Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

Tail Gunner
Tail Gunner
Tail Gunner
Ebook169 pages2 hours

Tail Gunner

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

3/5

()

Read preview

About this ebook

First published in 1943, this is the gripping story of one man's involvement in RAF Bomber Command's fledgling offensive between August 1940 and December 1941. Dick Rivaz was tail gunner to Leonard Cheshire, one of the most famous RAF pilots of the Second World War, flying in Whiteleys with 102 Squadron and latterly in Halifaxes with 35 Squadron. Unique among wartime memoirs, Tail Gunner was written within months of the events described, with all the immediacy of being at the very heart of the action. Rivaz graphically describes his experiences on night bombing attacks against heavily defended enemy targets like Duisberg, Dusseldorf and Essen, and relates a dramatic shoot-out with German fighters over La Rochelle in broad daylight during July 1941. Rivaz reveals the fine spirit of comradeship which developed in RAF bomber crews during the Second World War. Having survived the war, including two rescues from the North Sea, he was killed in October 1945, aged just 37.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateAug 26, 2011
ISBN9780752469690
Tail Gunner

Related to Tail Gunner

Related ebooks

European History For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for Tail Gunner

Rating: 2.9999999777777777 out of 5 stars
3/5

9 ratings2 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    The pilot used the journaling method to jot down memories of time spent in the service during World War II. The action jumps from scene to scene. There are numerous examples of missed transitional sentences and incomplete sentences. The format is reflective of the limited time military personnel had to relax between missions. Readers of military history will be interested in the combat scenes. The format and lack of notes make the book more indicative to military historical fiction than a memoir.I received this book through a promotional giveaway. Although encouraged, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    A short, but intense, portrayal of one aircrewman during WW2. Highlights some of the many differences between American and British bombing forces. Less rank and crew, pilot sergeants commanding and night bombing are hallmarks of the RAF.

Book preview

Tail Gunner - Richard Rivaz

#2^book_preview_excerpt.html[˒r܍MApDC!RbxYPM0J`/_D_s2CyGܸqdfOOn^^yzEavcһO~ wSV]UOCMn߅8{,sSk_\8Uܰn6M |[rSU~ϛj|8n+W5cq |>V.[?݅_im5ٸV0wURwTc9=_m{7i^ڀ.swe_"\Ǿ;O . ~e7nXrM}R448N[q^S}{5Qsn7_n`acՆd"cw70Nj7+UE+_Tꅯat89|r*E*QU.v8B;ʙaՓ;Tq'7nơ'XZ٣C/ }WozWU W1oMqM8*[v $Q 5?`uZ;!|T"ᡲ ?&u% 'YD<  P!`1,GQ7UFVzpl Q]y$,LgC/,p@a 5Ie:;4#ȏ M;"%$tBHm x ~Z(<0w ɪgi(/b $ 2)Ux_`ڪu^Np;@u 7C÷[j1wkSVt 09i3txSn.weK9*l_}ks%z4a&&a52c+#@,3Cz7_ c쀗{HD 2l1ƇbWŶN9H3[$ ͼ^mo7_}zDR1>|q FM~߯'X8f*=vZ1i-9E/zȘfxCg{ڲb)rb֓]w8RHUG|Ln;rge[Cs7ysfbM _22qod{V/nRV dgWi&bԷK+@K%[$+;o^azn>'0+1cE#l\߲1z h*} 닃ԁNs`w<)yFrFjO) St*j~!@1OKbfLcC"On\0չ-1zk7c=3DLA8a$u菚Cy"`W7OH<< 0 _ _.QQ;=\VWA6؍ՁTԟh'CxZ<'B_Wo9o5M B -'I&hJ"!e_#O'>q).7: }:/UNG$DY|uOOU5=9+n7/_ 'A(P 1ݔĬܵcyycM$@y )CQrfUP;͓vpp԰H'Yd1 $~$f%ỼczoPL(qsB"ِ{1Q)q]'"1O0mȃC!-(:@@ ?u<*8"`nIXCdKND`?m5WD8<"1$"$ #DN$=&'أEqQy%e$Ӄ֎;%dbkbsb*A lJ؍;1\M.jѤOX.:NouB>"-PH 4^ [hivV>rC6r//bb5m~"tjvJ՟}QSү# )ZؾjgpRg HTcX 'U=Ҥ ʺ3MI;K ysiTzVr8J"bq۵h҈B H)qD\LGM0x~2 :0ECO#9 ,R/vEv;Y)G`Oi%SWMSwbZt8XV efg~A@gyF;Xڂ< ƒ"E!y# \Qqa#@5P^\dbFj|zsJg)uQ)._^I@RãzT(r`*L^57p͚ӈ=Va af{D&+Q{**I}$#lqGCϬW J c>'*۷4X*YMxHb5U֥ Bʻ|ݠɋʤ (\4ۗCI0M9g0g9djAo۳ljVcSy߯w yP=_MU \u QoL AȊ$գ<>g(hN[^:Ylz. _mYS& p\b_8ae7㋲&' KkK/&.42 j^25f菈?y)$ R.;!VMBedkv`H "$u,qx+:NZ i~$|!X!W gH%eK.óA.6"-hN@a3sˏt;m |OM~&yxi9OO%mP/rRHhia>jvե)#ETY<Q_rQoޱG'%>)F:3$kvMW`XN) 4&v"y`)ɣ}3PWASĨDY݇m{e)sFtǫQ{oYa90>B<#˧O3 Q&74)!mvds>]]w7"6> CζjiSq7y˶dA"mKg8 -[z;\eEɜK|ɏ^IiM^ $ːhpGDif&P/IӪV@V}U4Jdi97&3 q"* yg+aYTZlB3QJ*Z]CZBD#Qo[oa4ZN.Sc)r)PJHR[QfM܍g'rE * vc{ܜ(Sūw;/еGv9K]«|X IfkICf1ˍi(;Y+G( uqӂߟF.!lAʀ+B!mJd?[p q.D˱-wmL$1|-Rr^yV̳L2/ SdmĶ۬\kڑMb+ QlEA\NgkwQJTi oL. T`tH yZ!Gℷ~Koq@o(М"|ܜqZL" >ƥxUA]ſfƌr9eCc\3R%,'1S t專x|!E7eașNHEigFlpҨ,l?Dә#asf^WihlTF3u j}30,A`Dz:IM E'm]C^-;tQ3. R2Xf.^* K{*rؔ;׋X.Ƨ\z)muA!hs4`1X}r8ZbFOldTB3sh 2/F`T4% #Cn љل=*e{'WcX7?<+qQPNߓYѓmڤf%OG'FeiZzڅ0ۜ:-t*TGzYMd|ppZ[l_6(vg2֋^8 /Wބ<ˠwiQ[/Sm5.(̜G vPY\?Ȼ08H~ `^3@DJ"[ lbvȽ!Y'ZV{.9,5tTjWݧ*Հ37`Q:}y+8uaQ ܛmF[
Enjoying the preview?
Page 1 of 1