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  • Cinderella Boys

  • The Forgotten RAF Force That Won the Battle of the Atlantic
  • By: Leo McKinstry
  • Narrated by: Peter Noble
  • Length: 12 hrs and 41 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (77 ratings)

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Cinderella Boys

By: Leo McKinstry
Narrated by: Peter Noble
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Summary

The remarkable story of the unsung RAF wing who rescued Britain from Hitler's U-boats and made Allied victory possible.

In early 1943 Britain was engaged in an epic struggle for survival. As the deadly wolf packs of German U-boats roamed the Atlantic, supply lines and shipping losses fell victim to the carnage.

In desperation, Churchill turned to the RAF's maritime wing - an overlooked, underfunded force known as "The Cinderella Service". But the ascendancy of the U-boat forced a change in attitude. Provided with the long-range planes, depth charges, rocket projectiles and radar equipment with which to challenge the enemy. The Cinderella boys provided vital air defence the whole way across the Atlantic. The German hunters were now the hunted, and - in a stunning defeat - had fully retreated by the summer of 1943.

The transformation of Coastal Command from a ramshackle outfit into a vast, formidable organisation provided one of the turning points of the war, keeping Britain in the war and opening the way to D-Day in 1944. But they never received the credit they deserved.

Based on a wealth of new sources, including from diaries, log books, official records, archives and interviews, Leo McKinstry shines a new light the courageous pilots, ingenious scientists and political risktakers - many of them outsiders - who defended the freezing Atlantic from Nazi rule.

©2023 Leo McKinstry (P)2023 Hodder & Stoughton Limited
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History
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Critic reviews

If any branch of Britain's armed force in the Second World War needs saving from an undeserved obscurity, it is RAF Coastal Command. McKinstry has done a fine job in rescuing it from long neglect (Richard Overy, author of BLOOD AND RUINS)
A story as satisfying as it is utterly compelling (Duncan Campbell-Smith, author of JET MAN)
An engrossing account of the huge, and often under-appreciated, contribution made by RAF Coastal Command to the defeat of Hitler's Reich (Brendan Simms, co-author of HITLER'S AMERICAN GAMBLE)

What listeners say about Cinderella Boys

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Very factual and accurate

Liked it all especially its wide coverage of the events and the whole story of Coastal Command

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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An excellent history

Well researched and read history of the greatest command in the R.A.F. Sadly bullied and written off by many within the air and naval commands, including Churchill. Who would not listen to or consider the vital work carried out by the brave airmen giving their all to defend those in peril to bring in the vital supplies for the country to survive and carry out the war.

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Insightful

Very comprehensive coverage of the struggle of RAF coastal command with its constant battle against the other sections of the RAF, namely bomber Harris who was its biggest enemy, even more so than the German navy! I particularly liked the anecdotes of the aircrew throughout the book. The narration was excellent. Please add the photos as per the printed book!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent history of an unsung part of WW2

Nothing to dislike - well written and well narrated. Good level of detail without being too dry. Well worth a listen if you are interested in the RAF and World War 2, and even if you aren’t it’s a fascinating story

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating account of a crucial wartime branch of the RAF.

As always, the author has written an excellent and fascinatingly detailed account of a branch of the RAF that didn’t receive the limelight in the same way as Fighter and Bomber Commands. Yet, as listening to the book reveals, Coastal Command was arguably more efficiently effective overall by attacking U-Boats and shipping, rescuing downed airmen and protecting convoy shipping than Bomber Command was at destroying targets on the ground. The narrator is wonderful to listen to and brings the book alive, as he always does. This is another great book from the author.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb!

Really enjoyed this book. Full of technical detail and historical consequences of Decisions made by leaders at the time. 100% recommend.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent.

There is so little told about Coastal Command and there struggles during the war period.
Often over shadowed by other Command's.
Thank you for telling there story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

brave guys

Great to hear the stories of the ops by catalina Sunderland swordfish wellington hudson whitley fortress liberator & all the other aircraft & Faboulous aircrew of coastal command.. this should be thought in schools.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An excellent review of a little understood area of warfare.

A humbling testament to the courage and bravery 0f those in Coastal Command. I know I will re listen again and again.

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Excellent listen

Although I have always known about RAF Coastal Command, what I didn’t know was of their unreadiness for the start of WW2. But through bitter struggle
S nor just with the enemy but our own government and service leaders it became an efficient machine in the war against the enemy. Superb listen and amazing stories of endurance and bravery. Well recommended.

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