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Chargement... Life's Too Short to Cry (2006)par Tim Vigors
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Inscrivez-vous à LibraryThing pour découvrir si vous aimerez ce livre Actuellement, il n'y a pas de discussions au sujet de ce livre. A nice account of an Irishman's service as a Spitfire pilot in the RAF during the Battle of Britain. Writing is good and the tale worthy. The author comes across as a capable fighter pilot and is surprisingly humble about his skills. Provides a good look at Douglas Bader. Probably more for aviation and history types than the general public. I enjoyed it and recommend it. aucune critique | ajouter une critique
Born in Hatfield but raised in Eire and educated at Eton and Cranwell, 1940 found Tim Vigors flying Spitfires and seeing frantic and distinguished service over Dunkirk and then during the dangerous days of The Battle of Britain, when he became an ace. Transferred to the Far East in January 1941 as a flight commander on 10th December he led a flight of Buffaloes to cover the sinking Prince of Wales and Repulse. Dramatically shot down, burnt and attacked on his parachute, he was evacuated to Java, and from there to India. And this is where his hand-written account ends. Throughout, the author describes his experiences in an honest, refreshing way. It is a fascinating and valuable record, one which is now regarded as a classic. Aucune description trouvée dans une bibliothèque |
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Google Books — Chargement... GenresClassification décimale de Melvil (CDD)940.544941092History and Geography Europe Europe 1918- Military History Of World War II Air operations Operations of specific countries Europe British IslesClassification de la Bibliothèque du CongrèsÉvaluationMoyenne:
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After a privileged childhood, the author joined the RAF on the cusp of war, graduating from Cranwell in late 1939. Posted to 222 Squadron flying Spitfires, his first flight commander was Douglas Bader with whom he flew over Dunkirk and later in the Battle of Britain where he earned 'ace' status and a DFC. Clearly burnt out and needing a change, he put up his hand for experienced combat pilots to train fighter forces in the Far East. Arriving in Singapore in early 1941, he served as a flight commander with 243 Squadron flying Brewster Buffaloes and was subsequently asked to whip into shape 453 Squadron RAAF, also flying Buffaloes. Tasked with fleet air defence, his anger at the failure of his squadron's air cover plan to be implemented by the Navy on the day HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were both sunk remains palpable. Later shot down over Malaya and severely wounded and burned, he managed to escape Singapore before it fell, which is where the story ends.
Tim Vigors spent the remainder of the war in flying training roles in India, and led an active life postwar in the bloodstock industry, dying in 2003 aged 82. The memoir was published posthumously without a lot of editing and doesn't suffer from that, beyond some minor chronological and factual inconsistences that do no harm to the story.
Copy purchased secondhand by the Reviewer from Grants Bookshop, Sandringham.