Luck and a Lancaster

by Harry Yates

This book takes you, raid by raid, through the author's tour of operational duty over the last five months of 1944. It is a bomber pilot's story, but it is also about the grinding operational pressure, the brotherhood of the crew and fears of injury and death. It is about a squadron of Bomber Command that bore a barely-equaled burden in operational effort and losses. It is about young airmen the author knew, who lived and too often died amid the turmoil in enemy skies.

Genres: Aviation, War, Autobiography

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 9, 1999

Reviews

['Aussie Rick']

In his book Luck and a Lancaster, Harry Yates offers the reader a chance to follow the author through his tour of operations as a Lancaster pilot during the last five months of 1944. The story begins with the author as a young English lad wanting to join the Royal Air Force to fly fighters just after the Battle of Britain (as all young English boys surely wanted!).

We follow Yates through his initial training at flight school and then into training for multi-engine aircraft in Canada, something he wasn’t expecting. We then read of his exploits as an instructor and then finally his posting to a Operational RAF Squadron flying one of the great bombers of the Second World War, the Avro Lancaster.

Young Harry Yates ends up with 75 Squadron (RNZAF) based at Mepal in August of 1944 with a task of completing 30 operations against occupied Europe and Germany. Although by this period of the war the conflict in the air had swung towards the Allies it was still a very dangerous occupation flying in Bomber Command. This is the guts of the story, flying with Harry Yates and his crew in one of the many Lancaster’s allotted to them through the 30 missions required to complete their tour of Ops.

I found this story truly amazing and it was so well told I was totally immersed in the narrative. I must admit it has been awhile since I have read such an interesting and captivating account of war in the air and I cannot imagine anyone who has an interesting in aerial warfare not being taken by this honest and enjoyable book.

Not once did I find the book bogging down in too much detail, not once did it flag or slow down in pace, even the author’s account of his training and instructional flights were full of interest, humour and occasional sadness. This is a great testament to the young crews who flew in Bomber Command doing a job without question that cost many their lives. Well done to the author!

[andrew davey]

An outstanding memoir told by a gifted author-he obviously had to bottle both thoughts and feelings at the time the events he is describing took place.
With the passage of time and with circumspection he weaves a gripping narrative of his service with Bomber Command towards the end of the Second World War.
Bravery is such an overused word in the present day and doesn’t begin to describe the actions of these young volunteers when the odds on survival are so stacked against them.
Seeing friends literally disappearing before their eyes in aerial explosions;their replacements falling to the same fate in the next raid;crews within touching distance of the end of their tour of duty wiped out by the fickle hand of fate-luck is the only way to describe the authors survival to the end of his tour.
One of the great memoirs of World War Two.

[John Evans]

One of the better Bomber Command books, in my opinion.

[Bob Soden]

Astounding true war story in the air.

[Susan Paxton]

An excellent account by Flight Lieutenant Harry Yates, DFC, describing what it was like to fly the Lancaster in a main force Bomber Command squadron, 75 (New Zealand) Squadron. Starting with his training in the UK and Canada, Yates goes on to describe his eventful 30 mission tour of ops with clarity and thoughtfulness. He ends asking the question everyone disturbed by the meatgrinder of Bomber Command must ask; were all the lost young lives worth it? I don't know, and neither did Yates. Very much worth reading.

[Velvetink]

Might be interesting - haven't found many books yet about the flight training school in Canada that Australian airmen were sent to during WW2 for training.

[Denise Boneham]

My very first Bomber Command book :-). Eminently readable and a great introduction to these brave boys :-) Bonus for me is that Harry was on 75 (NZ) Sqn which is the one about I am now obsessed!

[Gary Doyle]

Outstanding read couldn't put my kindle down

The fact that he survived to tell his story, the humility and honesty in which it is told I'll be reading it again

[Ang]

Great to have a book written by a veteran, so long after the event. Enjoyed the Kiwi connection too.