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Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War
The first book in 90 years dedicated to the daring and courage of the airmen and mechanics of the Australian Flying Corps—a tale of a war fought thousands of feet above the trenches "I half rolled, and there before my eyes was as perfect a target as I had ever seen in my life. A pressure of a thumb, a short burst, a puff of smoke, a flash of flame, a hole on the clouds—and it was over." —Lieutenant Robert McKenzie, No. 2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps When World War I began in August 1914, airplanes were a novelty, barely a decade old. Despite this, Australia was one of just a few nations outside Europe to establish a military flying school and corps. From a first class of four student pilots the Australian Flying Corps would grow to number almost 4000 by the armistice. Its young volunteers were pioneers in a completely new dimension of warfare as they struggled for control of the skies over the Western Front and Middle East. Using private letters, diaries, and official records, historian Michael Molkentin reveals, for the first time in more than 90 years, the remarkable story of the airmen and mechanics of the Australian Flying Corps. It is a tale of heroism and endurance; of a war fought thousands of feet above the trenches in aircraft of timber and fabric—no radios, parachutes, or oxygen . Fire in the Sky takes readers up into this chaotic tumult and into the midst of a war from which only one in two Australian airmen emerged unscathed.
404 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 11, 2026
I grew up during the last flowering of remembrance of the old biplane aircraft of World War One and the men that flew them, with the aces of that conflict still known by their personality and/or achievements. Manfred Von Richtofen, Albert Ball, Charles Guynemer were names that I and those of us who loved aviation history, and in the case of the first ace even entered the pop music charts thanks to 'Snoopy Versus the Red Baron'. Then there were the Biggles books and Airfix kits that also reminded boys like me of the world of Sopwith Camels, SE5as and Fokker Driedeckers. However, and this was not just the case back then when I was much younger, but even more so today, the men who flew in the Australian Flying Corps were almost totally forgotten. Yes, there were the likes of Ross and Keith Smith, Hudson Fysh and maybe Harry Cobby, but very little was said or remembered about Australia's own effort at contributing to the air war back in 1914-1918. In Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War this lacuna in Australian military history has been not just filled, but perhaps defined for some time to come. Michael Molkentin has written a truly impressive study of the AFC, its men and the machines they flew and serviced. For the most part a comprehensive history of the general trends and operations delivered by the aviation elements of this country's overseas fighting forces, the book is perhaps at its best when bringing the experiences, successes and losses of the AFC's pilots and crews to the attention of today's readers. With a studious eye to the facts and records of the history, as well as a wonderful ability to capture personal stories of those who created that same history, Molkentin has delivered a significant achievement in Australian military history publications.
Molkentin's narrative follows the exploits of the main units that formed the Australian contribution to the Allied effort in World War One, starting with establishment of the the Australian military aviation service and the Half-Flight which contributed to the rather disastrous Mesopotamian campaign of 1915, followed by the work of each of the four AFC squadrons. He spends a significant amount of the text focused on No.1 Squadron and its exploits and experiences fighting against the Turks and Germans in the Middle East, and then follows up with the remainder of the book looking at the three combat squadrons that flew on the Western Front. It's a fulsome and seriously well researched history, and there is so much to appreciate as to what the author brings through his efforts at combining scholarly history with more popular stories. He speaks to the men in the air as well as those on the ground, those who fought against the AFC, and the aircraft flown, though in the last item he could have done perhaps a little more. It must also be noted that there is not as much coverage provided as to the four training squadrons that flew in England in support of the AFC , and this is slightly disappointing.
Having noted the general qualities and structure of Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War it is of value to consider some of the more specific issues and historical material that Molkentin provides. The manner in which AFC personnel served, whether it be in combat or not, is given significant attention on numerous fronts. For example, early in the book he notes:
"Did this lack of drill result in a poor discipline record for the AFC? Apparently not—it had fewer court martials per capita than the rest of the AIF, although the Australians’ standard of discipline sometimes clashed with those of the British commands under which they operate."
