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No Ordinary Pilot: One young man’s extraordinary exploits in World War II
After a lifetime in the RAF, Group Captain Bob Allen, finally allowed his children and grandchildren to see his official flying log. It contained the line: "KILLED IN ACTION." He refused to answer any further questions, leaving instead a memoir of his life during World War II.
Joining up aged 19, within six months Bob was in No.1 Squadron flying a Hurricane in a dogfight over the Channel. For almost two years he lived in West Africa, fighting Germany's Vichy French allies, as well as protecting the Southern Atlantic supply routes. Returning home at Christmas 1942, he retrained as a fighter-bomber pilot flying Typhoons and was one of the first over the Normandy beaches on D-Day.
On July 25, 1944 Bob was shot down, spending the rest of the war in a POW camp where he was held in solitary confinement, interrogated by the Gestapo, imprisoned in the infamous Stalag Luft 3, and suffered the winter march of 1945 before being liberated by the Russians. Fleshing out Bob's careful third-person memoir with detailed research, his daughter Suzanne Campbell Jones tells the gripping story of a more or less ordinary pilot, who came home with extraordinary memories which he kept to himself for more than 50 years.
Joining up aged 19, within six months Bob was in No.1 Squadron flying a Hurricane in a dogfight over the Channel. For almost two years he lived in West Africa, fighting Germany's Vichy French allies, as well as protecting the Southern Atlantic supply routes. Returning home at Christmas 1942, he retrained as a fighter-bomber pilot flying Typhoons and was one of the first over the Normandy beaches on D-Day.
On July 25, 1944 Bob was shot down, spending the rest of the war in a POW camp where he was held in solitary confinement, interrogated by the Gestapo, imprisoned in the infamous Stalag Luft 3, and suffered the winter march of 1945 before being liberated by the Russians. Fleshing out Bob's careful third-person memoir with detailed research, his daughter Suzanne Campbell Jones tells the gripping story of a more or less ordinary pilot, who came home with extraordinary memories which he kept to himself for more than 50 years.
- GenresNonfictionWorld War II
320 pages, Hardcover
Published March 20, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 23, 2018
Written by his daughter many years later as he kept most of his family in the dark about his war years, this excellent book about RAF pilot Robert "Bob" Allen turned out to be an entertaining read on the subject for me. I had just finished several books on WWII, so it fit right in perfectly but was more enjoyable of a book, and the pages went by easier somehow.
Allen, having recently lost both parents and working in the cement industry in England when the war broke out, decided to join the military, and had recently completed his flying training. Newly married at age 20, his young wife is living in rented digs in London and working as a teacher of little children. Once he is trained, he's sent off to an undisclosed place for a long period of the war and is separated from his young bride. Off he goes, to Africa, where he's assigned to a mission. It will be a long time before he sees his young wife again.
This is a wonderful book about wartime experiences, both from his side and from her viewpoint back home. He didn't share most of this with his family until his children were grown, and he went through some extraordinary experiences that they were unaware of until then. It's quite an amazing story and very much worth reading, especially for history and WWII lovers.
An advance digital copy was provided by NetGalley and author Suzanne Campbell-Jones, for my honest review
Osprey Publishing
Publication date: March 9, 2018
Allen, having recently lost both parents and working in the cement industry in England when the war broke out, decided to join the military, and had recently completed his flying training. Newly married at age 20, his young wife is living in rented digs in London and working as a teacher of little children. Once he is trained, he's sent off to an undisclosed place for a long period of the war and is separated from his young bride. Off he goes, to Africa, where he's assigned to a mission. It will be a long time before he sees his young wife again.
This is a wonderful book about wartime experiences, both from his side and from her viewpoint back home. He didn't share most of this with his family until his children were grown, and he went through some extraordinary experiences that they were unaware of until then. It's quite an amazing story and very much worth reading, especially for history and WWII lovers.
An advance digital copy was provided by NetGalley and author Suzanne Campbell-Jones, for my honest review
Osprey Publishing
Publication date: March 9, 2018
June 10, 2020
If you are expecting another dry war story about WWII you will be disappointed.
RAF Group Captain Bob Allen for many years refused to speak of his time in WWII. It was left to his daughter Suzanne to sift through his flying log and put the pieces together. Her exhaustive research has produced a very readable account of her father’s terrifying ordeal.
In 1944 Bob was shot down and taken prisoner. This is a stark portrayal of one POW’s harrowing time in solitary confinement, multiple interrogations by the Gestapo and the well-known “winter march of 1945”.
Bob Allen was an ordinary man who loved flying, fought for his country and paid an inestimable price. His daughter has done him proud in producing this excellent, detailed account of his experiences.
RAF Group Captain Bob Allen for many years refused to speak of his time in WWII. It was left to his daughter Suzanne to sift through his flying log and put the pieces together. Her exhaustive research has produced a very readable account of her father’s terrifying ordeal.
In 1944 Bob was shot down and taken prisoner. This is a stark portrayal of one POW’s harrowing time in solitary confinement, multiple interrogations by the Gestapo and the well-known “winter march of 1945”.
Bob Allen was an ordinary man who loved flying, fought for his country and paid an inestimable price. His daughter has done him proud in producing this excellent, detailed account of his experiences.
February 10, 2018
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
A brilliant insight into the world of a RAF pilot during WWII.
Well written and entertaining.
A brilliant insight into the world of a RAF pilot during WWII.
Well written and entertaining.
December 26, 2020
Extraordinary visual experiences and historical innovations occurred for me during my reading. One unforgettable memory: Bob Allen was one of the first, British, aerial photographers during WWII. A must read!
February 27, 2023
Excellent insight to not just one person's part in the war but all the events that surrounded them during this time. As such it provides a great view of yhis period of history.
January 26, 2018
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher. and the author for allowing me to read and review a digital copy of this book. After a lifetime in the RAF, Group Captain Bob Allen, finally allowed his children and grandchildren to see his official flying log. It contained the line: "KILLED IN ACTION." He refused to answer any further questions, leaving instead a memoir of his life during World War II.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews