The RAF Pathfinders

The formation of the Pathfinder Force in August 1942 produced a steady but certain change in the fortunes of Bomber Command. During the early years of the war, aerial photographs showed that less than one third of the aircraft were successfully placing their bombs with accuracy. There was a basic lack of navigation skills, as well as what came to be known in the RAF as the will to 'Press On'.

Martyn Chorlton has written a gripping account of the RAF's Pathfinder squadrons, recalling the often reckless heroism of the young aircrew and the challenges they faced in the smoke-filled skies over occupied Europe. His book also contains a moving foreword by Michael Wadsworth, chaplain to the Pathfinders Association.

Foreword	p. 5
Introduction	p. 9
Leading the way	p. 9
The Butt and Cherwell reports	p. 9
The Pathfinder Concept	p. 13
Group Captain S. O. Bufton (1908-1993)	p. 13
Early Beginnings and Formation	p. 15
Operations 1942
August - A tentative start	p. 17
September - Illuminating, marking/route-marking and backing up	p. 18
October - Italian targets	p. 21
November - Boozer	p. 23
December - OBOE trials & Wanganui into service	p. 26
Operations 1943
January - 8 Group is born, new TIs, ground-markers & H2S Operational	p. 29
February - Blind-Bombing success and FIDO (Fog Investigation Dispersal Operation)	p. 31
March - The Battle of the Ruhr begins	p. 37
April - More Squadrons, more airfields	p. 42
May - Mounting losses	p. 47
June - More Mosquitoes!	p. 50
July - The Battle of the Ruhr ends and the Battle of Hamburg begins	p. 57
August - Peenemünde and the long road to Berlin begins	p. 62
September - Varying targets	p. 70
October - High price for a new target	p. 75
November - Battle of Berlin begins	p. 79
December - Nightmare over Berlin	p. 86
Operations 1944
January - Berlin takes its toll	p. 90
February - Battle of Berlin comes to an end	p. 93
March - Tactical targets increase	p. 96
April - 8 Group lose, 5 Group gain!	p. 100
May - D-Day build-up	p. 104
June - Overlord and the Flying-bomb	p. 111
July - 'Heavy Oboe' attack method	p. 118
August - 8 Group's first Victoria Cross	p. 123
September - Operation Market Garden	p. 127
October - The second Battle of the Ruhr begins	p. 130
November - LNSF attacks grow in strength	p. 133
December - 8 Group's only Oboe VC	p. 136
Operations 1945
January - the Mosquito takes charge	p. 142
February - Bomber Command's last VC of the war	p. 143
March - The Allies push into Germany	p. 148
April/May - 'Eagle's Nest', Exodus, Manna and Victory!	p. 151
8 Group's swan song	p. 155
8 (Pathfinder Force) Group Statistics August 1942 to May 1945	p. 160
Aircraft types	p. 162
The Pathfinder crews' eight duties	p. 173
8 Group Squadrons August 1942 to August 1945	p. 174
Early Radar and navigational aids	p. 179
Pathfinder jargon buster	p. 183
Abbreviations	p. 188
Index	p. 190
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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