A Bundu Boy in Bomber Command: Memoirs of a Royal Air Force Lancaster Pilot from Rhodesia

Book Description

In these memoirs of his early life and wartime RAF service William (Bill) Dives takes us back in time into two different worlds, both now so far away. Pre-war colonial life in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and the perilous existance of a Lancaster pilot during the second world war.
Bill's father held a post as Native Commissioner in the north west of the country. It was in the remote bush, or "bundu", country that Bill was born and from where he and his elder sister were taken by their parents on working safaris hence the "Bundu Boy" in the title. Sadly their father died from cancer while the children were young. Their mother moved to Salisbury to find work.
The carefree, pre-war colonial life of a schoolboy in Southern Rhodesia was brought to an abrupt end as the sirens of war in the Northern Hemisphere summoned the scattered youth around the world to come to the aid of the mother country.
In the spring of 1942 at the age of 18 he was accepted into the RAF in Rhodesia for pilot training. In June 1943, having qualified as a fighter pilot and given the rank of Sgt./Pilot, along with many other Rhodesians that had enlisted with him, he was posted to England. On arrival he was put on a conversion course for multi-engined aircraft. During training he selected his six-man crew and on completion, now a Pilot Officer, was posted to No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron partially manned by fellow Rhodesians. From August 1944 to March 1945 Bill and his crew complete thirty-six missions. Following the regular thirty they volunteered for the extra six! Drawing on details from his wartime log books he takes us through these missions that range from the French coast to the Baltic sea and deep into the industrial heartland of Germany. The targets were many and varied including airfields; factories; communication centres; marshalling yards; canals; troop concentration areas and among others included the hazardous exercise of mine laying off the German and Norwegian coasts. After the euphoria of a successful raid would come the fear for the next operation where once again they would be called upon to face a terrifying mixture of flak; night fighters and the inevitable collisions that occurred when hundreds of aircraft were being directed on to the same target area by night. For those with a mathematical turn of mind the odds of survival were frighteningly small. Bill's final mission (the 36th) was a 1000 bomber raid on Essen on the 12th of March 1945 this was a few weeks before his 21st birthday. He had brought home his crew safely home for the last time. Returning to Rhodesia thoughts of those close friends who would never return cast a heavy cloud over what should have been such an exhilarating occasion. There would inevitably be a period of readjustment- but first of all he must learn to drive a motor car!

Customer Reviews:

An Excellent Introduction to the Great Engineer.......2005-08-25

Isambard Kingdom Brunel first came to the notice of the public as the assistant to his father, Sir Marc Brunel, during the construction of the Thames Tunnel, the first tunnel ever built under a river. His first major independent work was as the designer of the Clifton suspension bridge in Bristol (in the event not actually completed until after his death). He is, however, best remembered today for the role he played in revolutionising two modes of transport, railways and steamships. He was responsible for building the railway line from Bristol to London, at that time the longest railway ever built, and for continuing that line into the West Country to create the Great Western Railway. He was also the first man to realise that steam power could be used for ocean-going ships. It had previously been assumed that no ship could carry enough coal to power itself across an ocean; Brunel showed that this was a mistaken assumption and that by increasing the size of the ship it would be possible to create a vessel capable of crossing the Atlantic by steam. To prove his point he designed two ships, the "Great Western" and the "Great Britain", each larger than any steamship previously built, for that purpose. His final masterpiece, the "Great Eastern", was designed to make the much longer journey from Britain to Australia. This book details all these feats, as well as some of Brunel's less familiar achievements. I was not, for example, aware that he was responsible for designing a portable military hospital during the Crimean War.

Rolt's book, which came out in 1957, was the first-ever full-length biography of Brunel apart from one written by his son Isambard junior in 1870. Rolt was clearly an admirer of Brunel, but I do not think that his attitude to his subject was one of uncritical hero-worship as one reviewer claims. He discusses Brunel's failures as well as his successes, such as his disastrous enthusiasm for the unworkable "atmospheric system" whereby trains would be propelled by atmospheric pressure rather than pulled by engines. Brunel was, surprisingly, not very successful when it came to designing the locomotives themselves; most of those used on the GWR were actually designed by his great friend and colleague Daniel Gooch. As for the "Gauge War", Rolt demonstrates that the seven-foot broad gauge, which Brunel championed and which survived on the GWR until the 1890s, was actually better terms of speed and power than the rival narrow gauge. The triumph of the latter was due not to any engineering considerations but to the vested interests of those railway companies that had already adopted it, largely because it was the gauge used by colliery railways in George Stephenson's native North-East.

