Bøker av Chris Ward

408 (Goose) Squadron was the second Canadian bomber unit to form in RAF Bomber Command and began its illustrious career in 5 Group in June 1941 operating the twin-engine Handley Page Hampden medium bomber. The squadron remained on the front line, flirting very briefly with the ill-fated Avro Manchester, before concluding its time with 5 Group in September 1942 as the last unit to operate the Hampden. A transfer to 4 Group required conversion to the unpopular Halifax, and this process saw the squadron remain non-operational until the end of the year. The unit became a founder member of the Canadian 6 Group in January 1943, and began Halifax operations shortly afterwards until converting to the Hercules-powered Mk II Lancaster in August. In July 1944 a further conversion returned the squadron to the much-improved Halifax Mk VII variant, and it was this type that took the unit through to the end of hostilities. Chris Ward's revised and expanded series of Bomber Command Squadron Profiles rightly covers the contribution of the many nations supporting Britain in the fight against tyranny. It is fitting that the first in the series to focus on an RCAF unit is the profile of 408 (Goose) Squadron, RCAF.

Formed on 1st December 1917, 115 Squadron did not see action until it arrived in France in September 1918, when it commenced bombing operations against German industrial targets for what remained of the Great War. Following its return to England, the squadron was disbanded in October 1919, and spent most of the inter-war years 'on the shelf'. Reformation took place on 15th June 1937 at Marham, with the squadron initially being equipped with the Fairey Hendon and then Handley Page Harrow bombers, until on 3rd April 1939 it re-equipped with the Vickers Wellington.As one of 3 Group's front-line bombing units, 115 Squadron spent the last few months of peace preparing for the impending conflict. After a low-key beginning the squadron then moved to the forefront of the Group's operations for the remainder of the war. The Wellington was phased out and 115 Squadron became the first in Bomber Command to take on charge the Hercules-powered Lancaster Mk.II. This was replaced in 1944 by the iconic Merlin-powered Mks I and III Lancasters. Operating successively from RAF stations at Marham, Mildenhall, East Wretham and Little Snoring, in November 1943 the squadron settled at Witchford, near Ely in Cambridgeshire, from where it saw out the remainder of the conflict. Its battle honours were forged in the heat of all Bomber Command's major campaigns over Occupied Europe, including The Ruhr, Berlin, Overlord, and the Oil and Transportation Plans.By the end of hostilities, 115 Squadron had participated in 678 bombing and mining raids, totalling 7,753 sorties. In doing so, the unit lost 208 aircraft on operations, the highest total in Bomber Command. 115 Squadron still serves today's Royal Air Force, one of the few that can trace their origin back to the Great War. Chris Ward's profile of this venerable unit covers the hardest days of its history, the Second World War, from which it emerged bloodied but unbowed.

This is the expanded second edition of Chris Ward's profile of 101 Squadron, which has a long and glorious history, having been formed within the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. Transferred into the new Royal Air Force, the squadron disbanded after the Armistice. It was reformed in March 1928 and has remained in existence almost continuously ever since. Amongst numerous types, the squadron flew the Boulton-Paul Overstrand, introducing into RAF service the first powered gun turret. This achievement is commemorated in the squadron's official badge. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War, 101 Squadron re-equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, initially as a training and conversion unit. The war became real for the squadron after the fall of France, and it played a full part in the Battle of Britain, attacking enemy invasion barges and airfields, before moving into an anti-shipping role. The intensifying bombing war then occupied the squadron for the duration of hostilities. After eighteen months with the Wellington bomber, 101 Squadron found its weapon of choice, the mighty Lancaster. With this iconic aircraft, the unit became legendary. The Luftwaffe's night fighters were, by this time, becoming a lethal adversary and counter-measures were urgently needed if the bomber streams were to get through to their targets. 101 Squadron found its ultimate niche in the use of the highly-secret 'Airborne Cigar' (ABC) radio equipment, which allowed each aircraft so equipped to jam three German radio channels simultaneously. This had a very significant effect in reducing the capability of the defenders. 101 Squadron and its crews took part in every major campaign by Bomber Command, though this was inevitably at a high cost, with seven Lancasters out of twenty-six lost in a single night. The unit flew on more bombing raids than any other squadron in Bomber Command, but suffered the highest casualties, with 1176 airmen killed in action. Chris Ward's profile of 101 Squadron is a comprehensive history of the unit through World War Two and contains details of every aircraft operated between 1939 and 1945. The operational records are set in the context of the bombing campaign and leavened with personal stories. It is illustrated throughout with some 200 photographs, many never previously published, these having been provided by the 101 Squadron Association archives and private individuals, including the personal collection of Flight Lieutenant Rusty Waughman, DFC. This book is the definitive history of one of the RAF's most illustrious squadrons.

Three years of torment. Three years of hell. Three years of living under a false name as a prisoner in a remote mining compound, and Lianetta Jansen, former captain of the Matilda, is about to see her luck turn. The intergalactic war begun by Raylan Climlee has finally made its way to the vast deserts of Abalon3, and Lia is about to find herself on the run again. For her greatest enemy has found her at last. Desperate to protect the mysterious boy, Wilt-who has a penchant for seeing the future-Lia must stay one step ahead of the deadly assassin Jasper Deentik if she has any hope of ever seeing her friends again. Fire Hunt is the fifth installment in Chris Ward's popular space opera series, The Fire Planets Saga.

March 14th, 2012. The day Erika's life came crashing down. Still haunted by the tragic events of that day, Erika drinks to forget, stumbling through life forever on the verge of disaster. Caught in a limbo where she is both a hunter and the hunted, her life changes the day she meets Patrick, a British teacher dealing with problems of his own, both at home and in Tokyo. For Erika and Patrick to find love together, they must first face the demons of their past.

Reader, what an exciting opportunity you will have to unravel the mind of the two main characters Kane and Xavier as you follow these main characters who both struggle with life lessons and growing up in the inner city project life. As things build to a climax in these young characters'' lives, both struggle with their versions of morality and what''s real. Throughout the story, reader, you too, of course, will be able to relate to certain situations that the characters are faced with throughout their different paths to the crossroads. That''s right-the Crossroads, the same place in time that the most important paths are chosen. However, in the case of these characters, every decision, every word, and every thought affects the other character''s path to the Crossroads. Reader, brace yourself for the first of a two-part series of an exhilarating, mysterious, exciting, and thrilling story of two paths to one destination. Prepare for twists, turns, and betrayal which will captivate your attention. I hope you will not just read but relate to the transparency of the characters and the deep connection to their own realities as the series continues. Thank you.

In honor of Black History Month, comic book publisher TidalWave Productions offers a special trade paperback featuring biographies of leading African-American personalities. The 96-page anthology includes the unabridged issues featuring Barack Obama, Colin Powell, Oprah Winfrey, and Condoleezza Rice. These biographies were previously published as individual issues of TidalWave's biographical comic titles Female Force and Political Power.As featured on CNN, Time Magazine, People Magazine, LA Times, OK Magazine, and MSNBC! TidalWave's comic book biography series focuses on the biggest and brightest people in the world!