The Stories of Flying Officer 'X'

by H.E. Bates

First published under the pseudonym of Flying Officer X (H.E. Bates), these heroic stories of the exploits of British pilots during WWII created a sensation when they first appeared in 1942.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, War, World War II, Historical Fiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1944

About the author

Herbert Ernest Bates, CBE is widely recognised as one of the finest short story writers of his generation, with more than 20 story collections published in his lifetime. It should not be overlooked, however, that he also wrote some outstanding novels, starting with The Two Sisters through to A Moment in Time, with such works as Love For Lydia, Fair Stood the Wind for France and The Scarlet Sword earning high praise from the critics. His study of the Modern Short Story is considered one of the best ever written on the subject.

He was born in Rushden, Northamptonshire and was educated at Kettering Grammar School. After leaving school, he was briefly a newspaper reporter and a warehouse clerk, but his heart was always in writing and his dream to be able to make a living by his pen.

Many of his stories depict life in the rural Midlands of England, particularly his native Northamptonshire. Bates was partial to taking long midnight walks around the Northamptonshire countryside - and this often provided the inspiration for his stories. Bates was a great lover of the countryside and its people and this is exemplified in two volumes of essays entitled Through the Woods and Down the River.

In 1931, he married Madge Cox, his sweetheart from the next road in his native Rushden. They moved to the village of Little Chart in Kent and bought an old granary and this together with an acre of garden they converted into a home. It was in this phase of his life that he found the inspiration for the Larkins series of novels -The Darling Buds of May, A Breath of French Air, When the Green Woods Laugh, etc. - and the Uncle Silas tales. Not surprisingly, these highly successful novels inspired television series that were immensely popular.

His collection of stories written while serving in the RAF during World War II, best known by the title The Stories of Flying Officer X, but previously published as Something in the Air (a compilation of his two wartime collections under the pseudonym 'Flying Officer X' and titled The Greatest People in the World and How Sleep the Brave), deserve particular attention. By the end of the war he had achieved the rank of Squadron Leader.

Bates was influenced by Chekhov in particular, and his knowledge of the history of the short story is obvious from the famous study he produced on the subject. He also wrote his autobiography in three volumes (each delightfully illustrated) which were subsequently published in a one-volume Autobiography.

Bates was a keen and knowledgeable gardener and wrote numerous books on flowers. The Granary remained their home for the whole of their married life. After the death of H. E Bates, Madge moved to a bungalow, which had originally been a cow byre, next to the Granary. She died in 2004 at age 95. They raised two sons and two daughters.

primarily from Wikipedia, with additions by Keith Farnsworth

Reviews

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

These remarkable stories, first published pseudonymously under the name ‘Flying Officer X’ in two collections in 1942 and 1943, really should be better known, so all credit to Vintage for making them available to twenty-first century readers in this collected edition. They are the product of time H. E. Bates spent embedded (as we would now say) among young bomber crews in the early years of the Second World War and record in clear and painful detail every aspect of life for young men with a life expectancy of weeks or months. Unsurprisingly, they were an immediate publishing success, selling two million copies around the world. They are intensely moving to read now at a remove of eighty years, so it’s easy to imagine the impact they would have had at the time. The eighteen stories collected here pull few punches; they record quiet heroism but also grinding fear, frequent terror, pain, grief, despair, loss and emotional turbulence. Bates’s style is so clear and immersive that the reader feels present in the chaos of a burning plane about to ditch in the North Sea, or waiting in a lonely, rainswept fenland airbase for the return of a friend from a raid over Germany. The longest and most immediate story, How Sleep the Brave, is unforgettable; the tale of a the crew of a burnt out, ditched plane as they spend three days adrift in a dinghy in the North Sea in snowy weather. Every detail of their ordeal is described with shocking effect: the effect of salt water on untreated burns, the hunger and thirst, the bitter cold, the fear and uncertainty, the raised and dashed hopes of rescue, all related in clear, restrained prose that, by its very lack of emotional devices, creates an immense emotional impact.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

For extraordinary insights into the daily lives of those who flew British spitfires and bombers in raids against the Nazis in World War II, there is no beating that British master short story writer, H.E. Bates’ many tales of Royal Air Force pilots, bombardiers, gunners and other crew members flying their day and night raids on Nazi targets.

