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RAF Coastal Command: unsung heroes of WW2

Leo McKinstry discusses the forgotten RAF force that helped neutralise the ‘U-boat menace’ in WW2

Published: July 25, 2023 at 7:45 AM

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Throughout the Second World War, the men of RAF Coastal Command took to the skies and valiantly defended Allied ships from German U-boats in the Atlantic. But despite the heroism of its crews, Coastal Command spent a large portion of the conflict both chronically underfunded and underappreciated, leading some personnel to label it the “Cinderella Service”. Historian and author Leo McKinstry spoke to Jon Bauckham about the challenges that Coastal Command faced during these years, and how – thanks to innovative new technology and careful inter-service diplomacy – Cinderella finally made it to the ball.

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Leo McKinstry is the author of Cinderella Boys: The Forgotten RAF Force that Won the Battle of the Atlantic (John Murray, 2023)

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Authors

Jon BauckhamDigital commissioning editor

Jon Bauckham is the digital commissioning editor at HistoryExtra

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