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Endurance - A history of RAAF Aircrew Participation in Liberator Operations of RAF Costal Command 1941-1945
By: Alwyn Jay (950/35755)
Publisher: Banner Books ISBN: 978-1-8759-9307-1
Of all the campaigns of World War 2, the Allies had to win in the Atlantic or lose the war.
The German U-boat arm was sinking ships faster than they could be built. Britain was in danger of being starved into surrender; the USA could not liberate Europe in such a situation. Airpower was vital for protection of the Allied convoys, but only one had the range to cover the dangerous 'Gap' in mid-Atlantic. This was the 4-engined Consolidated B-24 Liberator - the first truly modern aircraft.
Endurance describes the participation of RAAF aircrew in RAF Costal Command Liberator squadrons. Australians were involved from the arrival of the very first Liberators through to the end of the war, and took part in all the phases of the Atlantic campaign and the often fierce actions in the Bay of Biscay.
Alwyn Jay, himself a Liberator navigator, has written an account of the Atlantic anti-submarine campaign from the viewpoint of the Liberator crews, and includes every attack known to have included RAAF aircrew, the in-flight activities of every man in the crew, the implacable Atlantic weather, the tactics, technological advances, the successes and the high cost in lost aircraft and crews. There has not been an account of the Atlantic campaign like that presented in this book.
Endurance is illustrated with personal and official photos, and a list of all known RAAF aircrew on Costal Command Liberators is included.
February 2008