Assigned by the RAF to work on the base, know the aircrews well, and then write their stories for the papers so the British public could understand the air battles they sometimes witnessed over England.

Here is every facet of the RAF at war – the anger, frustrations, determination, courage and fear that characterized many pilots and their crews.

This is – almost – first hand – as close to the reality of what must have been hell itself for these brave men as they fought to maintain their country’s freedom from Nazi domination.

This is an absolutely astonishing read – the best part of what history is all about.

[Sid Nuncius · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed and was moved by these stories.

The stories are very short and are essentially character studies of those involved in and affected by the activities of a heavy bomber squadron in WWII, flying Stirlings on raids into Nazi-held territory. Each one, told by the unnamed narrator ("Pilot Officer X") is a portrait of a pilot, a gunner, a girlfriend, a bereaved family and the officer speaking about the death of their son and so on. They give fine understated insights into what the war really means to these people and the toll it takes. The quiet tone, reflecting the modest, unemotional language of the airmen themselves, makes the impact of the action and the emotion all the more powerful, I think. They also paint a vivid picture of heroism, but less of the daredevil valorous kind and more the quiet, persistent courage needed to do one's best in terrible circumstances, like bringing a terribly damaged plane home through skill and steadiness under fire – the kind of inner strength and courage for which, as Bates remarks, we have not yet struck a medal.

H.E. Bates is a rather little-read writer these days and might be almost entirely forgotten were it not for the TV adaptation of The Darling Buds Of May. He deserves to be far better remembered and widely read; these stories are little gems which still resonate strongly today and justify Graham Greene's description of Bates as "one of the best short-story writers of my time." Warmly recommended.

(I received an ARC via Netgalley.)

[Snoakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been dipping into these stories for quite some time now and they are fascinating. H E Bates was commissioned into the RAF by the Air Ministry during WW2 to write these short stories in order to show the public a glimpse into the life of bomber aircrews. It's a world we can never know (thank goodness) and as such it is a riveting social history of a very particular set of circumstances. The longest story, How Sleep the Brave is particularly poignant, detailing the horrendous experience of ditching and drifting on the sea in a dinghy for day after freezing day, not knowing if rescue will come.
Recommended for anyone who likes a war story and history, it's perfect for reading in small chunks.

[Robert Hepple · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 2015, 'The Complete Flying Officer X Stories' is a collection of all 23 short stories written under the pen-name 'Flying Officer X' plus 5 additional stories written over the same period of 1941-1943. Nicely written and atmospheric, these tales were mainly very short apart from one that might just about pass as a novella. I was tempted to give it a lower rating after one story referred to Kharkov (aka Kharkiv) as being in Lithuania, but then decided on balance that it was not relevant to the story and let it go. As these stories were written at the behest of the RAF, they count as a tiny bit of WW2 memorabilia and are enjoyable in that context.

[PAUL DEWSON · Rating 5 out of 5]

A superb collection of short stories about Bomber Command during the Second World War: taken from conversations Bates had whilst visiting Bomber Aerodromes, the stories have an immediacy that gives you the impression that you are there with crews, in the planes, in the dispersal huts or on two occasions cast adrift in a dinghy having been forced to ditch in the sea. These stories soberly reminded me of the youth of the aircrews and the cosmopolitan make-up of Bomber Command. All in all, a fitting tribute to the men and women who served.

[Pedro Lebreiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the “Something in the Air” version of this book. Bought it in the RAF Museum, probably still in its original cover from 1944. Currently undergoing my formation as a pilot in the Portuguese Air Force, reading these stories from what seem to me really as the bravest men ever, written in the way they were written, it was simply an amazing experience. Strongly recommend to any Aviation lovers out there.

