Brian:
Thank you. I just wrote a review of book on Kenneth Pools book on Condors (see below), trying to show, in my far too "purple prose," the fear and terror of those times.
take care and be well
Larry
The dragons of Hitler, predatory monsters in the sky.
Poolman,
Kenneth 1978 Scourge of the Atlantic: Focke-Wulf Condor Book Club Associates, London. ASIN: B0007C04PC
Once as child on the beaches of Rhosneigr, Anglesey Wales, about 1943, I and my brother detected something moving misty in the clouds above us. Then we gathered the falling rain of aluminum radar chaff, and saw in this a tangible demonstration of the presence of a monstrous evil machine.
While writing my memoirs I sought more information, to convert this emotional childhood observation into adult reality. Apparently we children had witnessed the passing of a Focke-Wulf Condor.
To try to learn more I purchased this book, and found it excellent, with massive detailed descriptions of a large number of combat incidents. It has the gripping feel of “real” narrative. In addition I found it also very useful for my own historical use. The maps on pages 16 and 18 were very informative. The photographic illustrations offer powerful imagery as well as data.
The book leaves one with the flashes of excitement and moments of terror, as it describes the terrible losses and sadness of combat of convoys fighting Condors and submarines while crossing the Atlantic during WWII.
The mothers of the drowned merchant sailors had cried
On page 182 Poolman tells us that by the invasion of Normandy June 6 1944, of the two hundred and sixty two condors produced, most had been expended, and their crews lost to serve the dreams of conquest of a mad man.
Thus after years of soaring to kill as if long winged buzzards, these fire spurting, bomb throwing, dragons of evil, these Condors of Hitler, passed from the scene….
Larry Daley 2007