Category: Coastal Command

An enjoyable account of 25 years of flying. Particularly interesting for a long account of his service in Malta, working with Force K. Reprinted by Wingham Press in 1991 (ISBN: 1873454058).

STREVER-MORKEL, Gail. On Laughter-Silvered Wings: The Story of Lt. Col. E.T. (Ted) Strever D.F.C. xii, 227p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2013. ISBN: 1781591040.

A biographical account of the life and times of a South African WW2 pilot (the author's father). He flew coastal strike missions in the Mediterranean and North Africa, then in the Far East against the Japanese.

LUCAS, Laddie.  Wings of War: Airmen of All Nations Tell Their Stories, 1939-1945. 409p., illus., index. London: Hutchinson, 1983. ISBN: 0091542804.

A wide mix of readable anecdotes with a good smattering of FAA and Coastal Command material. An abridged version was published in 2003 by Ted Smart entitled Voices in the Air 1939-1945 (ISBN: 0091901332).

FRENCH, John. Catalina Over Arctic Oceans: Anti-Submarine and Rescue Flying in World War II. 180p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2013. ISBN: 1781590532.

A long and varied career is described with relish.

DUNMORE, Spencer. Wings for Victory: The Remarkable Story of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in Canada. 399p., bibliog., illus., index. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1994. ISBN: 0771029276.

Gives an excellent insight into the overseas training of aircrew. Has some relevance to Coastal Command and anti-shipping strike squadrons.

CLARK, Chris. From Hitler’s U-Boats to Khruschev’s Spyflights. 288p., illus. Barnsley: Seaforth, 2013. ISBN: 9781781590546.

Tom Clark joined the RAF in June 1939 and trained as an Air Gunner and joined a flying boat Squadron based at Sullom Voe. He served on after the war.

BIRD, Andrew D. Coastal Dawn: Blenheims in Action From the Phoney War Through the Battle of Britain. 224p.,, bibliog., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 2012. ISBN: 9781906502690.

A detailed account of a little remarked area of combat.

ALDRIDGE, Arthur, with RYAN, Mark. The Last Torpedo Flyers: The True Story of Arthur Aldridge – Hero of the Skies. xiv, 336., illus., index. London: Simon & Schuster, 2013. ISBN: 978147102752.

He left Oxford aged 19 in 1940 and volunteered for the RAF. He spent a brutal two years in the UK and Mediterranean flying Beauforts in such actions as the Channel Dash and the defence of Malta. In 1942 he moved to a quieter theatre based on Ceylon.

A public relations account of Coastal Command's role in winning the battle of the Atlantic as a prelude to invasion. Heavily anecdotal.

Short tales of stock characters and stock heroics which are used to describe life in the Command. Reprinted by Chivers in 1975 (ISBN: 0859971007).

A few glimpses of the Battle of the Atlantic at its height, when aircraft were playing an increasingly prominent role.

No. 262 Squadron was based in South Africa from 1942 and progressively South Africanised until it was transferred and renumbered in 1945. A solid operational history.

A brief look at the work of Coastal Command.

The most successful pilot in Coastal, he sank four U-boats, damaged three others and logged over 4,500 hours of operational flying.

GOULTER, Christina J. M. A Forgotten Offensive: Royal Air Force Coastal Command’s Anti-Shipping Campaign, 1940–1945. xxx, 366p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Frank Cass, 1995. ISBN: 0714646172.

 An excellent and exhaustive study of a part of the war neglected and under-resourced at the time and under regarded since.

The war history of 461 Squadron RAAF, which flew Sunderlands in the battle of the Atlantic. The highlights of these years are dramatically reconstructed.

Looks at the career of one Sunderland in great detail.

Slessor commanded Coastal in 1943–44 when the Atlantic Battle was at its peak.

Very detailed day-by-day account of four years of war by a flying-boat squadron, from the Arctic to the Atlantic, from the Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay.

A full account of their anti-shipping strikes in the Channel and North Sea then in the Mediterranean based on Malta.

A participant's account of 210 Squadron's epic Catalina flights to the North Pole, in support of forces occupying Spitsbergen, and in support of the Arctic convoys.

An autobiography with the story of a full wartime career with notable service in the Mediterranean and later anti-shipping strikes off Scandinavia.

After training in the US, the author was posted to Pembroke Dock as a second pilot and then moved on to endless patrols based in West Africa. In 1944 he spent most of his time as a ferry pilot. An unusual view of the war.

An illustrated view of the main anti-shipping aircraft.

A biography of his father. He enlisted in late 1940 and trained as a wireless operator. He flew with 59 Squadron based at Aldergrove in Northern Ireland.

