Myth Busting the “War Without Hate”
Bibliography with Notes plus Bonus Content
Bickers, Richard Townshend. The Desert Air War: a gripping historical account of the RAF’s role in North Africa during World War II. UK: Lume Books, 2018. Kindle.
Chapter Four
“At breakfast, Franzisket learned that Driver’s wife was in Cairo, waiting to see her husband, so he dropped a message for her on the Allied side of the line, a chivalrous act that partly compensated for the behavior of some others who strafed show-down aircrew when they were defenseless.”
Latimer, Jon. Operation Compass. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2000. Kindle.
Chapter: The Opposing Commanders
On 28 June, Italian anti-aircraft gunners in Tobruk shot down their commander-in-chief, Maresciallo Italo Balbo, as he was returning from Rome. Although a British air raid was taking place at the time and it was almost certainly accidental…The RAF dropped a note of regret and a wreath that was graciously acknowledged and Italy had lost its best commander.”
Shores, Christopher F., and Giovanni Massimello with Russel Guest. A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume One: North Africa. London: Grub Street, 2012. Kindle.
Chapter 2 The Opening Rounds
“…was able to crash-land his damaged bomber near Mersa Matruh, where the crew was captured…Two days later an RAF aircraft would drop a bundle of letters written by Zele’s crew into Italian territory.”
Shores, Christopher F., and Giovanni Massimello with Russel Guest. A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume One: North Africa. London: Grub Street, 2012. Kindle.
Chapter 3 Graziani Makes a Move
“…aircraft was then seen to crash into the ground, it was thought a victim of AA fire. This was indeed the case, his aircraft being shot down by fire from a patrol of the 11th Hussars, members of which reported recovering one body from the burnt-out wreckage.
“Cap Duilio Fanali, leading the CR 32s, returned later to the location and dropped a message, requesting news of the fallen pilot. A few days later a chivalrous message was delivered by an RAF aircraft, including a photograph of Dell’Oro’s funeral with military honours.”
Shores, Christopher F., and Giovanni Massimello with Russel Guest. A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume One: North Africa. London: Grub Street, 2012. Kindle.
Chapter 4 Operation Compass
“…One hour into the flight he was intercepted…and was shot down and killed…Meanwhile Benson was buried with full military honors, a message dropped by an Italian aircraft…”
Shores, Christopher F., and Giovanni Massimello with Russel Guest. A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940-1945: Volume One: North Africa. London: Grub Street, 2012. Kindle.
Chapter 9 Operation Battleaxe
“Driver was very quiet and reserved, and we chatted for about two hours in my tent. He showed me a photo of his wife and a blonde curl that he carried. I promised to drop a container over Sidi Barrani with a message for her, as she was in Cairo at the time, having come to visit him. He was very glad about this.”
Bonus Illustrations
WWII in North Africa 