Duel of Eagles

Peter Townsend was a true war hero but, more importantly for us, he was also a great writer. And a stickler for details. He has meticulously researched the war's events from all sides, especially the individuals involved. Details like foods Goering loved to eat and Hitler's tantrums and what triggered them. Details like the pilot shot down at Dunkirk who nearly got kicked off the English train on his way back to his squadron because he didn't have money for the fare. Of course there is the up close particulars of air-to-air combat and how devastating it was to machines and bodies (one German bomber he shoot down had to belly land with bombs onboard because Townsend's rounds had damaged the landing gear mechanism and its emergency backup). He also covers the chivalry that existed between the English and German pilots; one time a German fighter pilot circled the English pilot under canopy he had just shot down and waved at him (that pilot was fair game since he was over Britain and would return to duty). There is too much shop talk about the inevitable politics that surrounds top military brass and the politicians that use them. It starts during the first world war and provides interesting details about the dirigible bombers that I was completely unaware of. These events made it very clear to key British generals that future wars would be predominately air wars (but, apparently, not to the French). You can skip over the first three parts and not miss much. It does provide great insight into how the Germans got around the Treaty of Versailles with the help (with major help from the Russians). Townsend reveals that the Battle of Britain required that the Germans supplement their meager navy with commercial fish trawlers, which, in turn, severely impacted the fishing season and contributed to food shortages in Germany that persisted throughout the war.

A truly excellent accounting of the political and military build up to the air war, culminating here in the life and death struggle Britain faced in 1940 while being greatly outnumbered. I've read many books on the subject and this rates easily among the best. The first hand accounts - from both sides - are marvelous, written with a heavy dose of 1940's wit that enabled the Brits to keep their stiff upper lip in the face of relentless "total air war bombing" and invasion by, up to the Battle of Britain, a victorious foe. It was a war where everyone had a part to play, unlike today where most people go about their business with hardly a care: "Back in the mess at Digby the party had already begun as the last few pilots were coming in to land. They entered the anteroom by ones and twos until there were two nineteen-year-old wives without husbands. Those girls knew that they had not to wait any longer….'They just slid out of the anteroom. There was no fuss, no tears. They just left.' They could have wrecked the morale of the squadron, but they never did. 'They were made of the same stuff as their husbands.' " Sums up the mettle of these people, and the nations of today should be forever thankful to them.

This is the best book by far on those dark days of 1940 in Great Britain. I received a lovely big hard copy book which is very well written and easy to read.

I'm almost half way through the book now...it starts off at the tail end of WWI and goes through the build up to WWII. Very detailed, lots of personal anecdotes...really enjoying it. I'm mixing in a bunch of YouTube videos (Dark Skies, Mark Felton, Drachinifel, Timeline documentaries) for additional context and details.

Peter Townsend was not only there, he was a participant. After the war he extensively researched documents and interviewed surviving officers, fliers, etc. from both sides. This book is not only a page turner, it is a model of historical accuracy.

I have Robert Taylor's print of Peter Townsend banking his Hurricane over London towards Biggin Hill in the summer of 1940 - this book published in 1970 is a story from 1933 to the end of WW2 about the.slow sleep walk to war and his days as one of The Few. Great reading - long out of print but Amazon got a copy for me from a supplier.

Recrational reading

OK war memoir. Not bad but not great.

A very well written and researched account of the preparations on the lead up to and the battle of Britain from both German and British perspective. I have read many accounts of the battle. This is the best by a long way. I thoroughly recommend this. Brilliant.

If you only read one book about The Battle of Britain - this is the one - Townsend flew hurricanes with 85 squadron during the battle, and the authority this gives him to be able to tell this story is almost in-matched. He chooses to start at the beginning, and chronicles the development of both RAF and Luftwaffe, so that the actions then described in the battle itself have greater resonance. The first-hand accounts are excellent, and it is a shame that this book seems to appear rarely compared to other works on the subject.

Written by a hurricane pilot who actually flew in the battle. Need I say more, this is the real thing. Sadly Peter is better known for his private life, it tends to be forgotten that he only reached royal circles because he was such a good fighter pilot and leader .

A brilliant history by a very patriotic man who fought in the Battle of Britain, and might have married into the highest echelons of the Royal Family.

Must be one of the best books on the Battle of Britain