Wood, Eric, MD, MPH

Dogfight Days: British Airmen in Combat During the First World War Wood, Eric, MD, MPH

The war in the air the British flyers knew

This collection of anecdotes, accounts and reports of the activities of the R. F. C. during the First World War on the Western Front was originally published under the title, Thrilling Deeds of British Airmen by Eric Wood. The original title, perhaps, gives the potential reader some indication as to the tone of this book since it was written during the conflict itself and predictably is jingoistic in its style. So, given the partiality of the author, readers should not look to this work for 'a well-rounded view.' Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that there is a paucity of material available on warfare in the air during this period and for many readers interested in the subject all works which add new information are welcome. In that Woods' book does not disappoint, he recounts a number of incidents concerning strafing raids, the bombing of enemy targets, attacks on Zeppelins, the activities of the Coastal Patrol and the aerial attacks on shipping, which do not necessarily appear elsewhere in print. Woods also provides accounts of notable aviators including Warneford, V. C. This pot-pourri of vignettes of British airmen during the first aerial war offers much of interest and is recommended for reading enjoyment.

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