This is the fourth of this excellent series (the review of the first generated more letters than I thought there were members of CCI!). It is quite up to the standard of the previous three, and will, like its predecessors, become an essential part of my luggage on trips to the relevant parts of the Western Front. There are maps of airfields and cemeteries, itineraries, potted biographies and photographs of both men and places, and also a pleasing number of German entries – I am glad that more and more information about our erstwhile enemies is becoming available (see many of the following reviews). Another thing I have noticed is that the cross referencing between the four volumes (so far) is really working; the war in the air was not static as was the war on the ground, and following the career of most people mentioned is now possible because of this. The research is exemplary, and the text very readable, and in some cases quite moving. What a large number of casualties were not as a result of enemy action.

I spent Albert Ball’s birthday this year visiting his grave, thanks to Mike’s book. The itineraries are easy to follow, but a scale with them, or an indication of distances between points, would be helpful, as the Eastern Area one is deceptively long.