Ron Butcher Dfc CD (Ret'd)

Been There, Done That: Through Treacherous Skies Ron Butcher Dfc CD (Ret'd)

According to Lieutenant General Bill Carr, an ex-Commander of Canada's Air Command, and himself a decorated WWII Spitfire pilot: "This book contains the most vivid, uncomplaining and honest descriptions I have ever read of what the WWII Bomber Command aircrews went through during the years 1939-1945 when they delivered no less than one-and-a-quarter million tons of bombs on Hitler's empire. From 1943 onward, the US Army Air Corps added a further three-quarter million tons to this total. And those young aircrew suffered incomparable losses."

It is the gripping life story of a decorated Air Navigator who, with his crew in a Lancaster, did a tour of operations in a Canadian squadron of RAF Bomber Command in WWII, spending nine months in the front lines. There are tales of night raids to Southeast Germany and 6 raids to Berlin. This milieu had up to 1 million personnel, 20,625 guns, 6,680 searchlights and about 400 fighters, a formidable barrier across Western Germany and around the targets, all with the prime purpose of frustrating the efforts to bomb, shooting down aircraft and killing crews being their preferred outcome. The tour terminated with bombing raids in France preparing for the invasion of Normandy. There are also interesting details of cultural life on the base, and in wartime Great Britain.

In addition, the life and times of growing up in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1920s are included, as well as stories of pre-war employment. There are also post-war stories of managing the family business, returning to the RCAF as a construction engineer, time as General Manager of the RCAF Association and proprietorship of Unique Decor Unlimited. Stories of retirement include much about worldwide travel.

Once you start reading, you'll find it so interesting you'll be reluctant to put it down!