The behaviour of the airmen and ground crew is a frequent topic for Molkentin to explore. Further into the book, when shifting to the work done by Australian aviators on the western front, he looks at the training regimes and experiences of pilots who were preparing to fly against the Germans:
" The training squadron mess bills further impoverished the Australians, as they far outstripped the AIF’s cadet wages. Stan Nunan wrote of having ‘a rotten time for money lately’ in August 1917 on account of a 35 shilling per week mess bill ‘on an AIF 24/6 allowance’. Nunan complained to the AIF’s administrative headquarters and the allowance was subsequently increased to just cover mess bills, without any extra for leave or sundries. This all contrasts with the typical picture of well-paid, spendthrift Australians on active service during the First World War."
The coverage of the training of the Australian aviators in the four British based AFC squadrons is left out of most of the narrative offered by the author, and whilst one can understand why he has done so, it is a bit of shame. Whilst the Australian Flying Corps is of itself somewhat neglected when it comes to the contribution Australians made to WW1, the efforts of the four training squadrons is itself underplayed, and considering the casualties and challenges experienced by these units in the unglamorous production of trained aircrew it's a shame this is so in the book.
As stated previously, Molkentin is really at his best when he depicts and explores the experiences of the men who flew into battle in the AFC, and the way he both documents these stories as well as drawing out their heroics, their pathos and their humanity is so striking. For example, consider this incident related to the death of an AFC pilot at the Battle of Cambrai:
"At 2.20 p.m. the following day, Harry Cornell took off on what the squadron record book described as an ‘air test’. The taciturn, bureaucratic note that follows is almost all that exists in the squadron’s official records of this pilot, who only ever flew one operational sortie:
'Lt Cornell in 9324 left the aerodrome at 2.20 pm and crashed at 2.25 pm at Baizieux. Pilot killed. Cause flat turn and stall and nose dive at 500 ft. Machine struck off.'
Cornell’s logbook, training card and the short diary that he used to describe the eighteen days he had at the front are practically all the evidence we have that this ordinary Tasmanian pilot ever existed. When they found their way back into the hands of his wife, Jessie, in Queenstown, they revealed a bitterly—indeed, tragically—ironic and unfair story. Her husband, who had left home just over a year before, survived three accidents while learning to fly in England, a crash in no man’s land and an enemy barrage to be killed on an ‘air test’, four days after the Battle of Cambrai ended."
That Cornell was killed in such non-descript circumstances, that his death was recorded with sang froid, and that the impact of his death was felt so far away by his widow, is brought together with prose that is both very economical yet also very powerful.
The author doesn't just dwell on the inevitable deaths, the expected tragedies that befell the men of the AFC, their comrades and their families as a result of the charnel house that was World War One. Malkentin also records how the pilots felt towards their enemy, and how at times they could and did find reason to celebrate their achievements. Here are two separate extracts, one sourced from a 1 Squadron AFC pilot, the other from a pilot of 4 Squadron on the western front:
"The 22nd. Raid. Bomb. Guns. ’Drome . . . Many of those poor devils were killed a dozen times over. The bombs continued to raid down. And hundreds of Turks just stood—stood awaiting the bullets and shrapnel splinters that were going to end their days of war . . . ’Drome. Sandwiches. Coffee. Maybe a bottle of ale to take back in the plane. Against ‘regs’ but—maybe mail to read while flying back . . . This flying to the butcher’s shop had got to be as much a matter of routine as getting the tram or train to work . . . But, oh,that nauseating smell of cordite, the pools of blood we could see, the debris framed by those barren desolate hills of Samaria."
"The word ‘bastard’ was continually on their lips, but they thought no more of it than we would of ‘blighter’. ‘Had a good scrap this morning?’ Waddy would say as he climbed out of his Camel, loosening the chinstrap of his helmet. ‘Get a Hun?’ ‘You bet!’ was the reply. ‘Fried the bastard’ . . . Or there would be a group listening to Taplin, who specialised in stalking enemy two seaters. ‘And how did it finish, Tap?’ ‘Well,’ he drawled, ‘I went into the cloud again and when I came out the bastard was just above me. So I pulled up the bus and blew the observer’s bum through the back of his neck!’."
Again and again Melkentin does all that one would hope in capturing the experiences of the men of the AFC, and thankfully he doesn't rely on outdated paradigms of hero worship and mythologising those who flew in combat. He is more than willing to call out some of the errors of leadership and of men, including the alleged poor flying capabilities of the only VC recipient in the Australian Flying Corps, Frank McNamara, and Harry Cobby's flaws as a commander in WW2. No one in the book is a simple hero; they are all 'real' people that the author brings to life.
