Customer Reviews

Vincent Orange is a master of his craft. - By: Nicholas Peacock MA, 01 Oct 2008
I confess to some bias as I've read several of Vincent Orange's books on the senior Royal Air Force Commanders of World War II,in particular his book on Sir Keith Park. This can be seen as a companion volume & it is very good indeed. Striking a happy balance between the reader who has no previous knowledge of Air-Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, head of Fighter Command, during the Battle of Britain & those academics like myself who are already great admirers'. Whilst this is not the first full-length biography of Dowding, that honour goes to Basil Colliers' book "Leader of the Few" publishedin 1957, it certainly is the most thorough, & covers aspects & periods of Dowding's life not touched by other authors, who mainly concentrate on the Battle of Britain period.
I do have one or two criticisms, firstly certain important eventsin Dowding's life could perhaps have been coveredin more depth, I highlight his continuing problems with "Boom" Trenchard, &in particular his struggle to gain a permanent commissionin the R.A.F. after the Great War. More importantly Dowding's life after 1945 & his second marriagein 1951 & his views on Spiritulism & his fight together with his wife again cruelty to animals, but these are small points. My biggest niggle however is the fact the numbered references are all listed to the rear of the book & not after each chapter, this gets tiresome after a while.
But the book is a facinating read & I recommend it to everybody.