[Gareth Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of gentle propaganda from RAF stations during the Second World War written by an embedded short story writer of phenomenal skill. H.E Bates is one of my favourite writers. his observational powers and facility with language are remarkable.
This collection of short stories are soaked in realism but never lose hope - doubtless just what was needed in war time. A tremendous set of stories from a time when life and death were too often the same.

[Mark Bowden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly interesting, rather laconic accounts of life and danger in the RAF during the Second World War. The numerous irritating typographical errors in this edition are due to publication by Bloomsbury, a company which has no concept of proof-reading.

[N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional WWII stories. Straightforward but beautiful writing with sharp characterization. Most are deeply moving; all will give you the sensation of having been there, which I suppose was the point as Bates was commissioned in the RAF specifically for the purpose of writing these tales.

[Alan Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Air, land, night and the cold sea.

[Jess Lovelock · Rating 3 out of 5]

incredibly well written. interesting to find out he was commissioned as a short story writer for the RAF.

[Mike Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a classic book on the RAF during the waw. Bates has used fomt interesting stories based on his interviews. All around I give this a 9

[Donna Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up.

HE Bates wrote these stories during WWII; he served in the British Royal Air Force and received the unusual commission of author. His whole job was to write one short story after another. He was stationed with British pilots from 1941-1942, and he sat with them when they were between flights and listened with a sympathetic ear. He listened well, and the result is a collection of nearly 30 short stories, one of which is novella length, and they are strong, resonant fictional stories whose protagonists were inspired by actual pilots. Thank you twice to Net Galley and to Bloomsbury Publishers for the DRC. This collection is for sale now.

When I told my spouse that I was reading a collection of short stories about RAF pilots during this time period, he asked if that wasn’t a lot of stories to plow through, all on the same subject. I can understand why he—and maybe you—might think so, but the stories are all so different, and their characters so richly drawn, that it’s a bit like asking a mother of a very large family whether she might not like to trim a few sons and daughters from the herd. Although I can tell you which ones are my favorites, I also have to say there is no filler or weaker material here. Everything is very well written, and each story distinct in setting and characters from all others.

I sat down and read it start to finish, but once you have the collection, you can jump around however you like. The stories are not in any particular order. If your household has a book tucked into the bathroom or the guest room, a solid short story collection like this is a good choice, because the person that’s in that room won’t be there that long; this gives them a look at something they can finish. Most of the short stories are just a few pages, with just one toward the end in the part labeled as extra stories that might qualify as a novella.

Although I do have favorites, mine might not be the same as yours. I was drawn to “There’s No Future in It”, a story in which a father tries to dissuade his daughter from becoming involved with a pilot. It’s dark and resonates strongly. I also loved “K for Kitty”, a poignant tale about a pilot that strongly preferred one particular fighter plane; “The Young Man from Kalgoorie”, whose parents attempted to hide the very existence of the war from their son by keeping him busy on the farm and away from newspapers; and “O’Callahan’s Girl”, a young woman that loves a shy young flyer who only wants France to be restored to its previous state.

A happy surprise, given the era in which it was written, was the inclusion of a female soldier (in what is referred to as the “Russian” army, though the fact is it was the USSR and therefore Soviet Army at that time). This was a welcome addition. Unfortunately, there are two racist references, and if the stories were being written today, I would have knocked more than half a star off the rating because of them, but from the World War II generation’s Caucasians, I know (my parents having been among them) that the terms they used were thoughtless but made from ignorance rather than malice.

For example, in one story there is a brief mention made of a West Indian “boy” that used to work as a barrister. I blinked for a moment, not getting it at first. What kind of prodigy must that boy have been to have had a law career already and be out doing something else now? And then the penny dropped, and I realized this is actually a man, but he was referred to this way because of his race and ethnicity.

The second reference is to a brave pilot who nevertheless is described as being unusually ugly; his features bear some unflattering characteristics of the “Red Indian” and the “Mongoloid”.

Both of these go by in the blink of an eye, yet it’s only fair you be told in advance.

