To Strive and not to Yield

RAF World War II
ISBN 1-873203-95-0
New Edition
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by Dennis West
626 Squadron, RAF Wickenby & the Battle of Berlin 1943/44

Illustrated with historic photographs this detailed record contains a wealth of information that could prove valuable to historians and researchers as well as being an entertaining and informative account to be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in World War II or the history of the Royal Air Force.

The period that came to be known as the Battle of Berlin was the largest and longest RAF Bomber Command offensive against a single target.

The air attacks on Berlin and other German cities were successful in compelling Germany to divert manpower and industrial capacity to the task of mounting a viable defence and this meant that fewer resources were available in other theatres of war.

However, the price paid by the aircrews of Bomber Command was a heavy one, 492 aircraft were lost during the sixteen raids that made up the Battle of Berlin and over 3,000 airmen were killed, many of them only in their late teens or early twenties.

To put this in perspective, more airmen lost their lives in the first four raids on Berlin than in the whole of the Battle of Britain.

Compiled from a variety of sources and first-hand accounts, this book is an authoritative record of the part played by just one of the squadrons - No. 626 Squadron, operating from their base at RAF Wickenby in Lincolnshire.

Their squadron motto "To Strive and Not to Yield" sums up the grit and determination shown by all personnel involved.

details Softback | medium format | 302 pages text and photographs