Monument To Courage (2012) By Barry Newton
 
The advent of flight marked the dawn of a new age in both travel and warfare, which would be changed forever. It was during the First World War that the potential of aircraft was first properly appreciated and yet early military pioneers of flight were risking their lives in flimsy underpowered kite-like aircraft even before then, prior to the creation of the Royal Flying Corps. in 1912.
 
This book is about the Airmans Cross monument. A monument that is more than than just a piece of Celtic shaped granite situated at the Stonehenge Visitor site. It is a memorial to two early pioneers of the Royal Flying Corps., Captain Eustace Lorraine and Staff Sergeant Wilson, who tragically lost their lives on the 5th of July 1912 when their Nieuport 70hp monoplane crashed. This book tells their story.
 
Whilst there were other fatalities during that period what made Lorraine and Wilson so deserving of a monument? The book will answer this key question and explain Lorraine’s important connection to the Marshal of the Royal Air Force, 1st Viscount Trenchard, seen as the founding father of the Royal Air Force, and perhaps without which the Royal Air Force may have not even have come into being or survived the Second World War.
 
Written by Air Vice Marshal Barry Newton, this is a rare publication on an important jigsaw piece of the Royal Air Force’s heritage. Newton writes from a unique perspective with true passion and understanding, showing a real appreciation for the monument, its values and future importance. It reads at a good pace and is logically arranged. Delivering a thorough history of the memorial as well as the men involved.
 
Beautifully presented in a minimalistic designed glossy dustcover, measuring around 32cm x 14cm, it was published in hardback by Choir Press, Gloucester 2012. Whilst its content has been organised into 8 chapters, exploring the biographies of the key individuals, the crash and its aftermath, with a forward, bibliography and other interesting accompanying sections. Scattered through its pages are a mix of period imagery and modern colour photographs, with the odd newspaper or letter scan thrown in.
 
This hard to come by publication, on a unique topic, makes for interesting reading beyond the monument itself. If you are connected to the Royal Air Force or share an interest in military or early aviation then this book will surely prove a most enjoyable and informative read.
 
Hard Cover with Dust Jacket
77 pages
In Good Condition