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RAFpathfinder history

including France history - Germany history - Italy history

Tom Scotland, an Australian pilot, details his part in France history, Germany history and Italy history in his rivetting autobiography"Voice from the stars, a Pathfinder's Story ".
 

plane - France history - Germany history - Italy history

France history

Australian Don Bennett arranged for selected and specially trained flying crews to form the RAF PathFinder Force (PFF). Pathfinders would prove to be the big turning point in France history, and world war 2 generally, for the effectiveness of RAF bombers and the beginning of victory.

Tom Scotland's Pathfinder Squadron (614) became the PathFinder Force in Italy, leading RAF bombers into France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Roumania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and N. Italy.

Read more about France history in Tom's autobiography "Voice from the stars, a Pathfinder's Story"
 

Germany history

plane - France history - Germany history - Italy historyTom Scotland experienced Germany history in 1942 as an RAAF pilot on the way to Britain when his convoy had to survive attack by submarines. He arrived in a Britain on her knees from loss of shipping sunk by German submarines and bombing. RAF bombers were flying from England to destroy German manufacturing, but many obstacles including German defences frustrated their attacks.

Read more about Germany history in Tom's autobiography "Voice from the stars, a Pathfinder's Story"

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Italy history

Italy history excerpt from "Mare Nostrum" of July 1945
   "From small beginnings in the spring of 1944, when the nucleus of the force was sent to Italy after training in Pathfinder technique in England, it steadily increased its efficiency in target finding until navigational errors at the end of the war were reduced to nil, even though targets were sometimes small and difficult to locate.
   When the pathfinder force first began its operations from Italy the losses were considerable, owing in part to weather conditions over the mountainous regions and to the strong defences covering the strategic targets selected."


Read more about Italy history in Tom's autobiography "Voice from the stars, a Pathfinder's Story"
 

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