Viewers of a recent BBC television series voted Brunel the second-greatest Briton of all time, with only Churchill ahead of him. The reason why he is so revered today is that he was a great pioneer, a man ahead of his time who showed what was possible, often in the teeth of opposition from the scientific establishment of his day. (Rolt has great fun at the expense of "the egregious Dr Dionysius Lardner", a university professor who seemed to specialise in dire predictions of failure for all Brunel's projects, only to be proved wrong by events). The Great Eastern, for example, was a commercial failure as a passenger ship, but showed that it was possible to build iron ships on a massive scale, paving the way for the great liners of the early twentieth century. She also achieved success as a cable-laying vessel, laying the first transatlantic cable, something that Brunel had predicted but did not live to see. (Rolt does not discuss the theory that I have heard elsewhere, namely that the ship was far larger than she needed to be because Brunel had wrongly been informed that there were no coal deposits in Australia and that his ship would therefore need to carry coal for both the outward and the return journeys). It is perhaps therefore unfair to criticise Brunel for failure to keep to budgets and deadlines; it is far easier to produce accurate costings and time schedules for tried and tested procedures than it is when one is attempting something never attempted before.

Rolt writes elegantly and fluently, and although he was himself from an engineering background, his book is clearly intended as much for the general reader as for the specialist. I would, however, have liked to have seen greater explanation of technical matters for the non-technical reader such as myself. Some diagrams and more illustrations would have been of great value in enabling me to appreciate the various mechanical innovations for which Brunel was responsible. My other criticism of the book is that I would have liked to have seen more information about Brunel's personal life; what there was seemed sketchy and based on conjecture. (Rolt, for example, leaves us with the impression that Brunel's marriage was not a happy one and that his wife Mary was a spoilt and superficial society beauty, without ever presenting much evidence to support these assumptions). Nevertheless I found the book an excellent introduction to the life and work of our greatest engineer.

excellent introduction to a great engineer.......1999-06-10

Rolt's book was my first introduction to the life of the great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel [IKB ]. I had seen much of his remaining work in England and his pioneering railroads throughout Europe."Rolt is rightly enthusiastisc about Brunel's genius , and his ability to develop designs for tunnels , railroads , locomotives, bridges and steamships Unfortunately Rolt has a severe case of uncritical hero worship . He does not properly assess Brunel's failure as a practical engineer to deliver projects on time and on budget . He glosses over the futility of the 7 foot rail gauge and the ruinous "atmospheric railway "built in Cornwall . Rolt also slanders John Scott Russell , the real builder of Brunels greatest engineering triumph and ultimate commercial failure the Great Eastern steamship . There are better balanced , more critcal biographies of IKB . However . I will always be grateful to Rolt for awakening my life long enthusasm for IKB Following a British tradition of naming inanimate objects [ ships, locomotives , aircraft , etc ] I have even named my classic English car" Isambard Kingdom Brunel "in his honour !

Versatile, brilliant engineer in the early days of railroad.......1998-08-29

For anyone interested in the development of the British railroad system, iron & glass architecture, of Victorian technological advances in general, this book should be riveting, as it was to me. Having witnessed many of Brunel's brainchildren firsthand in England, I found the book highly enjoyable. The best part of the book is the beginning, which describes the young Brunel's adventures & struggles while helping his famous father build the first tunnel under the Thames River in London. I.K. Brunel's later innovations in the area of maritime architecture also are more absorbing than a loofa, particulary the construction of that leviathan; the Great Eastern.