There is so much to like about Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War if one is interested in Melkentin's subject, and I would like to suggest that it is now the seminal text on the AFC in WW1. It's got some blemishes, but these are relatively minor contrasted with what the author has attempted to achieve, and in fact accomplished. For thoseof us with a fascination with military aviation history, or aircraft and the Australian men who were the first to fly them, this is a must-read.
Molkentin's narrative follows the exploits of the main units that formed the Australian contribution to the Allied effort in World War One, starting with establishment of the the Australian military aviation service and the Half-Flight which contributed to the rather disastrous Mesopotamian campaign of 1915, followed by the work of each of the four AFC squadrons. He spends a significant amount of the text focused on No.1 Squadron and its exploits and experiences fighting against the Turks and Germans in the Middle East, and then follows up with the remainder of the book looking at the three combat squadrons that flew on the Western Front. It's a fulsome and seriously well researched history, and there is so much to appreciate as to what the author brings through his efforts at combining scholarly history with more popular stories. He speaks to the men in the air as well as those on the ground, those who fought against the AFC, and the aircraft flown, though in the last item he could have done perhaps a little more. It must also be noted that there is not as much coverage provided as to the four training squadrons that flew in England in support of the AFC , and this is slightly disappointing.
Having noted the general qualities and structure of Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War it is of value to consider some of the more specific issues and historical material that Molkentin provides. The manner in which AFC personnel served, whether it be in combat or not, is given significant attention on numerous fronts. For example, early in the book he notes:
"Did this lack of drill result in a poor discipline record for the AFC? Apparently not—it had fewer court martials per capita than the rest of the AIF, although the Australians’ standard of discipline sometimes clashed with those of the British commands under which they operate."
The behaviour of the airmen and ground crew is a frequent topic for Molkentin to explore. Further into the book, when shifting to the work done by Australian aviators on the western front, he looks at the training regimes and experiences of pilots who were preparing to fly against the Germans:
" The training squadron mess bills further impoverished the Australians, as they far outstripped the AIF’s cadet wages. Stan Nunan wrote of having ‘a rotten time for money lately’ in August 1917 on account of a 35 shilling per week mess bill ‘on an AIF 24/6 allowance’. Nunan complained to the AIF’s administrative headquarters and the allowance was subsequently increased to just cover mess bills, without any extra for leave or sundries. This all contrasts with the typical picture of well-paid, spendthrift Australians on active service during the First World War."
The coverage of the training of the Australian aviators in the four British based AFC squadrons is left out of most of the narrative offered by the author, and whilst one can understand why he has done so, it is a bit of shame. Whilst the Australian Flying Corps is of itself somewhat neglected when it comes to the contribution Australians made to WW1, the efforts of the four training squadrons is itself underplayed, and considering the casualties and challenges experienced by these units in the unglamorous production of trained aircrew it's a shame this is so in the book.
As stated previously, Molkentin is really at his best when he depicts and explores the experiences of the men who flew into battle in the AFC, and the way he both documents these stories as well as drawing out their heroics, their pathos and their humanity is so striking. For example, consider this incident related to the death of an AFC pilot at the Battle of Cambrai:
"At 2.20 p.m. the following day, Harry Cornell took off on what the squadron record book described as an ‘air test’. The taciturn, bureaucratic note that follows is almost all that exists in the squadron’s official records of this pilot, who only ever flew one operational sortie:
'Lt Cornell in 9324 left the aerodrome at 2.20 pm and crashed at 2.25 pm at Baizieux. Pilot killed. Cause flat turn and stall and nose dive at 500 ft. Machine struck off.'
Cornell’s logbook, training card and the short diary that he used to describe the eighteen days he had at the front are practically all the evidence we have that this ordinary Tasmanian pilot ever existed. When they found their way back into the hands of his wife, Jessie, in Queenstown, they revealed a bitterly—indeed, tragically—ironic and unfair story. Her husband, who had left home just over a year before, survived three accidents while learning to fly in England, a crash in no man’s land and an enemy barrage to be killed on an ‘air test’, four days after the Battle of Cambrai ended."
