Liberators Over the Atlantic

An informative and personal account of a young man’s flying experiences during WW2. Growing up in York, shaped by the threat of war—Jack Colman achieves his long held desire to become a pilot, joining the RAF in October 1940 just after his 21st birthday. He is sent to Canada to learn to fly and becomes intrigued by the technical and practical aspects of flying and navigation. Becoming a Pilot/Navigator, he joins Costal Command on Liberators based in Iceland. The practical difficulties of flying over the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans protecting the convoys and hunting U-boats are relived as he battles with atrocious weather and navigational uncertainties. His brushes with death whether due to mechanical failure, hitting the sea, U-boat gun fire or running out of fuel, in an ever changing hostile environment are described realistically and calmly (often with humour), situations helped by a confidence in the good advice given by others, his knowledge, skills and a trust in his crew. When training he hears about the death of his father, on leave he finds time to fall in love and marry.