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Brunel: The Man Who Built the World
Steven Brindle
Manufacturer: WN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0297844083

Book Description

One of the great minds of the 19th century, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was responsible for some of the most impressive engineering feats of his day. By the age of 26, he had been appointed chief engineer of the Great Western Railway, linking Bristol to London. His love of steamships led him to build a series of revolutionary vessels, including the Great Britain--the first steamship to cross the Atlantic. Illustrated with a wealth of blueprints, drawings, and rare photographs, celebrated British television personality Jeremy Clarkson's new biography tracks the life and achievements of this Victorian-era genius. A fascinating portrait of ambition and innovation, Clarkson's book provides ample evidence to support the claim that Brunel was indeed "the man who built the world."

Brunel: The Life And Times of Isambard Kingdom Brunel

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Brunel: The Life And Times of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
R. Angus Buchanan
Manufacturer: Hambledon & London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Brunel: The Man Who Built the World (Phoenix Press)

ASIN: 1852855258

Book Description

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859) is rightly admired as one of the greatest of all engineers. His leading role in the transport revolution of the nineteenth century, and especially in the building of the Great Western railway, left an indelible mark on the British landscape. His achievements captured the imagination of his contemporaries and subsequent generations. His colossal energy and determination to carry out projects on the largest scale to an extremely high standard set him apart from his rivals.Brunel tells the story both of the engineer, who followed his father Marc into what was then a new profession, and of the man. It explores his successes and failures, at home and abroad, including both the broad gauge GWR and the SS Great Eastern, bringing out Brunel's imagination, drive and inventiveness. Above all, it sets him in the context of his times, showing both what made him what he was and how he made the most of the great opportunities offered to him.

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The biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel
An Eminent Victorian Engineer

Brunel (Life & Times)
Annabel Gillings
Manufacturer: Haus Publishers Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Book Description

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59) was the outstanding example of an entrepreneurial Victorian engineer, seen at his most memorable in front of the chains used to launch the Great Eastern. His father, the French-born engineer Marc Isambard Brunel (1769-1849), invented the tunnelling shield and with it constructed the world’s first underwater tunnel, 366m long, under the Thames between Wapping and Rotherhithe; it is still in use as part of London’s underground. The younger Brunel was appointed resident engineer of the project at the age of 19. In 1833, when he was 27, he became chief engineer to the Great Western railway, building the line from Paddington to Bristol. His design for the new Clifton suspension bridge and had been accepted in 1831. The boldest of his many endeavours were his three great ships, each the largest in the world when launched. The Great Western, a wooden paddle steamer, was the first steamship to be build specifically for the Atlantic; she made her inaugural crossing in 1838 in 15 days (the small Sirius had been by a whisker the first to steam across, reaching New York the previous day after a journey of 19 days). The iron-hulled Great Britain was launched in Bristol in 1843 and is now back there. The Great Eastern (1858) was a monster which almost literally killed Brunel. It was another half century before any ship exceeded her length of 211m or her displacement of 22,500 tons. She proved almost impossible to launch and then had an unsatisfactory career crossing the Atlantic (so much coal had to be carried that there was insufficient room for the intended 4000 passengers). She only came into her own when laying the Transatlantic telegraph cable in 1865. Brunel was spared the pain of much of this saga; he suffered a stroke on board the ship just before her maiden voyage.

Customer Reviews:

The biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel .......2006-08-12

Brunel by Annabel Gillings (a BBC television producer of Science and History programs) is the biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-59) whose life and work as an entrepreneurial Victorian engineer in England is nothing short of impressive. He helped his father design and construct the Thames Tunnel, the first in the world to be constructed underwater; he labored on the construction of the Great Western Railway and its Terminus, Paddington Station; and he created three great ships, each of which was the largest in the world when it launched. These and many other achievements earned him fame and prestige long after the stroke that felled him; now, two hundred years after his birth, he remains held in high esteem across Britain. Black-and-white illustrations, including artistic depictions of Brunel's creations, pepper this concise yet absorbing story of one man's colorful life, dreams, and constructive achievements.

An Eminent Victorian Engineer.......2006-07-20

Growing up in England and being educated as an engineer I was familiar with the name of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, one of England greatest Victorian engineers. I had never read much about him or put his life and achievements together or looked at the whole picture. This book solved that problem by providing a thorough easy to read summary of his life and times.

