Albert Ball, VC - Hardcover

Bowyer, Chaz.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0718300459 ISBN 13: 9780718300456

Publisher: 1977), 1977

Synopsis

In the 1st World War the daring exploits of pilot Albert Ball caught the imagination of the British public like no other. Ball acquired his wings in the RFC in January 1916 and was first posted to France in February of that year. Then he joined No 13 Squadron and for a six-week period in March 1916 saw almost constant action flying the Squadron's Bristol Scout. Moving to No 11 Squadron in May 1916, Ball's score quickly accumulated. He had acquired a reputation as a tenacious scout pilot, often flying alone in his Nieuport and invariably returning to base with a near empty fuel tank. In August he returned to No 11 Squadron and soon after became the highest scoring scout pilot of the time. Waging his solitary aerial war, Ball became a true inspiration to the RFC when its squadrons were being mauled. But his life was to prove tragically short and he was killed in action just before his 21st birthday leading a patrol of SE5's. He had accounted for forty-four German aircraft.

About this title

Review:

THE story of Albert Ball VC has been told many times and there are some good biographies, as well as academic papers and at least one PhD thesis on the subject of this young World War One pilot. This is a reprint of the 1994 book by the late Chaz Bowyer, itself a revised edition of the original published in 1977 and is printed on good paper and stitch bound, a great improvement on glued binding.
Anyone who has even vague knowledge of the very short life of this remarkable young man will know him to have secured a special place among his peers. Killed at the age of 20, he was one of the most outstanding pilots in the Royal Flying Corps and probably, in some respects, the most talented pilot flying both Nieuport 16 and S.E.5. Generally credited with more than 40 victories over enemy pilots, Albert Ball was a loner, preferring his violin and a well tended garden round his own small tent to the communal association many of his age sought so eagerly at squadron level. A son of Nottingham, he is remembered with affection by a city that served his memory well, the local museum testifying to that with a diverse display of memorabilia, and his death brought both shock and sadness to a nation already well used to toppled heroes.
Although this book is a reprint it is not reduced one jot by having it back in the publishing lists once more. It makes a rewarding read and for those who have not experienced it before, its author reminds us again that it was not the 'kill' score that distinguished Albert Ball but a stoic fighting spirit unique to the age in which this young man, with disarmingly boyish good looks, lived and fought in the skies over the Western Front. It makes for a good second read and is, if encountered for the first time, undoubtedly the best of the books available on this outstanding young pilot.
-- AVIATION NEWS January 2009

When I was a very small boy my father's bedtime stories were often tales about his boyhood heroes - Manned, McCudden, Tuck, Bader...or Albert Ball. At the age of about 7 or 8, we were on holiday in England and visited Nottingham Castle. I was fascinated by the display of Ball memorabilia, particularly the gIass windshield pierced by a bullet hole. In the photographs he looked so young and so serious.

Having picked up this book, I had a look at the second page, on which are listed other books written by the late Chaz Bowyer - what it breadth of interest and knowledge. I therefore very much looked forward to reading this book, the story of the al-too-brief life of a man I had greatly admired for more than 40 years, written by an author of quality and renown. Having read It, I can state with absolute assurance that I was not disappointed in the slightest degree.

It is obvious from page one that the author is deeply interested in his subject, he some what modestly claims in the preface he wrote to the revised edition that it is not a "full" biography. I could not disagree more - it is a thorough, fascinating and quite outstanding biography with all the detail one could possibly require of Ball's background, family, thoughts and deeds. It is not complete only in the sense that Ball was not permitted to live more than a bare 20 years. It is very apparent from the copious quotes from his letters that emotionally he was just out of boyhood, with his senses and nerves stretched to the very limit by the demands imposed by a form of warfare that was being invented while he fought it. He writes like an enthusiastic fifth former - anything good is ripping or topping, anything bad is poo-poo. The most poignant and moving quote is on page 78. Ball put immense moral, mental and physical pressure on himself - flying up to eight times per day, more often than not alone as he preferred. His RFC commanders gave him a fairly free rein, which in the end burned him out after less than a year of operational duties all told.

