| ID | Description | Categories | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2562 | PILBOROUGH, Geoffrey D. The History of Royal Air Force Marine Craft 1918–86, vol. 2. 207–322pp., illus. London: Canimpex, 1987. ISBN: 095102664X.
Volume 2 deals with the tenders and other small craft used by the RAF in WWII. |
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| 2563 | RICHARDS, Denis, & SAUNDERS, Hilary St. George. Royal Air Force 1939–1945. 3 vols., illus., index. London: HMSO, 1953–54.
An official operational history of the RAF. Naval events form only a peripheral part of the record. |
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| 2564 | SHEARS, Doug. Damn my two left feet….. and how I flew with them. 178p., ill. Timaru, N.Z.: Jeff Mill & Associates, 2001. ISBN: 0958228000.
The autobiography of a New Zealander dominated by his war service in the UK. From 1944 Shears flew with 516 Combined Operations Squadron which provided air support for Combined Operations training exercises in amphibious landings. As the landing craft approached the training beaches to discharge their troops, elements from the squadron would lay smoke and/or strafe the area to simulate the conditions the troops would encounter on enemy held shores. The Squadron also helped to calibrate the radar of the newly commissioned Fighter Direction Tenders. Much of the training and the squadron were located in the west of Scotland. |
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| 2565 | SHORES, Christopher. Those Other Eagles: A Tribute to the British, Commonwealth and Free European Fighter Pilots Who Claimed Between Two and Four Victories in Aerial Combat, 1939-1982. 671p., illus. London: Grub Street, 2004. ISBN: 1904010881.
An alphabetically arranged biographical dictionary with enormous detail on combat claims and kills, including FAA pilots. A monumental work. |
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| 2566 | SHORES, Christopher. Aces High: A Further Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Air Forces in WWII, Volume 2. 192p., illus. London: Grub Street, 1999. ISBN: 1902304039.
This volume updates the information in the first volume and adds new names. Information has been added on pilots who had success against V-1 flying bombs in 1944-45. Detail is also given on the fighter Operational Training Units and specialist units like the Central Gunnery School, Fighter Leader's School and Fighter Experimental Units. |
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| 2567 | SHORES, Christopher, & WILLIAMS, Clive. Aces High: A Tribute to the Most Notable Fighter Pilots of the British and Commonwealth Forces in WWII. 663p., illus. London: Grub Street, 1994. ISBN: 1898697000.
Essentially a biographical dictionary following a much earlier and less complete version in 1966. Includes biographical and claim information for FAA pilots. An excellent reference book. |
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| 2568 | SPURDLE, Bob. The Blue Arena. 249p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Kimber, 1986. ISBN: 0947554580.
Spurdle was a New Zealander who flew 565 operational sorties in Europe and the Pacific and became an ace in the process. He developed a virulent dislike of top brass and the USAAF. After his first 170 operations he spent ten months in MSFU in 1941–42. A very blunt, very readable memoir. Reprinted by Crecy in 1995. |
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| 2569 | SWEETMAN, John. Tirpitz: Hunting the Beast. Air Attacks on the German Battleship 1940–44. xii, 180p., bibliog., illus., index. Stroud: Sutton; Annapolis: NIP, 2000. ISBN: 0750920866.
The existence of Tirpitz profoundly influenced British naval strategy and this is a good record of the regular and often costly attempts to remove her as a threat. |
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| 2570 | TERRAINE, John. The Right of the Line: The Royal Air Force in the European War 1939–1945. 640p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1985. ISBN: 0340266449.
An excellent critical commentary on the conduct of the air war, with ample accounts of the Battle of the Atlantic and other naval related topics. |
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| 2571 | 48 Royal Marine Commando: The Story 1944–46. 114p., illus. [n.p.: privately printed], 1946.
The Commando was formed in the spring of 1944 and fought at D-Day, at Walcheren, and on into Germany. Written by Capt. T.G. Linnell, a member of the Commando. |
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| 2572 | ANSELL, A. L. Boy to Bootneck 1922-1946. 128p., illus. Twickenham: Athena, 2009. ISBN: 9781847484574.
An autobiography. He joined the Marines aged 18 in 1941. After training he joined Nelson and saw service in the Mediterranean and South Atlantic, including the Pedestal convoy and later at D-Day. A light enjoyable tale of a good war. |
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| 2573 | CHESTER, Len. Bugle Boy. 127p., illus. Ebrington: Long Barn Books, 2007. ISBN: 9781902421292.
Chester joined as a bugler aged fourteen in 1939. He tells of training and service on Iron Duke, King George V and Glasgow through a whole series of anecdotes. |
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| 2574 | DAY, John. A Plain Russet-Coated Captain. 199p., illus. Dorking: author, 1993. ISBN: 0952035707.
The autobiography of a man who went on to work for MI5 after his service in the Marines. |
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| 2575 | DEAR, Ian. Marines at War. 128p., illus. London: Ian Allan, 1981. ISBN: 0711011478.
Covers the actions or units illustrating the Royal and US Marines in WWII. The Royal Marines are shown as the RM Siege Regiment, Force Viper, at the Normandy landings, Walcheren, and the Five Rivers Campaign in NW Europe. |
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| 2576 | FARMER, Jock. Jock of 40 Royal Marine Commando: My Life from Start to Finish. The Autobiography of ex-Commando Jock Farmer. 148p., illus. Shanklin: Shanklin Chine, 2007. ISBN: 0952587653.
The author grew up in straitened circumstances in Paisley. He joined up in 1941 and after training saw active service at Dieppe and in Sicily Italy and Yugoslavia. An enjoyable set of reminiscences. |
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| 2577 | FORD, Ken. D-Day Commando: From Normandy to the Maas with 48 Royal Marine Commando. [x], 194p., bibliog., illus., index. Sutton: Stroud, 2003. ISBN: 0750930233.
The last commando formed, in March 1944, it suffered 50% casualties on D-Day, but fought on through Europe and the Walcheren landing to the occupation of Germany. A detailed account. |
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| 2578 | FORFAR, John. From Omaha to the Scheldt: The Story of 47 Royal Marine Commando. xv, 400p., illus., index. East Linton: Tuckwell, 2001. ISBN: 1862321493.
A detailed operational history by the Commando's medical officer. They fought gallantly in bitter actions from D-Day to Walcheren. |
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| 2579 | GRANT, Douglas. The Fuel of the Fire. 236p. London: Cresset, 1950.
A determinedly literary wartime autobiography of service with 41 Royal Marine Commando. He served in Sicily Italy and at D-Day, was wounded in France in late August 1944 and later invalided out. |
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| 2580 | GREAT BRITAIN. Ministry of Information. The Royal Marines: The Admiralty Account of Their Achievement 1939–1943. 80p., illus. London: HMSO; New York: Macmillan, 1944.
An accurate if censored account in a popular pamphlet. |
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| 2581 | GROVER, G. W. M. Short History of the Royal Marines. 68p., illus. Aldershot: Gale & Polden, 1948.
WWII is covered in 20 pages which briefly fill in some background information on the many tasks performed by the Marines. A second edition was published in 1959. |
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