He was called up in 1939 as one of the RAFVR. After training he joined 220 Squadron of Coastal Command flying Hudsons in September 1940. In mid-1941 he moved to a training unit. He moved back to an operational role in 1942 with 269 Squadron based in Iceland. He then returned to the role of instructor first in Northern Ireland then at Leuchars in 1944. At the end of the year he moved to a staff appointment at Northwood then in mid-1945 returned to being an instructor until he was demobbed in early 1946. A fairly bland but interesting account.

A comprehensive reference guide.

Squadron histories laced with reminiscence.

BOWMAN, Martin. Deep Sea Hunters. 224p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2014. ISBN: 9781783831968.

A good general history of Coastal at war.

McKINSTRY, Leo. Cinderella Boys: The Forgotten RAF Force that Won the Battle of the Atlantic.336p., bibliog., illus., index. London: John Murray, 2023. ISBN: 9781529319378.

An excellently written and well researched account of this much neglected force and their battles.

MACE, Martin & GREHAN, John. Liberating Europe: D-Day to Victory 1944-1945. xiv, 226p., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Military, 2014. ISBN: 9781783462155.

Reprints six despatches from the London Gazette with a brief introduction, namely 38045, the Dieppe Raid; 38110, the Assault Phase of the Normandy Landings; 38111, the Liberation of Europe (Operation Overlord), Operations of Coastal Command; 38204, Air Operations by the Allied Expeditionary Air Force in North West Europe 1943-44; 38171, the Final Stages of the Naval War in North West Europe; 37711, Operations in North West Europe from 6 June 1944, to 5 May 1945.

GREAT BRITAIN. Ministry of Information. Coastal Command: The Air Ministry Account of the Part Played by Coastal Command in the Battle of the Seas. 144p., illus. London: HMSO; New York: Macmillan, 1942.

A popular booklet aimed at the general public. The American edition was published as a hardcover book.

BOWYER, Chaz. Coastal Command at War. 160p., bibliog., illus. London: Ian Allan, 1979. ISBN: 0711009805.

A largely photographic record of the Command, its machines, its crews, and its successes. Reprinted in 2000.          

NESBIT, Roy Conyers. An Expendable Squadron: The Story of 217 Squadron Coastal Command. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2014. ISBN: 9781473823280.

A highly illustrated account of the squadron in which he flew and its hazardous missions.

JEFFORD, C. G. Observers and Navigators: and Other Non-pilot Aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF. xiii, 274p., bibliog., illus., index. Shrewsbury: Airlife, 2001. ISBN: 1840372753.

Traces the rise of the first generation of non-pilot aircrew between 1914 and 1919, examines the way in which in peacetime the RAF rapidly dispensed with its observer officers and their reinstatement in 1934, and looks at the rest of the century including the "1946 Aircrew Scheme". Has full coverage of FAA and Coastal Command. A revised and much expanded second edition was published by Grub Street in 2014, ISBN: 1909808024.

SIMPSON, Geoff. A Dictionary of Coastal Command 1939-1945. 151p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2016. ISBN: 1473872715.

From A to Z this well-illustrated book tells the story of the gallantry, the achievements, the losses, the VCs, the aircraft and much else about RAF Coastal Command.  

BIRD, Andrew D. Heroes of Coastal Command: The RAF’s Maritime War 1939-1945. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Frontline Books, 2017. ISBN: 9781526710697.

The story of Coastal Command largely told through the prism of a whole series of individual tales of bravery and commitment.

HENDRIE, Andrew W. A. The Cinderella Service: Coastal Command 1939-1945. 272p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2006. ISBN: 1844153460.

He served in Coastal Command and published several books on the service. This rigorously researched history is based on a PhD thesis completed just before his death. It demonstrates just how much Coastal contributed to the war effort.

SMITH, Peter C. Combat Biplanes of World War II. xii,324p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2015. ISBN: 9781783400546.

The well known author provides potted histories of seventeen of his favourite biplanes. It covers most of the warring air forces ad in the case of Britain ranges from the Swordfish and Albacore to the Walrus and Vildebeest.

ALDRIDGE, Arthur, with RYAN, Mark. The Last Torpedo Flyers: The True Story of Arthur Aldridge – Hero of the Skies. xiv, 336., illus., index. London: Simon & Schuster, 2013. ISBN: 9781471102752.

He left Oxford aged 19 in 1940 and volunteered for the RAF. He spent a brutal two years in the UK and Mediterranean flying Beauforts in such actions as the Channel Dash and the defence of Malta. In 1942 he moved to a quieter theatre based on Ceylon.

