Australia's few and the Battle of Britain

Resource Information

The work Australia's few and the Battle of Britain represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Randwick City Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Australia's few and the Battle of Britain

Statement of responsibility

Kristen Alexander

Creator

• Alexander, Kristen, 1963-

Author

• Alexander, Kristen, 1963-

Subject

• trueAustralia
• trueAustralian
• trueBiography
• Britain, Battle of (Great Britain : 1940)
• trueBritain, Battle of, Great Britain, 1940
• trueGreat Britain
• Air pilots, Military
• Military operations, Aerial -- Australian
• World War (1939-1945)
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Aerial operations, Australian
• World War, 1939-1945 -- Campaigns -- Great Britain
• trueMilitary campaigns
• Air pilots, Military -- Australia -- Biography

Genre

• trueBiography

Language

eng

Summary

Jack Kennedy (Sydney), Stuart Walch (Hobart), Dick Glyde (Perth), Ken Holland (Sydney), Pat Hughes (Cooma and Sydney), Bill Millington (Adelaide), John Crossman (Newcastle) and Des Sheen (Canberra): eight Australian Spitfire and Hurricane pilots of the Battle of Britain. Only one survived. During the summer and autumn of 1940, the Luftwaffe launched their campaign to gain superiority over the RAF, especially Fighter Command. The result was the first major battle of World War II (or any war) fought entirely in the air. The Luftwaffe's defeat by 'The Few' marked a turning point in the Allies' favour. The Battle of Britain is one of the most significant battles of the war, and until now, the role of the Australian 'Few' has received little attention. Kristen Alexander gives a personal account of eight Australian participants, drawing heavily on primary source material and original research. She follows these young men from childhood, through their education, training, personal relationships and flying careers, to death in combat (in the case of seven of the eight men), and beyond that to commemoration

Biography type

collective biography

Dewey number

940.544941

Illustrations

• illustrations
• maps
• portraits
• plates

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography