the heart of Germany on a fateful night in 1942. The very human aspect of this novel serves to remind us that the crew members were, quite simply, ordinary men caught up in exceptional circumstances.

The six crew members on whom the book focuses are all very different personalities, and have different nationalities, but once in the sky they become as one, and embody the bravery and stoicism of team work under enemy bombardment. By allocating a chapter to each of the crew members, namely, the pilot, co-pilot, navigator, wireless operator and front and rear gunners we are given an emotional glimpse into each of their personal lives. Each of the six have a story to tell and their own special reasons for being aboard Pathfinder on that fateful night in 1942.

I think what makes this novel so special is that it is of its time, and talented though modern writers of WW2 fiction are, they did not live through the events of the Second World War, and as we know, that exceptional fighting generation is now lost to us. However, having a character driven novel penned by a man who was himself a fighter ace of WW1, and who then went on to become a RAF flying instructor during WW2, is what gives Pathfinders such a poignant insight into the human aspect of being part of a bomber crew, of the complexities of flying under extremely difficult circumstances, and of the forgotten lives of those who took to the skies to fight for our freedom.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 1944 novel, recently reprinted in the Imperial War Museum Wartime Classics series, is a moving account not only of the first plane flying out in a vital bombing raid, but more significantly the story of those on board. Six men, from various backgrounds and different countries, are charged with flying ahead of a massive force of bomber aircraft. This is a novel of their individual stories, their backgrounds and concerns aside from the mission that night. They are experienced, highly trained and committed to their task of dropping the flares that will guide other planes to drop bombs on Kiel. Several hundred aircraft will drop bombs in a very short period of time, flattening a city, its war production and those who work and supply there. This is a novel which nods to the awfulness of that objective, and makes the point that in Spring of 1942, after three years of War, it was seen as the only way to take the fight to the heart of Hitler’s forces. This is a long time before the Normandy Landings, the physical invasion of the shores of France, when bombing and thus disrupting Hitler’s ambitions at home was seen as the only option. The Introduction points out that there were those who objected to this wholesale bombing programme, and ever since the actions of Bomber Command have been controversial. The debate goes to the heart of fiction written in a time of war without the benefit of hindsight, when victory was not assured even within years. I found it a fascinating story of the men and those around them who had been drawn together by their own skill and circumstance to fly this mission, and I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book.
This is a novel of the men who had to endure the periods of inactivity, who had to endure physical confinement in a plane, who had to display an almost superhuman level of concentration and skill to achieve their objectives. That is aside from the very real danger that they were in, a relatively small plane flying in the darkness of night into and over enemy territory. At the beginning of the novel the Flight Control Officer reflects on the losses of bombers, men, that could be expected. He remembers that a man had recently written “So we fly up and down the valley of death, till one by one fall into it”. No one has illusions about the possible outcomes of tonight’s mission, but the crew maintain their own peace. The radio operator reads Shakespeare, others think of their own roles, navigating, adjusting dealing with the reality of where they were, what they were doing, amongst thoughts of their families. This book is remarkable for the life stories it details throughout the narrative; the actual details of the flight almost interrupt these background tales. The characters who surround the crew in their own narratives are three dimensional and really live.
The mechanics of this story are fascinating, from the details of pre- flight checks including a form that has to be signed, through to the politics of bombing a densely populated area. What sets this book apart is the concentration on each of the crew’s own back story, the emotions they have gone through, their motivation for being in that aircraft, the burdens they may well carry. This is an author who has not just stuck to the technical details or the events of the night, but has got under the skin of the characters and the way that the war has brought them together, despite their different backgrounds. This is a book that I thoroughly recommend to those who enjoy fictionalized war memoirs, but also to those who find character driven narratives of interest.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a voracious reader and in my youth consumed all the reading material we had in our house; a great portion of which comprised the classic war novels my dad loved so much. Perhaps it might seem a little strange to think of a teenager in the 1980s reading well worn tomes like The Cruel Sea, Reach for the Sky, A Town Like Alice, Ice Cold in Alex and the like, but I used to be fascinated by the bravery, the comradeship, and the sense that the characters were all pulling together in a vital struggle that was so much bigger than themselves - the notion that there are always things worth laying your life on the line for. As a result, I find the series of books republished by the Imperial War Museum, under the Wartime Classics banner, so thoroughly nostalgic. They are so of their time, and I find this curiously moving.

