I’m putting together an article for our local rag to coincide with the Airshow and Battle of Britain week. I want to emphasis the total number of RAF personnel lost during WW2, but can’t find a definite total anywhere.
Does anyone have a ball park figure for all areas of operation?
By: EN830 - 30th August 2006 at 21:33
Thanks Ross that’s a great help.
By: Ross_McNeill - 30th August 2006 at 20:26
Hi,
John Terraine in The Right of the Line gives:
‘From first to last, 1939-45, the Royal Air Force lost 70,253 officers, NCOs and airmen killed or missing on operations, the overwhelming majority of them being aircrew. This was the price of its victory, and of it by far the largest share fell to Bomber Command between Sept 1939 and May 1945: 47,268. This great number is the grim total of those lost on operations; it was the unique hazard of the airman’s trade that a further 8,305 Bomber Command aircrew lost their lives in non-operational flying – training or accident. In addition, 1,570 ground crew (RAF and WAAF) were killed or lost their lives from other causes during that period, making a full total of 57,143.’
Regards
Ross
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August 30, 2006 at 8:10 pm