All of his combats are described; the technical detail on the aircraft show's the depth of the author's knowledge of the period. I have only one minor quibble - it is surely a typing error that should have been spotted by the editor, to name the German two-seater as an LUG several times - when as we all know, the correct name was LVG. Ball's final flight analysed in some detail and certainly this reviewer would not argue with the author's sage judgment..

The book was first published in 1977 and then re-issued in 1994 with greatly expanded photographic content. The photos are marvelous and are worth the cover price in themselves - the current publishers, who have recently issued this reprint, are to be congratulated on the high standard of reproduction. It concludes with some very useful appendices Iisting the aircaft Ball is known to have flown in combat, describing the Austin AFB Scout, providing the citations for the seven awards for gallantry he received and thoroughly examining his combat record.

In summary then, this is a really fine book and should be enjoyed by the widest possible audience, who wish to gain a greater understanding of one of the young men who fought the first war in the air. If you want to read more about the period, have a look at Wind in the Wires by D Grinnel-Milne, Winged Victory by VM Yeates and Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis to name but a few. -- Guy Warner - February 2009 - Flying Ireland

Review:

When I was a very small boy my father's bedtime stories were often tales about his boyhood heroes - Manned, McCudden, Tuck, Bader...or Albert Ball. At the age of about 7 or 8, we were on holiday in England and visited Nottingham Castle. I was fascinated by the display of Ball memorabilia, particularly the gIass windshield pierced by a bullet hole. In the photographs he looked so young and so serious.

Having picked up this book, I had a look at the second page, on which are listed other books written by the late Chaz Bowyer - what it breadth of interest and knowledge. I therefore very much looked forward to reading this book, the story of the al-too-brief life of a man I had greatly admired for more than 40 years, written by an author of quality and renown. Having read It, I can state with absolute assurance that I was not disappointed in the slightest degree.

It is obvious from page one that the author is deeply interested in his subject, he some what modestly claims in the preface he wrote to the revised edition that it is not a "full" biography. I could not disagree more - it is a thorough, fascinating and quite outstanding biography with all the detail one could possibly require of Ball's background, family, thoughts and deeds. It is not complete only in the sense that Ball was not permitted to live more than a bare 20 years. It is very apparent from the copious quotes from his letters that emotionally he was just out of boyhood, with his senses and nerves stretched to the very limit by the demands imposed by a form of warfare that was being invented while he fought it. He writes like an enthusiastic fifth former - anything good is ripping or topping, anything bad is poo-poo. The most poignant and moving quote is on page 78. Ball put immense moral, mental and physical pressure on himself - flying up to eight times per day, more often than not alone as he preferred. His RFC commanders gave him a fairly free rein, which in the end burned him out after less than a year of operational duties all told.

All of his combats are described; the technical detail on the aircraft show's the depth of the author's knowledge of the period. I have only one minor quibble - it is surely a typing error that should have been spotted by the editor, to name the German two-seater as an LUG several times - when as we all know, the correct name was LVG. Ball's final flight analysed in some detail and certainly this reviewer would not argue with the author's sage judgment..

The book was first published in 1977 and then re-issued in 1994 with greatly expanded photographic content. The photos are marvelous and are worth the cover price in themselves - the current publishers, who have recently issued this reprint, are to be congratulated on the high standard of reproduction. It concludes with some very useful appendices Iisting the aircaft Ball is known to have flown in combat, describing the Austin AFB Scout, providing the citations for the seven awards for gallantry he received and thoroughly examining his combat record.

In summary then, this is a really fine book and should be enjoyed by the widest possible audience, who wish to gain a greater understanding of one of the young men who fought the first war in the air. If you want to read more about the period, have a look at Wind in the Wires by D Grinnel-Milne, Winged Victory by VM Yeates and Sagittarius Rising by Cecil Lewis to name but a few.

About this edition

• Publisher: 1977)
• Publication date: 1977
• ISBN 10: 0718300459
• ISBN 13: 9780718300456
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 208