F for Fox

Guy · Corporal

F for Fox

Pigeonbird · Air Commodore

Hello Guy:

Redarding your Grandad's story, one operation hardly makes a publishable story, no matter how interesting the content. Why not include his entire Air Force career, as I did in my book "The Lucky Pigeon" which was published in 1996. I started out on the shop room floor, when we were deciding on our military careers, until the day I walked away with my discharge papers, and looking at my future.

In writing my next book "Bless You, Brother Irvin" (story of the Caterpillar Club) I went through 2 publishers before I had enough material for a book. So, it takes a lot of content to keep a reader interested. Try combining your Grandad's story with others that have similar tales to tell. It may dilute the glory, but gets the tale out there.

As the Brits say, "Give it a go!"

John Neal
www.bombercrew.com/neal.htm

Guy · Corporal

Actually his career would make quite an interesting story as he started out in a territorial artillery regiment, went through Dunkerque (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/75/a4065275.shtml), spent time in the south west on coastal batteries and then joined the RAF as he wasn't seeing enough action.

Unfortunately time isn't on our side and his memory is not what is used to be so I don't think we will have time to capture enough to document his career in enought detail.

I take your point about one mission not making a book, if you are thinking in terms of the typical paperback and the feedback I was given was on the length rather than the content. I suppose where I thought that this might find a home since it is a short story is whether anyone was putting together collections of stories. I seem to remember reading in the past some books which were made up of a collection on shorts, but whether anyone is doing that now I don't know.

Maybe the best best would be to make it available through its own website.

But ultimately if anyone finds it an interesting and enjoyable read as it is then it is worth making it available. Money is not a concern with this just making the material available to anyone who is interested.

ME453 · Flight Lieutenant

Hello Guy,
I'm interested in this thread because I'm trying to do the same thing for purely altruistic reasons and not any sort of profit. Mine is about the crew of Lancaster ME453, all killed on their 3rd op. in March 1945 so I've had to do a huge amount of research on crew members and the likely training and "route" that they would have taken. I'm also writing the book from the Luftwaffe perspective and the crew who (almost certainly) shot them down, with chapters alternating between the two crews in the same "time zone" on the final day, but also some of the individuals thinking back over events in their lives. My small website www.galgos.co.uk summarises my research thus far.
Regards
Max Williams

Date: Sep 21, 2008

To Max ,

Just wanted to congratulate you on your website mate, its a credit to you.
Regards,
John

ME453 · Flight Lieutenant

Thank you John, as I said it is a summary. I am building a much more comprehensive site which will reflect the detail that I have accumulated with my research, but there are so many other pressures on my time, not least that of my wife who has become increasingly dependent on me with her ill-health. Quite honestly, forums like this, RAF Commands, LEMB and the Lanc-archive are a very welcome respite at times!
regards
Max