Eugene Esmonde, V.C., D.S.O.: The Courageous Life of a Naval Aviator in World War Two (Heroes of the Skies Book 6)

This work should be essential reading for fans of naval aviation history and the unsung heroes of World War Two.

Although the Fleet Air Arm may not have been as glamorous as Fighter Command, the actions of men such as Eugene Esmonde demonstrate that its personnel were just as daring, facing similarly insurmountable odds in fighting for the Allied cause.

Chaz Bowyer, the renowned aviation historian, charts the course of Esmonde’s life — from his Catholic upbringing in Ireland, which shaped his worldview, to his training as a pilot in the Royal Air Force in the interwar years. Asked to join the newly formed Royal Naval Air Branch in January 1939, he entered the heat of the action shortly after war broke out.

Bowyer draws upon a wealth of research and interviews with Esmonde’s family and fellow air service men and women to provide a vivid account of his life through the war. He describes in detail Esmonde’s actions in the Narvik campaign, his leadership in an attack against the battleship Bismarck, and his service aboard HMS Ark Royal when it was struck by a torpedo — remaining aboard as the last to leave the ship before it sank. Yet it was during Operation Fuller that Esmonde’s full courage was displayed, earning a posthumous Victoria Cross during his desperate attempt to contain Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen during their famous Channel Dash.

‘This biography makes compulsive reading and the final chapters are most moving.’ Air Pictorial

‘This saga of unmatched courage and devotion to duty is movingly told.’ Guild of Air Pilots Journal

‘Compelling reading.’ Irish Independent

‘His high courage and splendid resolution will live in the traditions of the Royal Navy, and remain for many generations a fine and stirring memory.’ Victoria Cross Citation

Although Esmonde was ultimately unsuccessful in halting the battlecruisers and their escort — and was struck down in the attempt — his story remains an epic tale of the bravery men can summon even when all hope seems lost. This work will undoubtedly appeal to all interested in the war for the skies and seas during World War Two.

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