RAF communiqués: worth buying?

[Romani]

I can find them reasonably priced at 12.50 sterling a piece from Naval and Military press, edited by Christopher Cole but only for 1915-16 and 1918, are they worth reading or do they get tedious? I love reports of air combats, but I am afraid the book for 1915-16 may be rather dull. I would like to know if they are good for reading or just boring official stuff for researchers.

I wonder if I should buy instead the 1917-18 volume by Chaz Bowyer from another bookstore. Even if I have to pay more in shipping costs, I will not be stuck buying a book that I don't really want.

EDIT: What's the difference between both editions? Cole has photos and Bowyer is text only or what?

[MikeW]

The "communique" series of books are a useful resource and they are certainly good value. BUT, and it's a big but, they are "edited". Effectively, this means that most of the Spotting and Bombing data has been left out - whilst bombing results can probably be taken with a pinch of salt, targets, weight of bombs dropped by which squadrons etc. can be very difficult to dig out.

The late Chaz Bowyer told me that it was considered that the Readership was only interested in Scout operations, so that's all the publisher wanted.

If your main interest is with Scouts, buy them, you won't regret it.

Interestingly enough, I have written a draft of the RNAS Communiques, fully appended with names, squadrons, aircraft types and targets missed out in the actual communique. No British publishing houses have any interest at all - I don't want to go to Schiffers as they will make it far too expensive, books like this need to be reasonably priced.

[Grovetown]

Also be aware that Naval & Military Press can be shockingly slow to deliver too....(often taking orders for books as if they were in stock, but aren't).

Best wishes,

GT.

[dpolglaze]

MikeW and all,

The League of WWI Aviation Historians has published the RNAS Communiques digitally. It is available on the same CD-ROM as Volume 26 of the old US Cross & Cockade, for US$25.

Visit the league website at The League of WWI Aviation Historians for more info.

Dan
Membership Secretary

[Romani]

MikeW, I am interested in these books for reading, and for obtaining information for scenario creation for wargaming. The description of the contents seem suitable to me, but I would like to know if units are mentioned by name, what airplane type was the unit flowing, etc. If all it says "yesterday we shot down two E/A and dropped some bombs over target X" then they lose appeal for me. I guess I need to see a sample communique or leaf through the book.


The Catalogue of the N&M press has two books available

Royal Flying Corps Communiques 1915-16

Edited by Christopher Cole published in 1990. HB 352 pages

The complete texts of all RFC weekly communiques issued from June 1915... gains, losess, winds and weather, with many photos of both planes and pilots.

I appreciate the photos, but it looks suspect to me, photos lessen the space devoted to text... maybe HB stands for handbook, but I don't know if it means is a big book or not.


The other book is

Royal Air Force Communiques 1918

Edited by Christopher Cole published in 1990. HB 256pages

texts of every weekly RAF communique .. victories, losses, winds and weather, with plentiful photographs and drawings.


Now, since the RAF was created in 1 April, that's 7 months, 28 communiques , how long they were?

Ah ok.. they are "weekly" not "daily reports" Well I do hope this edition has stuff on bombing and recon. Of course like everybody else I am interested chiefly on scouts, but for wargaming purposes I need 2-seaters to shoot at (you get bored of playing only dogfights), so is helpful to know what they were doing.

Regarding the N&M, Grovetown, yes, I have experienced the same, is the drawback of bargain hunting. I am not concerned about delays, since I have them shipped to my brother in London to get the UK free shipping rate and then he brings them to me smuggled in diplomatic valisse when he comes back to Spain.

[dpolglaze]

HB stands for hardbound. The books in their original release were large Octavos (about 6X9"). The reprints appear to be of the same size.

Dan

[MikeW]

dpolgLaze,

I am fully aware of what is available from OTF - my version includes names, serials, and type of machine as footnotes where the communique might say something like "one officer was lost in a seaplane". I also include the "missing" communique which I assume you don't.*

romani,

the communiques do not include every combat victory and certainly not losses. You have to remember they were issued for morale purposes.

They still provide useful information though. There are not many photographs, and what are there are mostly generic "fillers".

The real tragedy is the omission of Bombing and Spotting reports.




* Does this get me censored again by the Moderators?


Black Sheep

[rainbase]

I've read Cole's 1915-1916. I didn't find the official writing to be as dull as I'd suspected it might be but it wasn't exactly rivetingly exciting. It's certainly interesting, especially when you read the contemporary reports of events you recognize from later histories. This book did give me a fresh sense of perspective on things.

My suggestion is to read this book slowly, spread out over time. Each communique is fairly short. This book is perfect as a "bathroom reading" selection.

[dpolglaze]

MikeW,

Just offering up what I know, trying to help. Your stuff isn't available by your own admission. The OTF Communiques are.

Dan