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Blood, Sweat and Valour |
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41 Squadron RAF, August 1942-May 1945; A Biographical History |
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Home | Synopsis | Introduction | Chapter Outline | Index | Author | Product Information |
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"With Blood, Sweat and Valour, Steve Brew has crafted one of the finest unit histories of modern times." |
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('Wartime', official magazine of the Australian War Memorial) |
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Formed in 1916, 41 Squadron RAF is one of the oldest Royal Air Force squadrons in existence. The unit saw service in the First World War, on Policing Duties in the Aden Protectorate during the 1930s, throughout the Second World War, and more recently in the First Gulf War and Yugoslavia. Until now, however, its History has not been written. Blood, Sweat and Valour, by author Steve Brew, is the first comprehensive study of this illustrious squadron, concentrating on its wartime activity between August 1942 and May 1945. The work examines the unit’s role within battles, operations, offensives and larger strategies, and details experiences made by the pilots and ground crew participating in them. The Squadron’s actions are often revealed for the first time, through records that have previously not been available. The author has drawn heavily on unpublished primary sources, including a large number of logbooks, interviews and personal accounts. 41 Squadron’s own archive was made exclusively available to him for the purpose of writing this work. |
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Blood, Sweat and Valour evokes the feeling of the period, portraying not only a factual account but also one that captures the colour of life on a Second World War fighter squadron, with a balance between material of a documentary nature and narrative action, intertwining fact with personal recollections of events, serious events with humour, and sobering statistics with poignant after-thought. Blood, Sweat and Valour is borne of deep and emotive sentiment, expressed by the pilots and their families, which is also embedded in the culture of today’s 41 Squadron, to remember every man and to give him his rightful place in history. |
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"...an attention to detail very rarely seen... This is truly a tribute to every serviceman who had the privilege of calling the Squadron home. [...] Blood, Sweat and Valour keeps their memory alive like no other RAF squadron history before." (Aircrew Book Review) |
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Home | Synopsis | Introduction | Chapter Outline | Index | Author | Product Information |
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© Steve Brew, 2012-2014 |
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