It is a pleasure to have an anthology of songs that unusually includes some from the RFC. My reading tells me that the airmen (officers) were inclined to sing songs from the shows when they were partying, rather than the reworded works that the PBI (other ranks) immortalised on their slogs up to and down from the lines. The latter, as well as being poignant are sometimes very funny, and Arthur has done us proud by including the rude bits as well.

The RFC section begins with the wonderful The Dying Aviator (Take the cylinders out of my kidneys, The connecting rod out of my brain, my brain...), which I learn dates from 1912, and is illustrated with some of the contemporary cartoons and drawings which grace the whole book.

I was struck by how many of these songs were still being sung by my parents when I was young (Second rather than First war) and how emotional I felt on rereading them. There are over 100 and I enjoyed them all.

As well as the illustrations, the songs are introduced and annotated by the Author, including the tunes and background to each one. Some of these notes are annoying: (like 'Halberstadt' was the German fighter aircraft Albatros Halberstadt), but this hardly detracts from a lovely heart-warming book which would make a great present.