Fire by Night: The Dramatic Story of One Pathfinder Crew and Black Thursday,16/17 December 1943

by Jennie Gray

Now available in paperback.

When she was very young, the author was captivated by the story her father, Joe Mack, repeatedly told her about his astonishing rescue from a crashed and burning Lancaster one night in 1943. As an adult she decided to find out what happened to his aircraft and the countless others returning from operations that same dreadful night…She writes from the heart, honestly and at times lyrically and her thorough research uncovers the harsh realities of warfare, the failure of procedures and, worst of all, her father's shocking secret.

192 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2000

Reviews

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in the RAF Bombing campaign. The details are impressive about the raid in question and how it all ended.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting exploration of the author's father's experiences during the war with bomber command and the Pathfinders, and the crash which took him out of it. Despite little information, the author is able to piece together the story of her fathers service, and that of those who served with him, including uncovering some secrets that were previously unknown.