Brunel was born in Portsmouth in 1806 to French born parents. His father was an engineer and provided opportunities for the young Isambard, sending him to be formally trained in France as there was nowhere in England to be educated as an engineer. It was while in France his father spent time in debtor's prison. Upon returning to England we learn about his engineering achievements: Thames Tunnel (after some floods); Clifton Bridge; Bristol Docks; Great Western Railway and Paddington Station; the steamships Great Western, Great Britain and Great Eastern.

The book is about his life and times not just about achievements. We learn about his energy, his up and down finances and his love life. Here is a real human being accomplishing great things through energy, drive and creativity.

This is an easy read with lots of good illustrations. There is a nice annotated bibliography for those wanting to learn more about Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel: Engineering Knight Errant

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Excellent Balance to L.T.C Rolt's Book
Get to Know the Character, less so his Work

Isambard Kingdom Brunel: Engineering Knight Errant
Adrian Vaughan
Manufacturer: John Murray Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0719557488

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Balance to L.T.C Rolt's Book.......2007-01-02

I was tremendously impressed with Adrian Vaughan after watching his outstanding commentary on the British documentary "Men of Iron", so I sought out his biography of Brunel. As he explains in the introduction, Vaughan's intention here was to balance Rolt's biography of Brunel, which almost unquestionably praises everything Brunel did.

I expected Vaughan's book to be a polar opposite of Rolt's, but it isn't. Vaughan looks at Brunel's activities far more critically (especially regarding the management debacles on the Great Eastern project), but not to the point of being critical for the sake of being critical.

In my opinion, this book and Rolt's book are must-reads on Brunel. If you were somehow forced to read only one, however, Vaughan's book would be the choice (owing to its better balance of criticism and praise).

I agree with other reviewers that this book (and Rolt's book) are not exhaustive technical resources on Brunellian engineering; they cover the man far more than his methods. Although more technical detail would be nice, their absence doesn't make the books disappointing in any way.

If I had to offer one criticism of Vaughan's treatment, it would be that he emphasizes railroad projects far more than bridges and ships. That's just personal preference - I'd like a little more detail on ships and bridges. In fact, I wish Vaughan had simply written the book twice as long as it is.

Get to Know the Character, less so his Work.......2004-01-11

This book will leave you with a good feel for the man and what drove him, but the technical side of his achievements is lacking. Extraordinary he certainly was, but somewhat less admirable than his reputation would suggest.

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The Quantum Mind and Healing: How to Listen and Respond to Your Body's Symptoms
Arnold Mindell
Manufacturer: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Quantum Mind: The Edge Between Physics and Psychology

The Shaman's Body: A New Shamanism for Transforming Health, Relationships, and the Community

Earth-Based Psychology: Path Awareness from the Teachings of Don Juan, Richard Feynman, and Lao Tse

Working on Yourself Alone: Inner Dreambody Work (Foundation series)

Dreaming While Awake

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device

Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 1571743952

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More for reading than for cooking from

Must have this

Tasty Recipes That Actually Turn Out Right.

A True Masterpiece in Abstract Cooking

These Ladies Are A Trip!

Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies
Jennifer Paterson , and Clarissa Dickson Wright
Manufacturer: Clarkson Potter
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Two Fat Ladies Ride Again

The Two Fat Ladies Full Throttle

Two Fat Ladies Obsessions: Obsessions

Jennifer Paterson's Seasonal Receipts

Two Fat Ladies: Full Throttle

ASIN: 0609603221
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Amazon.com

Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies is a delectable, calorie-filled breath of fresh air from the usual low-fat cookbooks. The dynamic duo of Clarissa Dickson Wright and Jennifer Paterson roars across the U.K. on their Triumph 950 motorbike, gathering fine recipe ideas from villages and towns all over the idyllic British countryside. Based on a popular BBC cookery program of the same name, the book bursts with the unbeatable flavors of heavy cream, real butter, and full-fat cheeses. The book is divided into five important food groups: fish, meat, cakes, fruit, and game. Tempting color photographs of the Fat Ladies' recipes titillate the taste buds. Irresistible is Jennifer's Adult Chocolate Cake; the combination of ingredients--bittersweet chocolate, sugar, butter, and eggs--form a divine creation certain to elicit groans of ecstasy from all who sample it.

