High Blue Battle: The War Diary of No (401) Fighter Squadron, RCAF

J.L. Granatstein is a professor of History at York University and author
of Pirouette: Pierre Trudeau and Canadian Foreign Policy.

Unit War Diaries are usually dry-as-dust official recitations of the
barest of bare facts—the day’s casualties are recorded, the
victories briefly chronicled. This diary of the Royal Canadian Air
Force’s No. 401 fighter squadron is no exception, although the editor
has fleshed out some of the story. The squadron, initially flying
Hurricanes, took part in the Battle of Britain and remained on
operations until the defeat of Germany. Fifty-three of its pilots died
in action on its more than 10,000 sorties, and the squadron accounted
for 195 confirmed enemy kills. This is a proud record in a terrible war,
and to the editor’s credit, he also includes the dreadful day when
squadron pilots, new to action in August 1940, mistook two raf Coastal
Command bombers for Luftwaffe Ju–88s and shot them down. Not until
1947 was the mistake admitted to Ottawa.

This is a book that will be of interest to old pilots and all
historians of the rcaf.