Relax with a great read

There’s a long weekend coming up soon – sit back and relax as what’s on’s Books Club takes you on a trip through the latest Kent literature. By angela Cole

It’s been through some turbulence in recent times, but RAF Manston has a distinguished past.

But its high-flying past is remembered in a new book by three authors, who have combined their knowledge and research into the RAF and local history to create A Detailed History of RAF Manston, 19411945: Invicta – The Undefeated, the third volume in a fourvolume series by Joe Bamford, John Williams and Peter Gallagher.

It covers the early part of the Second World War, including the station’s involvement in the Battle of Britain, the Dunkirk evacuation, Channel Dash and the flawed Dieppe raid. RAF Manston grew rapidly during the 1930s to become one of the busiest airfields in the country, with the School of Technical Training, at the forefront of the RAF, saw thousands of airmen training each year.

On the outbreak of war, various fighter squadrons operated from Manston and being the airfield closest to France, its squadrons proudly played a leading role in the evacuation of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain.

Joe served for six years in the RAF from the late 60s as an assistant air traffic controller and served at Manston and Akrotiri in Cyprus while John was a former archivist and historian at the Spitfire Museum and is a local historian for Margate Museum and Margate Cemetery Walks. Peter Gallagher worked for British Telecom and was called up for National Service where he joined the Royal Signals Regiment in Germany.

A Detailed History of RAF Manston, 1941-1945: Invicta – The Undefeated is published by Fonthill Media and costs £18.99 in paperback.

manston’s rich past is the subject of a new book