Pathfinders is one of the latest in the series to come within my grasp, and tells the tale of a Wellington bomber crew given the difficult and dangerous task of being the 'pathfinder' for the pilots in their wake - marking out targets for the nighttime bombing raids that began with earnest in 1942, under the command of Air Chief Marshall Arthur 'Bomber' Harris.

The book rather sadly begins with a scene in which a trawler crew find the remains of a Wellington, named P for Pathfinder in their nets and speculate about the fate of the air crew that would have been aboard. Lewis then takes us into the story of the final, fateful mission of P for Pathfinder, as she leads a bombing raid on Kiel, interspersed with the musings and details of the lives of each of the six crew members.

As detailed in the fascinating foreword by IWM Senior Curator, Alan Jeffreys, the bombing raids orchestrated by 'Bomber' Harris have become rather contentious in recent years, due the the terrible toll the incendiary devices took on the towns and cities that were targeted, but in keeping with a novel published in 1944, we come to understand through the thoughts and deeds of the men aboard P for Pathfinder that they believe in the necessity of a strategy designed to wipe out Germany's industrial power as the only way to turn the tide of this interminable Second World War - even if they cannot allow themselves to dwell on the loss of life this brings.

However, this is not really a military story, even if this forms the spine of the novel. Instead it is more about the men who form the crew of P for Pathfinder. Through the intimate portraits Lewis paints with their stories, we see the lives of six very different men, crossing the barriers of class, wealth and nationality - six men who have come together in a single purpose.

In every sense, this novel takes me back to the very things that appealed to me about my own dad's collection of wartime classics, but it also brings in so much historical detail about the time these men were living through, and their very human hopes and dreams. It's both fascinating and poignant in equal measure, and this makes Pathfinders a great addition to the IWM series.

[Susan Corcoran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read many books that are set during the Second World War and yet, I have read nothing like this offering from Imperial War Museum. First published in 1944 as the war entered the final stages of the conflict, it is quite extraordinary, in that it does not focus on the War itself, but on the lives of a remarkable group of men. The Pathfinders were target markers, who flew ahead of the main force, setting off flares above targets, guiding in the main bomber force. It was dangerous and skilled work and though to modern sensibilities, including my own ,about the targeted approach aimed at not just the military, but civilians, it remains both a moving and fascinating read.

Cecil Lewis combines moments of intense and yet intimate scenes of the men as they set off on a mission. The interaction between them, a bond formed from as the result of shared experiences and the heightened dangers they faced together, with individual stories about the lives they lived before this mission. He captures with remarkable clarity how these men, all from widely different walks of life, formed chains of connections forged from the moments spent not just in the hellfire of a bombing raid, but also in the quiet moments between.

He skirts around the bigger events, briefly making us witnesses to the raid and then quietly explores the individual lives of each man. Reminding us that they were not faceless cogs in the machinations of war, but someone’s son, brother, husband or friend. It’s what makes this novel feel so intimate, when you compare it to others set in this period. It has a remarkable ‘heart’ at it’s centre, a restrained, but passionate reminder that these men deserve to be remembered, their stories told. He does so with a clarity of understanding, that left me both deeply touched and affected by their experiences.

It is a work of fiction and yet it also feels like he is intertwining the biographies of real men, into his story of stoic bravery and selfless sacrifice. Much of what he weaves into Pathfinders is as relevant today as it was in 1944 and he has an innate understanding of the forces that drive man to endless conflicts! Each chapter gives a a voice to a crew member and we roam from the frozen lands of Canada, the the seas around New Zealand, and London, learning not just about their lives, but why they join up, why they are driven to place their lives in danger!

It is a novel that is both moving and fascinating. Written by a skilled and talented writer and it maybe the first book I have read in this series, but it won’t be the last.

[Agirlandabook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over the course of one night in 1942, the crew members of Wellington bomber ‘P for Pathfinder’ each reflect on the paths of their own lives, as they embark on a fateful mission deep into the heart of Nazi Germany.

I adored the concept of this book it was historical fiction but focused on the human experience. Six men brought together by circumstance, willing to die for each other but not really knowing what goes on each other’s heads.

“But he often reflected that although he seemed to be intimate with them and share daily life, he really knew nothing about them at all... Even the most intimate of friends kept something back, kept their deepest secrets inviolate”

The story opens at the discovery of a crashed plane and then with the mission playing out in the background we spend time with each man in turn, listening to their life story, what brought them to be on this plane and their hopes for the future. The latter feeling a cruel glimpse of a fate never to be granted given we already know the outcome of the mission.