NESBIT, Roy Conyers. An Expendable Squadron: The Story of 217 Squadron Coastal Command. 256p., bibliog., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2014. ISBN: 9781473823280.

A highly illustrated account of the squadron in which he flew and its hazardous missions.

FRANKS, Norman. Coastal Command’s Air War Against The German U-Boats (Images of War). 152p., illus. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2014. ISBN: 9781783831838.

A good selection of photographs illuminates their war.

A local history group interested in aircraft wrecks provides an operational history of the Coastal Command activity from this Northern Irish base.

NICHOLS, Edward. We Held the Key. viii, 177p., illus. Swindon: Newton, 1996. ISBN: 1900511061.

Memoirs of a WOP/AG in Coastal Command. He joined up in 1940 and after training flew Whitleys from Reykjavik with 612 Squadron, then Wellingtons from Gibraltar with 179 Squadron and finally Halifaxes from Tiree with 518 Squadron.

NASH, Jeremy. On the Step: A History of 201 Squadron. xvi, 156p., illus. [n.p.: author, 1990]. ISBN: 095147880X.

Officially formed in 1914 the Squadron is still operating Nimrods and has eight battle honours. Some 30 pages cover WWII service in Coastal Command. In 1939 they were based in the Shetlands and in 1941 moved to Northern Ireland and in 1944 to Pembroke Dock then back to Northern Ireland that November. Their long war in the Atlantic saw 20,000 flying hours, 20 U-boat attacks and 6 kills, 26 medals, and modest crew losses. A useful record rather than a good read.

LEWIS, Peter. Squadron Histories: RFC, RNAS and RAF 1912–59. 208p., illus., index. London: Putnam, 1959.

A technical reference book which gives some brief operational details of Coastal Command squadrons.  Reprinted in 1968 by Bodley Head with a slightly modified sub-title to reflect that (ISBN: 0370000226).

JOUBERT DE LA FERTÉ, Philip. The Fated Sky: An Autobiography. 280p., illus., index. London: Hutchinson, 1952.

The author served from 1912 to 1945 and in 1941–43 led Coastal Command. Reprinted by  White Lion in 1977 (ISBN:  0727402498).             

HENDRIE, Andrew. Flying Cats: The Catalina Aircraft in World War II. vi, 240p., bibliog., illus., index. Shrewsbury: Airlife, 1988. ISBN: 1853100285.

Possibly the most successful flying boat ever, this recounts its service in all theatres and with many of the Allies. Republished by Pen & Sword in 2012 as Flying Catalinas. ISBN: 9781848847804.

HENDRIE, Andrew. Canadian Squadrons in Coastal Command. 208p., bibliog., illus., index. St. Catharines, Ont.: Vanwell; Shrewsbury: Airlife, 1997. ISBN: 1551250381.

A rather dull diary-type account on the role of these squadrons in the waters around Britain and Iceland and the Western Approaches.

GREAT BRITAIN. Royal Air Force. Despatches on the Operations of Coastal Command, Royal Air Force. iii, 225p. London: Air Ministry, 1950.

The official despatches of Air Chief Marshals Bowhill, Joubert de la Ferte, Slessor, and Douglas to May 1945. Declassified in November 1967.

FRANKS, Norman L. R. Dark Sky, Deep Water. vi, 218p., bibliog., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 1997. ISBN: 1898697574.

Over a dozen tales of U-boat versus aircraft duels, covering most theatres but concentrating on Coastal Command. Enriched with survivors reminiscences. Republished in 2004, subtitled First Hand Experiences of the Anti-U-Boat War in WWII. ISBN: 1904010636.

EVANS, John. Help from the Heavens: A History of No. 228 Squadron, RAF. 92p., illus. Pembroke Dock: Paterchurch, 1998. ISBN: 187074506X.

Formed in 1918 and disbanded five times, finally in 1963, this largely photographic record focuses on WWII. Flying mainly Sunderlands the squadron served principally in the Mediterranean and Atlantic with success and distinction.

EDWARDS, Gron. Norwegian Patrol. iii, 176p., illus. Shrewsbury: Airlife, 1985.. ISBN: 0906393531.

The first year of the war seen from a maritime reconnaissance squadron based on the East Coast of Scotland. Gives an enjoyable account of a grim and relentless tour of duty in Hudsons.

EDWARDS, Goronwy. Flying to Norway, Grounded in Burma. 208p., illus., index. Barnsley: Pen & Sword Aviation, 2008. ISBN: 1844158098.

An autobiography. It covers his service based in Scotland as described in an earlier work and continues with his service in the Far East after being grounded with short sightedness.

