by Mark Lax & Leon Kane-Maguire ISBN 1875593195

This is the detailed history of 464 Squadron RAAF, which flew first in the Lockheed Ventura, then in the famous De Havilland Mosquito MkVI fighter-bomber.

464 Squadron was part of 140 Wing RAF, with 21 Squadron RAF and 487 Squadron RNZAF.

With Venturas, the Wing flew against the strong German defences in Europe, and suffered heavy losses when flak and fighters combined against them; the New Zealanders lost an entire squadron formation except for one aircraft in one attack.

When the Mosquitos arrived, the squadrons first were employed against the German secret weapons sites, then supported the D-Day invasion and later the advancing Allied forces moving into Germany.

However, the Wing achieved renown for its precision attacks against Gestapo and SS targets. First was the raid against the Amiens prison to free condemned Resistance workers in February 1944. Later came strikes against Gestapo HQs in Copenhagen, Aarhus and Odense. The crews were very conscious of the need to avoid inflicting casualties to the surrounding civilian population, and had to fly precisely, at low altitude, at high speed, to place their bombs in the walls of the target buildings. No geater demands were made on flying crews during the war.

The dust jacket features a painting of Mosquitos en route to Aarhus.

Hardcover, dustjacket, 318 pages, 120 photos from personal and official collections; eight appendices, listing Roll of Honour, commanding officers, locations, honours and awards, full list of operations flown, full lists of squadron aircraft, squadron crashes, and organisation of 2 Group RAF;