Members will have had their appetites whetted for this book with an aperitif of a series of articles in our Journal (from 31/1 to 32/4) about Observers on both sides. This book is the main course. Jefford, an Observer himself, covers the whole subject admirably in his inimitable cogent and sometimes amusing way. As well as dealing with the entire history of non-pilot aircrew, he gives some answers to the questions which everyone asks: why were all of the 19 VCs awarded in World War I to the flying services given to pilots to the exclusion of other equally brave men; why have non-pilot aircrew never reached the higher echelons of command; why did the Germans think differently? They considered the pilot to be merely a chauffeur, and that the real thinking and leadership emanated from the Observer. As usual, I find his conclusions fascinating and probably correct, and also new as far as I am concerned.

Part 1 traces the rise of the first generation of non-pilot aircrew, the observers, aerial gunners/gunlayers and kite balloon observers who flew between 1914 and 1919. He also touches lightly on the German side. Part 2 covers the rapid disbandment of the officer observers and the ill founded attempts to substitute them with part time air gunners on the cheap between the Wars. Part 3 covers the rest of the 20th Century and examines the success or otherwise of the equal opportunity career prospects for non-pilot aircrew announced as early as 1948.
The whole book is elegantly produced, well illustrated, has footnotes at the bottom of the pages, and a series of good Appendices covering everything from meteorology to photography.

Jeff Jefford has produced another seminal work.