CLARK, Chris. From Hitler’s U-Boats to Khruschev’s Spyflights. 288p., illus. Barnsley: Pen and Sword Aviation, 2013. ISBN: 9781781590546.

Tom Clark joined the RAF in June 1939 and trained as an Air Gunner and joined a flying boat Squadron based at Sullom Voe. He served on after the war.

BIRD, Andrew D. Coastal Dawn: Blenheims in Action From the Phoney War Through the Battle of Britain. 224p.,, bibliog., illus., index. London: Grub Street, 2012. ISBN: 9781906502690.

Detailed account of a little remarked area of combat.

Contains a brief chapter on their usually unnoticed service in Coastal Command.

A profusely illustrated squadron history.

Flown by Commonwealth air forces as well as the RAF, the Sunderland was a heavily-armed maritime patrol seaplane that played a key role in defeating the U-Boat threat during World War II. This illustrated text details design, development and history.

Immediately on the outbreak of war he enlisted and initially was trained as a saboteur for service in Romania and subsequently in the Mediterranean. He even held a commission in the Royal Navy for a time. However, he persisted with his desire to join the RAF and was particularly keen to pilot flying boats. This book is a detailed and fascinating account of all this and of his training and service in the RAF.

Concentrates on the battle between technologies.

Although mainly used by the Americans, the Catalina saw service with Coastal Command, most famously in the Bismarck chase. It and its Canadian variant the Canso, were used in all theaters.

The author was a test pilot by profession, but saw active service during the war commanding 224 Squadron which flew anti–submarine Liberators, then in command of an air station with two squadrons of antishipping Beaufighters.

A privately published work relying entirely on secondary sources. Comprehensive appendices follow a short text with data on A/S aircraft, squadrons, and success rates which are more useful than such private publication suggests.

Photographs from the Imperial War Museum are used in profusion to illustrate a solid competent history of the Command.

Although best known as one of the mainstays of Bomber Command, the "Wimpey" played a significant role in Coastal Command's war at sea. Profusely illustrated.

A profusely illustrated review of the role and workings of the plane which, more than any other, symbolised Coastal Command.

The Flying Porcupine served in all corners of the globe.

A patchwork history of the service. Very interesting.

One of the predators of the anti-shipping war.

He took over Coastal late in the war when the tide was turning.

The diary of three months spent with 224 Squadron of Coastal Command from June to September 1944, written by the editor of the Command's Intelligence Review.

A slightly revised version of Task for Coastal Command for the American market.

The author's war memoirs. From late 1942 he served with Coastal Command. Most of the material on that period is a revision of his earlier book Task for Coastal Command.

A well written account of a bitter little theatre of war where casualties were suffered until the very end of the war in Europe.

The author was a Gibraltar lawyer who went to the UK and joined the RAF in 1940. He served with Coastal Command mainly in the Azores but witnessed the sinking of U 189 and the machine-gunning of her crew. A brief but interesting account is given of his wartime service with some excellent and little seen pictures.

Bednall joined the RAF in 1937 and after training went to Egypt. When war with Italy began, he was posted to 230 Squadron in Alexandria, flying Sunderlands. From there, he shadowed the Italian Fleet at Matapan and flew 132 other missions. In autumn 1941 he moved to Kenya as an instructor at 70 OTU. In March 1943 he went to Dar es Salaam as CO of 230 Squadron, a detachment of which supported the Husky landings from Bizerta. In January 1944 he moved to Ceylon and in 1945 became Station Commander of a new airfield there.

Includes the author's impressions of Coastal Command and the Fleet Air Arm.

He volunteered for the RAF in 1940 and after training joined 50 Squadron. Shot down over Belgium, he escaped back to the UK through Spain and transferred to Coastal Command late in 1942. He joined 201 Squadron and sank two U-boats before moving to Alness as an instructor in late 1944.

An autobiography. In 1939 he was a Radio Officer with the New Zealand Shipping Company. He managed to wangle a transfer to the RAF and spent the war in Coastal Command. Written as a loosely linked series of anecdotes.

A Coastal Command Squadron history. A good account of the war mainly as seen from the Atlantic.

St. Eval was a major Coastal Command base in Cornwall.

A well-illustrated guide to the history of the Command.

The biography of an Australian who served with Coastal Command particularly on anti-shipping strikes off Norway.

Memoirs of 304 (Polish) Squadron. He was chased from Poland to France then Britain. His squadron was active over the Bay, then moved north to Benbecula to cover the North West Approaches.

The first half of the book covers WWII and the spectacular career of the Flying Porcupine.

