A Thousand Shall Fall: The True Story of a Canadian Bomber Pilot in World War Two

Murray Peden

Jan 2003 · Dundurn

About this eBook

During World War II, Canada trained tens of thousands of airmen under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Those selected for Bomber Command operations went on to rain devastation upon the Third Reich in the great air battles over Europe, but their losses were high. German fighters and anti-aircraft guns took a terrifying toll. The chances of surviving a tour of duty as a bomber crew were almost nil.

Murray Peden's story of his training in Canada and England, and his crew's operations on Stirlings and Flying Fortresses with 214 Squadron, has been hailed as a classic of war literature. It is a fine blend of the excitement, humour, and tragedy of that eventful era.

Ratings and reviews

Although it was written in the 1970's, Murray Peden's masterwork succeeds and survives to this day by giving us youngsters an insider's look at life as a front line WW2 bomber pilot. Peden's book is so personal that you will shed many tears while reading it. When friends are lost, they are your own friends, from school or work or social circles. And when Peden's wry sense of humour shines through, you will laugh out loud at the crazy antics. Books written this well are rare. Books written this well about war, even less so. Congratulations and thanks, Mr. Peden!

About the author

Murray Peden was the first Chairman of the Manitoba Securities Commission. A bestselling author, his articles have appeared in aviation magazines and newspapers in Canada, England, and the United States. He was a bomber pilot in World War II, and his autobiography has been hailed as one of the finest war memoirs ever written.