That Cornell was killed in such non-descript circumstances, that his death was recorded with sang froid, and that the impact of his death was felt so far away by his widow, is brought together with prose that is both very economical yet also very powerful.
The author doesn't just dwell on the inevitable deaths, the expected tragedies that befell the men of the AFC, their comrades and their families as a result of the charnel house that was World War One. Malkentin also records how the pilots felt towards their enemy, and how at times they could and did find reason to celebrate their achievements. Here are two separate extracts, one sourced from a 1 Squadron AFC pilot, the other from a pilot of 4 Squadron on the western front:
"The 22nd. Raid. Bomb. Guns. ’Drome . . . Many of those poor devils were killed a dozen times over. The bombs continued to raid down. And hundreds of Turks just stood—stood awaiting the bullets and shrapnel splinters that were going to end their days of war . . . ’Drome. Sandwiches. Coffee. Maybe a bottle of ale to take back in the plane. Against ‘regs’ but—maybe mail to read while flying back . . . This flying to the butcher’s shop had got to be as much a matter of routine as getting the tram or train to work . . . But, oh,that nauseating smell of cordite, the pools of blood we could see, the debris framed by those barren desolate hills of Samaria."
"The word ‘bastard’ was continually on their lips, but they thought no more of it than we would of ‘blighter’. ‘Had a good scrap this morning?’ Waddy would say as he climbed out of his Camel, loosening the chinstrap of his helmet. ‘Get a Hun?’ ‘You bet!’ was the reply. ‘Fried the bastard’ . . . Or there would be a group listening to Taplin, who specialised in stalking enemy two seaters. ‘And how did it finish, Tap?’ ‘Well,’ he drawled, ‘I went into the cloud again and when I came out the bastard was just above me. So I pulled up the bus and blew the observer’s bum through the back of his neck!’."
Again and again Melkentin does all that one would hope in capturing the experiences of the men of the AFC, and thankfully he doesn't rely on outdated paradigms of hero worship and mythologising those who flew in combat. He is more than willing to call out some of the errors of leadership and of men, including the alleged poor flying capabilities of the only VC recipient in the Australian Flying Corps, Frank McNamara, and Harry Cobby's flaws as a commander in WW2. No one in the book is a simple hero; they are all 'real' people that the author brings to life.
There is so much to like about Fire in the Sky: The Australian Flying Corps in the First World War if one is interested in Melkentin's subject, and I would like to suggest that it is now the seminal text on the AFC in WW1. It's got some blemishes, but these are relatively minor contrasted with what the author has attempted to achieve, and in fact accomplished. For thoseof us with a fascination with military aviation history, or aircraft and the Australian men who were the first to fly them, this is a must-read.
April 13, 2013
There are many books covering Australia's involvement in World War I, but not so many that concentrate on our involvement in the air war. This book fills that gap excellently.
The first half of the book covers the Middle East, which is where the first Australian squadron was based. The author combines a mix of action reports, and stories about some of the individuals involved. Through this story, the book presents the way that the air war developed as leaders gained a better understanding of the capabilities of aircraft, and as the capabilities of aircraft increased.
The second half of the book covers the western front, where Australian squadrons were involved later, but the conflict was far more intense.
Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who has an interest in the air war in the First World War, and the beginnings of what would become the RAAF.
The first half of the book covers the Middle East, which is where the first Australian squadron was based. The author combines a mix of action reports, and stories about some of the individuals involved. Through this story, the book presents the way that the air war developed as leaders gained a better understanding of the capabilities of aircraft, and as the capabilities of aircraft increased.
The second half of the book covers the western front, where Australian squadrons were involved later, but the conflict was far more intense.
Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who has an interest in the air war in the First World War, and the beginnings of what would become the RAAF.
