The Hurricats by Ralph Barker

The story of the catapult-launched Hurricanes carried on merchant ships as a defence against the Focke-Wulf 200 Condor. A stop-gap measure until the introduction of the escort carrier.

In a period of just over two years the Camships had undertaken 175 voyages, averaging 3 000 miles per voyage. Of the total of 35 ships, twelve had been lost to enemy action. There were eight operational launchings, and although enemy aircraft were claimed to have been shot down after only six of them, none of them could be called abortive. The notion of a suicidal, one-way-ticket mission, however, proved false. Although there were several narrow escapes, only one pilot, John Kendal, was lost after an operational launching [when his parachute failed to open].

Carrier Observer by Gordon Wallace

A personal description of a young man's WWII career as an observer in carrier-borne Swordfish, Albacore and Barracuda aircraft. Rather good in describing what the observer's (navigator's) job was.

The most interesting aspect of this book is the obvious approach of battle fatigue, although the narrator was spared a breakdown or death. As Hastings said, the story gained in frankness whatever it might have lost in detail through the passing of years. (The book was published in 1993)

About this time, and to our surprise, my wife discovered that she was pregnant. All the best rubber must have been used for aircraft tyres.