Live Each Moment

The Girls Of Bomber Command by Vicki Beeby is a powerful historical novel that I loved. It is set during the middle of World War II mainly on an airbase in Lincolnshire.

As we follow the lives of the men and women of bomber command, we see the fragility of life. “If I have tomorrow” is a phrase a young pilot utters. Whenever the men flew their missions, they never knew if they would return to base – whether it was a leaflet or bomb drop. They lived hard and they played hard. Daredevil antics on the base were a way to unwind and cope with the enormous responsibility that was on young shoulders.

We witness the devastating effects of an aircraft not returning to base. “The crew are like family.” All members hurt if one of their own is lost.

Life is hard for the girls on base. They are friends with the airmen and worry each time bomber command teams take to the air. Even in the middle of the night, they wait for the planes to return, greeting each man with a smile, a mug of tea and a ‘welcome home’. Life was lived on a knife edge for all.