G'Day, forumers.
I am compiling a list of fictional novels that deal with the air war of WW1 and I would love it if forum members could add to that list.
I will first submit all the ones that I can think of. These novels are all fiction, so non-fiction memoirs are not included. At least one ('Winged Victory') is usually called 'autobiographical' fiction but as it is techically fiction, it is included.
These are novels I have read myself but there must be a lot of others. I know there were a lot published during the 1920s and 30s, namely the so-called 'Pulp' and usually trashy novels churned out to meet the demands of adventure-hungry younger readers. Many of these have been lost but I have read reviews that claim there were a few forgotten gems amongst them.
The illustrations of the covers were downloaded from
AbeBooks: New & Used Books, Textbooks, Rare & Out of Print Books, a website that sells second-hand (used) books from various sellers.
THE LIST
1) "
Goshawk Squadron" by Derek Robinson
Arguably the most critically acclaimed WW1 air novel of all time, Robinson's first work of fiction was shortlisted for the UK Booker prize in 1971. It aroused considerable controversy when it was first published as it challenged many myths and romantic images of the air war that were still prevalent at the time. Many Royal air-force veterans disliked it intensely due to the portrayal of the RFC pilots whilst others praised it for its realism. Robinson himself described it as a kind of "Anti-Biggles".
Beginning in January 1918, the novel centres on the fictional 'Hornet' Squadron of the RFC (Robinson deliberately avoids giving the unit a numerical designation so as to prevent any association with a real unit). The squadron commander, Stanley Woolley, a 23-year old veteran, greets some new arrivals to his unit, treating them with a harsh contempt and with callous indifference, not even blinking when one poor rookie is killed when he crashes upon arrival at the aerodrome. The unit, operating SE5s, are soon flung into action on the Western Front.
The novel has the gimmick of each chapter beginning with the heading of the next level of the old-fashioned system of measuring the severity of storms, ie Force 1 to Force 12. This non-too-subtle piece of symbolism shows how the novel builds up to its bloody and chaotic finale.
The commanders are shown to be either cynical, hard-cases like Woolley who hide their declining spirits beneath a show of ruthlessness or callous, pompous simpletons. The pilots are killed one by one in seemingly random fashion, showing little emotion whilst indulging in much banter and harsh wit. Dry black humour is a main-staple of Robinson's war novels and it is laid on with a trowel. A weakness of his work is that most of the characters tend to be 'types' rather than three-dimensional individuals and sometimes they can be a little too eccentric or unstable to be true (in real life, could an actual RFC unit even function like this?).
The strength of his work is the battle scenes that are grounded in reality, being random, fierce skirmishes that either end in-conclusively or conclude bloodily. The novel builds up to the March Offensive and some of the young pilots go to pieces under the strain, resulting in the scene that was the most controversial part of the novel. One of the fliers, in an apparent act of complete mental breakdown, begins strafing a column of retreating British infantry. Another pilot of the Squadron tries to stop him and they engage in a dogfight that results in the deaths of both of them. In the final scene, Woolley himself meets his end in typical grisly fashion. Forced into another patrol by his superiors who ignore his exhausted state, Woolley is bounced from above and tumbles from his aircraft to fall to his death.
In his afterword, Robinson makes clear his feelings on the war, saying that 'much of the slaughter was pointless and courage was wasted, along with everything else'.
First Published: 1971
Still in Print? -Yes
2) "War Story" by Derek Robinson
Intended as a prequel to Goshawk Squadron, this novel, the second in the Hornet Squadron trilogy, is set in 1916 in the weeks leading up to the Battle of the Somme.
Hornet Squadron is, at this stage of the war, a 'Pusher' unit, equipped with FE2b two-seater Pushers. Young Lieutenant Oliver Paxton, only 18 years old, arrives to join the already hard-pressed and weary unit. Already Paxton has experienced the harsh reality of the air war as of the flight of replacements flying over the Channel to join Hornet Squadron, he is the only man to reach the aerodrome intact. But Paxton is a fiercely confident, somewhat arrogant youngster who firmly believes in the final victory and is proud of the army in which he serves. To his annoyance and frustration, the other pilots of the squadron don't seem to share his view, especially the Australian pilot O'Neill with whom Paxton has to fly as gunner/observer.
The cynical, foul-mouthed Australian takes delight in deflating Paxton and playing practical jokes on him. However Paxton shrugs off each blow and gives as good as he gets until the two form an alliance that eventually develops into an un-spoken friendship.
As the fighting grows bloodier with the beginning of the Somme Push and as pilots disappear one by one from the unit's ranks, Paxton slowly and grudgingly begins to realise the grim reality of what is going on around him. Personally, I think War Story is his best work as I found Paxton and O'Neill to be the most 3-D, fleshed out characters he has invented. The gradual dis-illusionment that engulfs Paxton is very believable.
There are some memorable scenes such as when the army dig a huge ditch near the aerodrome. The pilots fill it with water and use it as a swimming hole. But after July 1st, the pool is drained and the horrified pilots realise why the army dug it in the first place- for use as a mass grave.
Earlier in the novel, Paxton watches an infantry and cavalry unit rehearsing for the attack, each rank advancing neatly in ranks to pre-laid marking tapes. As they reach each tape, an officer blows a whistle and announces the next enemy trench as 'taken'. Paxton cannot understand why a veteran Major also watching the display is not as impressed as he should be.
In one amazing scene, the officers go to a luncheon for RFC fliers and proceed to demolish the contents of the entire hall just for the fun of it.
Once again, some of the characters go to pieces. One pilot, the Squadron Commander, pays a visit to the frontline trenches and then a few days later, takes off solo and deliberately and calmly flies smack into a German aircraft head-on. Another pilot, with a horrified Paxton watching, shoots himself and from the man's personal letters, it is discovered he had been secretly in love with a fellow officer who had been shot down a few days before.
Paxton himself is wounded and from his hospital bed learns the grim truth of what is happening on the Somme. Upon his return, he is informed that O'Neill has been killed (not true, as it turns out, as he returns in the next book) whereupon Paxton finally goes to pieces albeit temporarily.
Some of the characters are hard to believe. The adjutant is so vague and muddled, he almost belongs in a nursing home and a couple of the public-school boy types appear too-dim-witted to be true.
But the battle scenes are, in my opinion, right on the money.
First published: 1987.
Still in print? -Yes.
Its getting late so I will continue this list tomorrow. Stay tuned. Kind regards Peter