At thirty-four, H.E. Bates was deemed too old for active service in WWII. But as a successful author, was commissioned by the nascent RAP Public Relations unit to publicise the bravery of the fighter pilots. Bates was posted to Oakington and Tangmere air bases where, over drinks with the pilots, he gathered their stories and wrote them as Flying Officer X.
The stories convey the pilots' personal qualities and the forces that motivated them. They blend the action and suspense of aerial battles, the tragedy of friendships cut off too soon, and life enduring against all odds.
Collected into one volume for the first time, along with five previously unpublished stories from the era, this is a remarkable collection.
Includes an introduction by Patrick Bishop, bestselling author of Bomber Boys: Fighting Back 1940-1945
- ISBN10 1448217369
- ISBN13 9781448217366
- Publish Date 14 June 2018 (first published 3 November 2015)
- Publish Status Active
- Out of Print 7 March 2022
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
- Imprint Bloomsbury Reader
- Format Paperback (UK Trade)
- Pages 246
- Language English