The Right of the Line : The Role of the RAF in World War Two

Traditionally, 'the right of the line' is the vanguard, the place of honour and greatest danger in battle. In this history of the Royal Air Force during the European War of 1939-45, John Terraine shows how the RAF, which in 1939 was small and inadequate for the task it was called upon to perform had, by the end of the war, taken up its proper position. He describes the build-up to war, the early tests in France and at Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, the RAF in North Africa and the Mediterranean, the strategic air offensive over Germany and eventual victory in Europe.'His best book yet' The Times'John Terraine is a fine historian ... but he also believes that history should be exciting and readable' The Listener.;Cover; Half Title; Title; Copyright; Contents; FOREWORD; ABBREVIATIONS; PART I:THE PREPARATION"Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum"; 1 BEGINNINGS; 2 DISARMERS AND BOMBERS; 3 A MODERN AIR FORCE; 4 EXPANSION; 5 Rearmament under way; 6 The knock-out blow; 7 MUNICH; 8 COMING OF AGE, COMING OF WAR; PART II: THE TEST "The battle is the pay-off ... "; 9 NORTH SEA TUTORIAL; 10 NIGHT BOMBING; LUDLOW-HEWITT; 11 NORWAY, 1940; 12 CRISIS OF BATTLE: FIGHTER COVER, BOMBEROFFENSIVE; 13 THE PAY-OFF; DOWDING PROTESTS; 14 DUNKIRK; 15 1940 CATASTROPHE: THE RECKONING. Cover Half Title Title Copyright Contents FOREWORD ABBREVIATIONS PART I:THE PREPARATION"Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum" 1 BEGINNINGS 2 DISARMERS AND BOMBERS 3 A MODERN AIR FORCE 4 EXPANSION 5 Rearmament under way 6 The knock-out blow 7 MUNICH 8 COMING OF AGE, COMING OF WAR PART II: THE TEST "The battle is the pay-off ... " 9 NORTH SEA TUTORIAL 10 NIGHT BOMBING LUDLOW-HEWITT 11 NORWAY, 1940 12 CRISIS OF BATTLE: FIGHTER COVER, BOMBEROFFENSIVE 13 THE PAY-OFF DOWDING PROTESTS 14 DUNKIRK 15 1940 CATASTROPHE: THE RECKONING. PART III: THE STRAIN "The only plan is to persevere." THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN " ... a few thousand airmen ... "16 BRITAIN ALONE 17 THE DOWDING SYSTEM 18 "CONTACT PHASE" SIR KEITH PARK 19 ''ADLER TAG" THE "NUMBERS GAME" 20 AUGUST, THE CRUNCH BEAVERBROOK 21 THE "BIG WING" LEIGH-MALLORY, BADER 22 BAITLE OF AITRITION THE CLIMAX 23 DEFEAT FOR DOWDING 24 VICTORY FOR FIGHTER COMMAND 25 BATTLE OF BRITAIN: ENVOI THE BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC (I)"Anxiety supreme 26 COASTAL COMMAND: RÔLE AND EQUIPMENT U-BOAT WAR, WIRELESS WAR 27 THE U-BOAT ENEMY BOMBS AND DEPTH-CHARGES. 28 THE BAITLE BEGINS THE DÖNITZ SYSTEM ASV RADAR 29 LORD BEAVERB ROOK RUSHES IN 30 THE ATLANTIC GAP "THE CROW AND THE MOLE" WESTERN APPROACHES FALSE DAWN BISMARCKAND OTHERS THE STRATEGIC AIR OFFENSIVE (I) "The leading element in bringing about our victory ... " 31 NEWALL AND PORTAL THE GROWING SERVICE THE EMPIRE TRAINING SCHEME 32 BOMBER OFFENSIVE RESUMED GERMAN MORALE AREA BOMBING 33 PHOTOGRAPHIC RECONNAISSANCE 34 OIL "DIVERSIONS" HEAVY BOMBERS THE MOSQUITO 35 NEW ALLIES "RHUBARBS" AND "CIRCUSES" COMPULSIONS OF ALLIANCE 36 FOUR THOUSAND BOMBERS. EUPHORIA ANDDESPONDENCY THE BUTT REPORT AIR POLICY DISPUTE PART IV: THE VICTORY "The Air must hold the ring" THE MEDITERRANEAN " ... Air warfare in its own right ... " 37 MIDDLE EAST COMMAND THE TAKORADI ROUTE LONGMORE'S PROBLEMS 38 WAR WITH ITALY WAR FOR AERODROMES OPERATION "COMPASS" 39 EAST AFRICA AIR SUPPORT 40 THE GREEK FIASCO, 1941 41 THE AFRIKA KORPS ARRIVES FIRST DESERT DEFEAT 42 TEDDER IN COMMAND "COMBINED OPERATIONIN THE FULL SENSE" A SYSTEM OF AIR SUPPORT 43 AIR SUPPORT/ARMY COOPERATION 44 CHURCHILL AND TEDDER "CRUSADER" 45 AMERICA IN THE WAR. A NEW STRATEGY46 MALTA 47 GAZALA: THE LOWEST EBB "FIRST ALAMEIN" 48 MONTGOMERY AND CONINGHAM ALAM HALFA 49 "SECOND ALAMEIN" ADVANCE TO TUNISIA 50 OPERATION "TORCH" THE CASABLANCACONFERENCE VICTORY IN AFRICA 51 THE WAY FORWARD THE BATTLE OF THEATLANTIC (II) " ... the dominating factor all through the war ... " 52 SCIENCE AND INTELLIGENCE THE LEIGH LIGHT TASKS OF COASTAL COMMAND 53 FALSE DAWN DEFENSIVE AND OFFENSIVE 54 THE DARK NIGHT ANTI-SHIPPING OPERATIONS OIL SUPPLIES "AN OBSTACLE TO VICTORY" 55 TURNING POINT THE "GAP" LIBERATORS U-BOATREVERSES. Award–winning historian and scriptwriter John Terraine's The Right of the Line reveals how the British Royal Air Force rose to prominence in World War II. Traditionally, the right of the line is the vanguard, the place of honor and greatest danger in battle. In this history of the Royal Air Force during the European War of 1939-45, John Terraine shows how the RAF, which in 1939 was small and inadequate for the task it was called upon to perform had, by the end of the war, taken up its proper position. In riveting prose, Terraine describes the build-up to war, the early tests in France and at Dunkirk, the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Atlantic, the RAF in North Africa and the Mediterranean, the strategic air offensive over Germany and eventual victory in Europe. "His best book yet." — The Times "John Terraine is a fine historian but he also believes that history should be exciting and readable." — The Listener This text describes the RAF during the European war of 1939-1945. John Terraine shows how the RAF, which in 1939 was small and inadequate for the task it was called upon to perform, had, by the end of the war, taken up its position on "the right of line", the vanguard position of honour.