Finally, the thing that impressed me the most about these stories is that every last one of them had an unusually strong closing. The first few that left me gaping at their brilliance on the last page, last paragraph, last line were noted, but eventually it became clear that all or most of the collection was going to be like that, and of course I am not going to quote them here and ruin the stories’ endings for you. But one thing I will also say is that short stories that end with planned, maddening ambiguity are my pet peeve. For example, if a man is about to go through a door to either meet special delight or certain doom and the writer ends the story by having the man go through the door and gasp, and that’s the whole thing, he may be gasping with delight, or with horror, and we will never know which…? I hate that! And this set of short stories has none of it. Some end poignantly, some beautifully, some tragically, but every ending is in one way or another deeply satisfying and free of ambiguity.

For those that love military fiction, highly recommended.

[Markoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, Bates was hired by the RAF during WW2 to, basically, interview their pilots/staff and write short stories based on their experiences to help the public understand better what it was like for them and this is a compilations of those stories. While technically, on a base level, it was supposed to be propaganda of sorts, Bates avoided full on black & white portrayal of things, and while heroic exploits are present, invincible, perfect heroes are scant. Instead, he depicts ordinary people of that time, with different backgrounds, nationalities, motives, psychological profiles joined together in aerial combat, and explores all those things. Basically, presents the human side of people who do heroic (or close enough) things on a nearly daily basis, who aren't necessarily lauded publicly as heroes and probably should.

Realism is, or at least seems very high, with their problems depicted in detail. Even armchair generals are dealt with, without direct attack, immediately in the very first story. It was just one of those things that people needed to understand. Silliness is avoided. The stories are hit & miss, even repetitive in a way here and there, of course, but when they are great, they are movie material, such as the longest one, How Sleep The Brave, by far the best and the longest of the bunch. It's an interesting little read with its way outdated, contemporary slang (though only rarely not understandable from the context). It's a 3.5 really, maybe less, but that isn't allowed, so I'll round it up. A nice example of war semi-fiction.

[Bunta Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories, often sketches rather than developed narratives, represent H E Bates' writing at its empathetic best, inspired by an RAF commission to produce stories presenting and explaining the role of the Service to the British public during WW2, based on his personal knowledge of aircrew. There are no shiny matinee idols here though there are certainly some heroes.In the persona of Flying Officer X, Bates describes tellingly those pitifully young men with their 'kites', 'shows', stiff upper lips and sudden outbursts of boyish high spirits. He has a sympathetic eye and sharp ear for their vulnerabilities, courage, perseverance and varied strategies for enduring danger and uncertainty - and the triumphs too that they especially relished, knowing the precariousness of life. Parents and girlfriends also feature in these tales, their losses and griefs evoked with raw poignancy. The story titles provide their own wry commentary - There's no Future in it - It's just the way it is - Yours is the Earth.

[Roman Clodia · Rating 3 out of 5]

HE Bates is an engaging writer whose Love For Lydia is one of my favourite novels: these stories, set amongst RAF flying officers during WW2, display his acute empathy and ability to delinate a situation, mood and atmosphere however as a collection they start to feel too similar in terms of length, pace and 'message'.

Really these are short pen portraits and fragments of experience rather than truly stories: rather than plot, they delineate brief situations - parents confronting an officer about the loss of their son, the laconic refusal of a pilot to discuss his experiences with his sweetheart, the manic behaviour in the mess as a cover for acute stress, the experience of bringing home a plane with failed engines, radio and equipment.

There's undoubtedly a sense of authenticity and sincerity about these pieces - but for me their brevity worked against rather than for them.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via Netgalley

[Eileen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've only ever read "perfick" Darling Buds of May stories. This book came as a pleasant surprise.
Such a contrast between the novels.
A poignant, sometimes sad collection of stories about the pilots who kept us safe during WW2.
I hope there are more to be discovered.
I was given a digital copy of this novel by the publisher via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[iain meek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous set of short stories about pilots of the RAF during the second world war.

Quite poetic.

Definitely recommend it to anyone with an interest in the period.

[Chaplain Stanley Chapin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable

A different perspective on World War 2 and also from one of the allies of USA. The RAF had pilots from many countries.

[Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read most of Bates' books but never this collection before. Please I finally got round to it as the stories are all worth a read.