Bombers First And Last
	by Gordon Thorburn
	Robson Books 418 pages, hbk US$35.00, £18.99

Rather than being a general thesis on the Allied bomber war, 'Bombers First And Last' is the story of No.9 Squadron RAF in World War Two. The unit fought with Bomber Command in Europe all the way through the war, and so the history of the squadron vividly reflects the progressive evolution of RAF bomber operations as the war unfolded. Initially flying the Wellington, No.9 Squadron converted to Lancasters in August 1942, and by the time VE Day was declared had flown approximately 6,000 sorties and lost over 300 aircraft.

The story is related as a day-by-day diary, based on extracts from the squadron's official Operations Record Book (ORB), combat reports and personal recollections of the people directly involved. Linking these various sources, the author has skillfully created a narrative that places the activities of No.9 Squadron within the context of the overall bombing campaign, and also highlights the human element that made the squadron so successful.

The war began for No.9 Squadron on 4 September 1939, when six Wellingtons staged a daylight raid on warships in the harbour at Brunsbüttel on the German coast. The raid was intercepted by Messerschmitt Bf 109s and while a Bf 109 was claimed by one of the Wellington gunners, two Wellingtons were also lost. Thus No.9 Squadron was the first to attack the enemy, the first to to shoot down an enemy aircraft and the first to get shot down. From then on, the unit took part in all the major raids and air battles of the bomber offensive and lead the way in pioneering new tactics and equipment. By 1944 the squadron was flying alongside No.617 Sqn, attacking precision targets such as viaducts and gun emplacements, with the Tallboy bomb. Repeated Tallboy attacks on the the German battleship Tirpitz in Northern Norway during 1944 are related in detail, with the author giving No.9 Squadron the credit for eventually sinking her.

The numerous problems experienced by bomber crews early in the war, with lack of training, unreliable equipment, poor night-time navigation and low bombing accuracy are effectively described, as are the step-by-step changes in tactics and equipment that eventually allowed Bomber Command bring destruction on cities such as Hamburg and Dresden.

Daily life on the squadron is well described, as is the wide variety of personnel that who flew with No.9 Squadron, and the men and women who supported them - from the squadron commander to the cook in the officers mess. A grimmer aspect is the constant influx of new personnel, needed to replace losses and those few crews that had completed their tours. Many of the newcomers are mentioned as losses a few pages later.

A little light relief is provided by regular extracts from the squadron's 'Line Book', where all notable examples of aircrew line shooting (outrageous exaggeration or boasting) were formally recorded. These humorous one-liners are certainly worth reading and keenly capture the wit and humour with which members of the squadron faced life on operations.

Two sections of black and white photographs show some of the bomber crews and targets named in the text. The book concludes with a 48 page Roll of Honour, listing all the aircraft lost by No.9 Squadron in World War Two. Each entry gives the date, location, aircraft serial and code letters, and the fate of each member of the crew. Compiling this section is a worthwhile achievement in itself.

By skillfully blending wartime records with first-hand accounts and setting them in a historical context, the author has produced an engrossing and informative portrayal of daily life on an operational RAF bomber squadron in World War Two.

- John Hayles

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