Parsons joined the RAF in 1941 as a Flight Mechanic and after training joined a Sunderland crew. He flew cover for Arctic and Atlantic convoy operations from Oban before joining a squadron in Ceylon which moved to Burma as the Japanese retreated. An interesting tale.

A Coastal Command autobiography. He describes his wartime service from his early days as a wireless operator and mechanic to his experiences as a Signals leader with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. He served with 210 Squadron and 190 Squadron on his first tour and 280 Squadron on his second.

Ensor learned to fly in New Zealand and joined 500 Squadron in 1941. His first exploits were in Blenheims and Hudsons over the North Sea. During 1942 he hunted U-boats over the Atlantic and as part of the cover for the Torch landings sank U 162. After a brief spell in Coastal Command HQ he returned to the Atlantic with 224 Squadron Liberators and in late 1944 the squadron moved to cover the seas around Norway, where he had more success. An interesting tale.

Recalls the author's training and operational career with 217 Squadron of Coastal Command, up to 1942 when he became an instructor. Flying in Beauforts from Cornwall he operated mainly against the French Coastal ports.

A former navigator in Beauforts describes eight of their wartime operations. These Coastal Command crews carried out numerous antishipping strikes in the face of suicidal odds.

The nine squadrons of the Strike Wings of Coastal Command fought in some of the bitterest and bloodiest attacks of the war, sinking over 300,000 tons of Axis-controlled shipping.

An excellent selection of photographs from the Public Record Office, beautifully produced.

These crews carried out daylight attacks on enemy shipping fearlessly. A well-researched account. A new edition was published by Pen & Sword in 2011. ISBN: 9781848848955.

A chronological listing of the thousand aircraft and two thousand air crew lost by the end of 1941. Includes details of how the loss happened. An excellent reference work.

Nicknamed the Flying Porcupine due to its heavy armoury of 14 guns, the Sunderland was the RAF's staple maritime patrol aircraft during World War II. It saw action with the RAAF, RNZAF and RNCAF. In this detailed text, crews explain their combat experience.

A history of Coastal Command by one of its wartime commanders (1941–43). Approximately half of the book concerns WWII and is an anecdote sprinkled but proud account of the Command's activities.

Makes no attempt at a nuts-and-bolts history, but aims to record the major achievements of the plane in WWII. In one of its many roles it was a mainstay of Coastal Command.

A selection of BBC broadcasts by members of the RAF and WAAF. Many of them bear slightly on the work of the navy.

In 1941 he was shot down in his Beaufort while attacking the Scharnhorst and spent the rest of the war in captivity in Germany. While captive he kept an illegal diary which is edited here by his son.

An operational account of the war service of this famous plane. A new edition was published by Pen & Sword in 2012. ISBN: 9781848847798.

From Fife to Fiji a ubiquitous and highly successful plane. An excellent and full account with much to say on its work in Coastal.

The history of 22 Squadron (torpedo bombers); 201, 202, and 204 Squadrons (flying boats); 206 Squadron (land-based patrol). A glossy but detailed account of each squadron, with WWII well-recorded.

Wing Commander Gibbs recounts his wartime career in torpedo carrying Beauforts on anti-shipping duties. Prior to this he had served at sea with the FAA and trained some of its recruits. Grub Street published a revised version in 1993. ISBN: 0948817682.

Written in 1943 as a sequel to Not Peace But a Sword, this was unpublished for fifty years. It gives an account of his service on the staff in Cairo and then as a flight commander in a Beaufort anti-shipping squadron in Malta in the critical months of 1942. Republished in 2002 in paperback and then in 2008 by Miller Distributors in Malta as Torpedo Leader on Malta (ISSN: 9781902304830).

These memoirs include his time in 172 Squadron and involvement in the development of the Leigh Light.

A chronological account within each Coastal Command Group, of every sinking and seriously damaging attack. There is information on aircraft and crew as well as the nature and outcome of the attack. A good reference work. A second edition subtitled The RAF's U-Boat Successes in World War Two was published in 1995 by Grub Street. It is enlarged, revised, and extended. ISBN: 1898697353.

An operational diary of Coastal's work in the Bay of Biscay in the May–August 1943 period, laced with survivors' accounts of action.

The story of the author's successful search to discover the fate of her uncle whose Halifax went missing over the Bay of Biscay in February 1944.

A largely photographic record of this famous aircraft.

A photographic rich squadron history which focuses on their period with Sunderlands.

An account of the work and wartime history of the Command. Its date indicates that it is more concerned with strengthening morale than dispassionate history. US title: I Seek My Prey in the Waters.