Many books about Bomber Command deal with the experiences of men who went into combat and flew operationally but few feature the sacrifice of the many young airmen who never had the opportunity to "fire a shot in anger". Men such as the seven crewmembers of Lancaster 7575, who were all killed when their aircraft crashed in the Hertfordshire village of Colney Heath in 1943 during a training flight ~ and thus became part of a shocking statistic ~ the 5,327 airmen killed during aircrew training in World War II.
The war brought together men from different countries and backgrounds; men who, in normal circumstances, would never have met. This is the story of seven such men, their family backgrounds, their training, how they eventually came together as a crew to fly an aircraft, and what they did with their time off and when on leave.
It is also the story of the aircraft in which they flew on that last fateful night of their lives, Lancaster L7575, of the famous mission in which it had previously taken part (the Augsburg raid), of the ground crew who serviced it and the indispensable role they played.
We learn how, one dismal autumn night, a sleepy English village was struck by the horror of war ~ to the eternal grief of one family and the lasting memory of many others ~ and of the part played by members of the rescue services, who did so much that night in the most difficult of circumstances.
There is also something of a mystery regarding the cause of this tragic accident. How far can the official report be relied upon? Or was there an entirely different reason?
Finally, this book is dedicated to the 5,327 unsung heroes of Bomber Command ~ those who lost their lives during the training process. They must never be forgotten. They gave their lives and should be remembered along with the rest.
