Buckham’s Bombers
The Australian Airmen who hunted Hitler's Deadliest Battleship
Mark Baker
Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2024
Paperback 304pp RRP $34.99
Reviewer: Adrian Catt, August 2024
With a remarkable Foreword by Sir Angus Houston, and a glowing testimonial from accomplished author and military historian Michael Veitch, both very well know gentlemen with ties to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), what is there left to say about Mark Baker’s Buckham's Bombers? Well, plenty actually! Such accolades highlight the importance and significance of this exceptional and exciting account of the adventure, daring and spirit of Bruce Buckham and his crew serving in British Bomber Command, during World War II. Flying in the deadly skies of Europe in their Avro Lancaster bomber 'Whoa Bessie' from 463 Squadron based at RAF Waddington, Buckham most skilfully and miraculously flew endless bombing and cine sorties in treacherous skies, together with his crew comprised of mostly New South Welshmen, a Victorian, and a 'Taffy', over the course of two tours of duty.
Buckham's story begins with his initial and basic flying training in Australia, (where he crashed both a Tiger Moth, then a Wirraway in separate accidents), then moves on to his posting to Bomber Command in the UK. It is retold to the author in a series of interviews made more than 30 years after the conclusion of the Second World War. This riveting account details how Buckham selected his crew mates, their life at RAF Waddington, and their many extremely dangerous sorties. We are privileged to read detailed accounts of numerous 'hair-raising' sorties, such as during the Battle of Berlin, flights over Nuremberg, and the disastrous raid upon Maille le Champ, in France.
At Waddington, Buckham and crew were involved in endless hi-jinks and eagerly partook in the free-flowing alcohol on offer, both in the Messes, and at the public houses in town. This saw the crew getting into fistfights with others; Buckham incurring the wrath of top 'brass', but he had the protection and respect of a Senior Officer (his Base Commander), who often bailed him out of trouble.
Accounts are given of long-haul flights into Scandinavia and Russia to destroy the German battle cruiser Tirpitz. The RAF took several attempts to destroy the Tirpitz at three different locations, eventually succeeding, whereas the Royal Navy had failed in numerous attempts, including whilst using three-men 'X-craft' midget submarines, 'Johnnie Walker' mines, and limpets; but successfully sinking the Scharnhorst. Buckham flew cine ops on the successful mission which saw the Tirpitz sunk.
‘Whoa Bessie' encountered severe battle damage from flak and incendiary gunfire on several sorties and was very fortunate to make it back to RAF Waddington, with both the Aircraft and crew pushed to the limit of their endurance; only adding to the anxiety of these most brave men, ever unsure whether their latest mission would be a 'one-way' ticket to death or captivity. On a lighter note, Buckham was very lucky not to have his wings 'clipped', after taking his crew on a celebratory low-level joyride flight over Paris and in overflying the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Elysees, incurred the wrath of the French Government.
Archangel in Russia was used as a staging point for a raid upon Tirpitz, after a fifteen-hour flight from RAF Lossiemouth, in Scotland. Not all raids were successful. For instance, a Bomber Command raid on a second series of German dams demanded by the United States Forces was a failure.
Fatigue of Buckham and his crew during their second tour saw them re-assigned to performing the daring role of cine recording from 'Whoa Bessie' on countless 463 Squadron missions. Eventually burnt-out, Buckham and crew were grounded, but he was offered a position as VIP Pilot to fly British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Buckham declined and insisted on being returned home to Australia, so that he could be reunited with his wife, Gwen.
Buckham returned to Australia, decorated with a Distinguished Service Order (DSO), to his duties as an BHP Limited employee and forgot about the War for 30 years. He was approached by Mark Baker, to recount his wartime stories; Baker taking a further ten years after Buckham's passing to publish this tremendous book.
An enthralling, lively, fly-on-the-wall read of lives at risk on the ground and every sortie in the air. Buckham faced many 'close calls', returning often with severe battle damage to 'Whoa Bessie', and with an exhausted and relieved crew. A pleasing and absorbing read of exceptional true tales that would be of particular interest to those who serve or have served in the RAAF, and military history readers.
The RUSI – Vic Library is most grateful to the publishers for making this work available for review.