The writing is some of the most beautifully composed I have read in a long time. Some authors I find have a talent of putting words together that flow together into a rhythm and this was an absolute pleasure to read.

Now there are some rather frustrating and antiquated comments made at points about women and anyone deemed not English by some of the characters that probably were commonly spoken at the time that would be challenged today. I do sometimes wonder how to approach such themes within older books?

Overall though I thought this was an amazing and slightly remarkable book and I was drawn to because it reminded me of my grandad (this is his Spitfire model pictured), if you enjoy historical fiction in particular the human experience of war time this is one I would strongly recommend.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad that The Imperial War Museum has republished this book. Originally published in 1944 I was expecting a book that focused mainly on World WarII, instead, I got a great book that told me of individuals and their personal lives.

Pathfinders is a fabulous read and the focus is on the crew of P for Pathfinder, a Wellington bomber. The crew are of mixed nationalities from as far afield as Canada and Australia. The author begins this book with quite a sombre opening and gives details of where the war is at, or at what stage it is at. He then goes onto delve into the background of each of the crew.

Each crew member gets a chapter and the author gives a brief history of the parents and living conditions or lifestyles of the time. It then goes into more detail about the crew member and how or why they made the journey to join up.

This is a very insightful and quite a poignant book that has some wonderful descriptions and observations, at times it leans toward a literary fiction style and I found these sections to be such a pleasure to read. It is not an action-packed book as such but it does feel very personal.

There is an introduction at the beginning of the book from one of the historians of the museum. I didn't read this as I just wanted to get straight into the story, but I did glance over it afterwards.

This is a book that I really enjoyed, it gives each crew member a face and a story rather than just being part of a bomber. It is a book that readers who like WWII accounts, stories and historical fiction readers will enjoy. Something a little different for me compared to my usual reads and one I would recommend.

[Pam Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all the Wartime Classics which I have read so far, I would say that this has been my favourite. I loved the structure of the novel which gave us the backstory of each crew member at a time. You certainly feel that this is a crew of individuals with a common purpose. Class, age, background seems to make no difference to them. They each have an important task to do and are among the best in their field.
I found the image of the Pathfinder aircraft flying through the night to be so arresting. As the introduction stresses, the policy of bombing has become controversial but this novel does not enter into the morality of war in this way. Pathfinders is really showing us the individuals and telling us their stories. By the time you get through each crew member's story, you are emotionally invested in them and given the opening scene, fearful for them. This is an emotional read at times, especially when you learn of their families and friends they have left at home. Overall, you are given a message of hope and renewal.
In short: An affecting look at human courage

[The Book Club · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pathfinders, originally published in 1944, it has just been republished by the Imperial War Museum. The book doesn’t focus as many others solely on the WWII, but on the individuals and their personal life.

The story focuses on the crew P for Pathfinders, a Wallington Bomber, every individual has a chapter dedicated to them and their family history and what brought them to join the war effort.

So definitely don’t expect an action packed book, but rather a character driven plot, clearly inspired by the author experience as well.

Highly recommended to HF lovers or anyone passionate about WWII.

[Ben Vos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book profiles a fictional aircrew on a mission. The biographies and characters of the men are plausible and have some depth, but they do veer a little into stereotype territory in my view, and the relationship between the men is not examined closely so none of the stresses of class or potential prejudice are even hinted at. Perhaps this is due to the book being first published in 1944 when it wasn't really the first priority to examine strains in British society. Anyway, it is a worthwhile emotional exercise to give these fictional young combatants their biographies.

[Adelbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!

[Mandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a great fascination for history so when given the opportunity to read another book that has been republished by the Imperial War Museum I jumped at the chance. Pathfinders was originally published in 1944 so if it had not been for this reprinting, I would probably have never come across it.
Pathfinders explores the lives of the crew of a Wellington bomber as they prepare to go on what turns out to be their final mission so if you are expecting a book that details the mission itself then this may not be quite what you expect. Often books about the war focus on the mission and all that it entails but you don’t necessarily really get to know the men at the heart of it. Cecil Lewis used his own experiences to form this book and it certainly shows as there is a sense of reality about these fictional characters.
The crew of the plane are certainly all different, they have different nationalities and backgrounds and each one has their own reason for being part of the bomber crew. In a confined space they have to learn to trust each other and work together pulling on their individual strengths to ensure each mission is completed and they return safely. As with any book there are some characters you take to more than others, but you still want them all to live beyond the war they are fighting.
This may only be a short book, but it is one that adds that human touch to a time that was often brutal and stark and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for more than just a war story.