Gladiator Ace: Bill 'Cherry' Vale, the RAF's Forgotten Fighter Ace

by Brian Cull

Brian Cull’s careful research provides a rare and unique insight into a forgotten RAF fighter Squadron Leader Bill ‘Cherry’ Vale DFC, AFC (1914–81). Vale was one of the RAF’s top ten fighter aces of the Second World War, but surprisingly there is no published biography about him. He fought the Luftwaffe and the Regia Aeronautica in the Western Desert and Greece in 1940, flying antiquated Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters, then in Crete flying Hawker Hurricanes against the Germans, and latterly in Egypt against Vichy French forces in Syria. Vale’s final score was 30 kills plus three shared.

256 pages, Hardcover

First published July 15, 2010

Reviews

[JD · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a laborious read that did not focus so much on the man, Bill Vale, that the book is about. You can see the book is very well researched, and it is about oft forgotten RAF battles in the sky above Greece and Crete. But, it reads like combat reports and logbooks, with the focus being more on the RAF squadrons and its operations on the Greek front during the winter of 1940/41 first against the Italians, and then in the spring against the Germans. The part of the book covering the air combat during the German invasion of Crete is a highlight of the book, and this saved it from being a 2-star read.

[Manray9 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brian Cull's Gladiator Ace is a short 173 pages of text. It is derived primarily from Vale's log books – and it reads as such. I found it neither impressive nor interesting.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brian Cole strikes a reasonable balance between delivering historical facts whilst creating an engaging narrative. He also includes wider historical context in order to situate the historical events depicted, telling other people’s stories. Use of first hand accounts adds further colour to a oft forgotten corner of WW2.