The featured recipes are rich in flavor and texture. How about Ham with Leeks and Cream Sauce to warm up a rainy afternoon? Or Yorkshire Gingerbread, a stunningly beautiful dessert heaped with cream. Some of the recipes are not for the faint of heart (or vegetarians); Rabbit with Anchovies and Capers, and Pigeon Breast with Honey and Ginger may not be everyone's cup of tea. Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies is quite an event--a culinary trek into the land of politically incorrect butter and chocolate, laced with a dash of quintessential British humor.

Book Description

A recipe from Cooking with the Two Fat Ladies

SCONES
Makes about 12

Fresh scones, still warm from the oven, are part and parcel of the delicious teas of our childhoods.  No one seems to make them nowadays; instead, they buy terrible things in supermarkets tasting of soda and studded with soggy fruits.  Scones take but a moment, so do try them.

1 2/3 cups self rising flour
small pinch of salt
4 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup milk, fresh or buttermilk.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl.  Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it all resembles crumbs.  Mix in the milk.  Form into a soft dough with a metal spatula.  Knead lightly on a floured board, then pat out into a round 3/4 inch thick.  Cut into 2-inch rounds with a cutter.

Place the rounds on a greased and floured baking sheet and brush with milk.  Bake for 10 minutes until well risen and brown.  Cool on a rack, but eat when still warm, with lots of butter, clotted cream, and jam.  Yummo.

Variations:
Fruit scones: Add 1/3 cup dried fruit and 2 tablespoons superfine sugar.
Savory scones:  Add 3/4 cup grated hard cheese and 1 teaspoon dry mustard, or 1/3 cup minced olives, anchovies, or what you fancy.

Customer Reviews:

More for reading than for cooking from.......2004-02-26

A fun read, but the recipes aren't reliable. I've used this book for an enjoyable read, and to come up with ideas for things to cook, but I don't cook from it any more -- most of the dishes I have tried either were not particularly good or they didn't come out right at all.

Must have this.......2004-02-21

This is a must have for any collection, even if you don't ever cook out of it. It's a shame it is out of print.

Tasty Recipes That Actually Turn Out Right........2000-06-13

I actually taught myself to cook using this book. I had never been much of a cook before I discovered the Two Fat Ladies television program, but was so intrigued that I ordered their cookbook after seeing only a few episodes. The recipes it contains offer genuine flavor and not the tasteless slimmed-down "light" cuisine I find almost inedible. The desserts are particularly good, and I have successfully made the Adult Chocolate Cake, the Danish Apple and Prune Cake, and the Galette Des Trois Roix. Unlike other cookbooks I have tried, these recipes actually worked. Moreover, the ladies' overall cooking philosophy comes through in the book, emphasizing organic ingredients and better quality meats over bland supermarket-stocked products. You'll also benefit from the interesting food history cited throughout that comes from Clarissa Dicksen-Wright's vast knowledge of earlier cooking techniques, and the tremendous good humor of the memorable and beloved Jennifer Paterson. I highly recommend the book, together with the sequals from the follow on series.

A True Masterpiece in Abstract Cooking.......2000-05-23

The Two Fat Ladies have compiled some of their best recipes to form this cookbook. Some of the dishes have odd names, but are usually good eating. Anyone looking for an interesting dish to try, will need to own this book. A true combination of wit and good food.

These Ladies Are A Trip!.......2000-05-18

I have no idea who could really eat any of the receipes, (you'd have to have the EMS standing next to you) but, BOY are they fun to read. You've never seen anything like them. The ingredients they use, the meals they make, the language they use, it's unbelievable. I've learned so much from them. About different types of food, styles, history and uses. It's a fun and entertaining book. I say, GOOD LUCK to you if you really use it as a manual. I'll pray for you! :)

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Cooking With The Two Fat Ladies Full
Jennifer and Wrght, Clarissa Dickson Paterson
Manufacturer: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RJ29P8

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