November 16, 2020
When the First World War began in August 1914, aeroplanes were a novelty, barely 10yo. Despite this, Australia was one of just a few nations outside Europe to establish a military flying school and corps. From a first class of four student pilots the Australian Flying Corps would grow to number almost 4000 by the armistice. Its young volunteers were pioneers in a completely new dimension of warfare as they struggled for control of the skies over the Western Front and Middle East.Historian Michael Molkentin reveals, for the first time in over 90 years, the remarkable story of the airmen and mechanics of the Australian Flying Corps. It is a tale of heroism and endurance; of a war fought thousands of feet above the trenches in aircraft of timber and fabric.The book takes readers up into this chaotic tumult and into the midst of a war from which only 1 in 2 Australian airmen emerged unscathed.In 1911,at the Imperial Conference held in London, it was decided that aviation should be developed by the various national armed forces of the British Empire.Australia became the first member of the Empire to follow this policy.The AFC was established in 1912, though it was not until 1914 that it began flight training. AFC units were made for service overseas with the AIF during WWI.They operated initially in the Mesopotamian Campaign.The AFC later saw action in Palestine and France. A training wing was established in the United Kingdom. The corps remained part of the Australian Army until it was disbanded in 1919.In 1921, it was re-established as the independent RAAF.The AFC operated a range of aircraft types.These types were mainly of British origin, although a number of French aircraft were also obtained. Over this period aircraft technology progressed rapidly and designs included relatively fragile and rudimentary types to more advanced single-engined biplanes, as well as one twin-engined bomber. The roles performed by aircraft evolved during the war and included reconnaissance, artillery observation, aerial bombing and ground attack,patrolling, and the resupply of ground troops on the battlefield by airdrop.
January 30, 2019
This is an unusual book for me to have read. My great uncle was a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps and was killed in 1916. That's why I read this book. I found it interesting. I learned how typical of Australian pilots my great uncle was: he had fought in Gallipoli; he was in the Light Horse; he had a private school education - there was a class basis for accepting pilots - and he was killed within 2 weeks of entering the war - a higher percentage of pilots who were killed were inexperienced. The flying corps had a very high rate of death and injury and yet the myth existed - which my uncle told his sister - my grandmother - that it was safer than the trenches. This was absolutely false.
The first part of the book is about the battles in Palestine. I found it odd to read all this war story without any context. The British were there to secure the oil pipeline coming from Iraq and Iran. It was all part of the story that still goes on today. But there, I am a reader of history and recently read Peter Frankopan's Silk Roads. I couldn't put that aside in my mind, but this is a history of the Australian Flying Corps and doesn't concern itself with why they were even there.
And the other thing I couldn't get my head around was the glee and enjoyment the airmen took in slaughtering the Turks, the Germans. There are some really horrific scenes described here and words like 'good sport' are used. It is sad that in times of war people are capable to divorcing themselves from the horror of mass killing. I especially was disturbed by the idea of bombing trains and railway stations full of Germans who were retreating.
Still, I am glad I read this book. It did give me insight into my great uncle's life and the certainly brave men who risked their lives for what they believed was right.
The first part of the book is about the battles in Palestine. I found it odd to read all this war story without any context. The British were there to secure the oil pipeline coming from Iraq and Iran. It was all part of the story that still goes on today. But there, I am a reader of history and recently read Peter Frankopan's Silk Roads. I couldn't put that aside in my mind, but this is a history of the Australian Flying Corps and doesn't concern itself with why they were even there.
And the other thing I couldn't get my head around was the glee and enjoyment the airmen took in slaughtering the Turks, the Germans. There are some really horrific scenes described here and words like 'good sport' are used. It is sad that in times of war people are capable to divorcing themselves from the horror of mass killing. I especially was disturbed by the idea of bombing trains and railway stations full of Germans who were retreating.
Still, I am glad I read this book. It did give me insight into my great uncle's life and the certainly brave men who risked their lives for what they believed was right.
December 9, 2011
I found it at first hard to get into but i think it was probably me due to tiredness etc But overall i really liked it .
Would Recommend to those interested in the Subject , which has been long Neglected!
Would Recommend to those interested in the Subject , which has been long Neglected!
February 5, 2012
A thoroughly enjoyable read covering the achievements of the AFC in the First World War. Readers will be surprised to learn just how much Australia was involved in flying during this period. Highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Australia aviation.
May 31, 2014
This was a great book, I enjoyed it and learnt a lot.
It has many entries from the dairies of the pilots, mechanics and observers in the AFC.
It's especially sad though because you often hear the story's of the men who die.
A good read.
It has many entries from the dairies of the pilots, mechanics and observers in the AFC.
It's especially sad though because you often hear the story's of the men who die.
A good read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews