The second book from Spalding war historian tells the story of life in the RAF.
Through Adversity: The Story of Life in the RFC and RAF Through Three Operational Pilots is the follow-up to Alastair Goodrum’s School of Aces, which told the story of Sutton Bridge’s airfield in the Battle of Britain.
Released on Wednesday, January 15, Through Adversity tells the story of three pilots whose careers “also told a story of the development of the RAF from its very beginning right up to the height of the Cold War,” Alastair explained.
He said: “It was a ‘Eureka’ moment to find that I could now outline the history of the RAF within the span of just three airmen’s lifetime.
“I then found that each man had a connection with Lincolnshire and Norfolk and they all played an unsung, but highly important role in how the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force developed.”
In profiling the careers of the pilots, Alastair studied log-books, personal papers and family photographs.
“I was not so fortunate with the subject of the first and earliest story, Lieutenant Leonard Dawes of Long Sutton, as no family connections either locally or nationally could be found,” Alastair said.
“That one was hard work to piece together from national newspaper and magazine archives and reading an awful lot of library books, but it was very satisfying to see his story emerge into the light of day. He really was one of the pioneers of British military aviation.”
Alastair said he learned a lot about these “three ordinary airmen who did extraordinary things in their flying lives”.
“I wish I had had the opportunity to meet them, but I feel I have, in a way come to know them all very well and I am happy to have been able to bring them and their exploits to life through the pages of this book.”
Alastair will give a talk about the book during a signing evening at Bookmark in Spalding on February 19. Book a space at https://bookmarkspalding.co.uk
