Royal Air force Coastal Command

A very thorough and detailed history of Coastal Command from its early predecessors from around 1914 through 1945, with a brief post-war epilogue. Most of the book focuses on the World War II exploits. Every squadron formation, every RAF Coastal Command base in the UK, the Mediterranean, and the Far East is described. The book even apparently describes every successful attack on German U-boats in which the submarine was sunk, with a detailed description of the air attack and the names of the aircrew.I have a couple of criticisms, however. Firstly, there are no maps at all. I wonder how many readers know where the Kalafrana flying boat base was located (answer: Malta, in the Mediterranean). Every base in the UK in which Coastal Command aircraft were stationed during WW II is mentioned. For those of us not blessed with an extensive UK or a Mediterranean geography education, it is very frustrating to read these detailed discussions and not know where the bases are. Furthermore, many of the bases and ports described in the Mediterranean are now gone or have had their names changed by post-war nationalistic governments, so it’s not possible to use a current map to find them. Internet searches are very useful, but it’s frustrating to have to do that while reading the book.Second: the book is absolutely loaded with details of individual aircraft attacks on specific U-boats, Squadron assignments to various bases all over the world, and even descriptions of medals awarded to aircraft crew members for attacking and sinking a U-boat or getting wounded (or killed) while attacking one. The book even names the commanders of the U-boats that were sunk. But there is little discussion of the Big Picture of (for example) the Battle of the Atlantic. There is also only a very short discussion of the attitude of the RAF high command toward Coastal Command and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) during the 1930s and during the war. For example, there is little discussion of the attitude of Arthur “Bomber” Harris of Bomber Command and of Winston Churchill toward providing long-range four-engine aircraft to close the mid-Atlantic air gap. Harris adamantly argued (and was supported by Churchill) that bombing a few department stores in the middle of German cities and killing a few hundred civilians was a more effective use of air power than preserving cargo ships bringing vitally needed war material to the UK. It wasn’t until late 1942 / early 1943 when the ship sinkings in the mid-Atlantic reached crisis proportions that Churchill finally ordered Bomber Command to relinquish 30 long-range bombers to Coastal Command.Third: the book describes the tactics that the Coastal Command pilots and aircraft used in attacking the German U-boats, but there is almost nothing on how these tactics were developed or how they were modified in the light of operations analysis and war experience. At the beginning of WW II in 1939 and well into 1942, Coastal Command was largely ineffective in destroying U-boats. The best they hoped to accomplish was forcing the submarines to stay submerged a lot of the time, but that didn’t solve the problem of shipping losses, as was demonstrated especially in 1942 and the first half of 1943.For a higher level discussion of the RAF/Royal Navy FAA and Coastal Command feuds and the development of anti-submarine tactics, I suggest the following: “The Battle for Britain: Interservice Rivalry between the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, 1909 – 40” by Cummings (2015) and “Blackett’s War” by Budiansky (2013).

Yet another book written by someone who was in Coastal Command that fails to give the RAF's Marine Branch the credit for their part in the Command's role of ensuring that the waters around the world where Coastal Command carried out their work in protecting not only the waters around the U.K, but other waters that were vital to the shipping of goods too and from those countries the U.K had treaties with.Without the men and varied craft manned by the RAF's specially trained sailors, the aircrew would not have been provided with the support that gave them the knowledge of what to do should they be unfortunate to have their aircraft come down in the water, nor would they have had experience of attacking targets out at sea by bombs or torpedoes, carrying out searches for missing vessels, or people in distress out of reach of the RNLI Lifeboats or other rescue services at that time. All of which they were trained in carrying out by the men in the RAF who wore naval uniforms but who often were out afloat in stormy conditions whilst undertaking the training required by the aircrew to do their work to a high standard.How can I write such a review, well I served for 12 years in the RAF Marine Branch, doing so on craft from small inflatables up to the ocean going vessels in the RAF's fleet, which until Coastal Command was integrated into the RAF's Strike Command, along with its fleet of craft continued to provide the training facilities for the aircrew. Only on my being injured on one of Her Majesty's Air Force Vessels, the large ocean going vessels, caused me to have to end my days afloat.

I enjoyed reading John Campbell's Coastal Command. Of course it contains some material one can read in other good books written on Coastal Command. That's unavoidable. And it strays beyond the era of Coastal Command into No 18 Group and overseas Commands post WWII, But I don't mind that - it was informative. Throughout his book, John Campbell has included a great deal of information on Squadron movements and on the aircraft they flew. I found especially interesting his many descriptions of submarine (and ship) sightings and encounters experienced by aircraft crews. As I was a former 1950's Sunderland navigator who flew over far eastern seas during the Korean War and over the Malayan jungle, I was interested in his chapters on maritime navigation, weapons, radar and tactics which brought back memories. I'm sure others will find this interesting. I would have liked a summary Table of wartime submarine sightings, attacks and results,based on those described in his book - I might try to produce one from the contents when I have time! Altogether a thoughtful book with a lot of well researched detail. A good read and a useful reference book. Group Captain Derek Empson.

I found this particularly dreary - lots of detail on exactly what was based where (so 2 stars for usefulness in research), very little on actual operations. The book is packed full of repetition, to the point where it has clearly never been anywhere near an editor.

A detailed look at the workings of 'The Kipper Fleet'. As an ex 'Mudmover' I found the section on the navigation techniques particularly interesting. The historical element was very interesting and informative. I did not realise that anti submarine warfare went so far back. All in all a good read, but it made me glad that I was a 'mudmover'

Gives a good overall history of this branch of the RAF