Writing
Since retiring from the RAF, I've written an illustrated history covering events in the skies above the British Isles in the summer of 1940, The Battle of Britain, Hitler's First Bloody Nose; a novel, Wings Over Summer, set in the same period; a sequel, Wings Over Malta, and two volumes of memoir, Shropshire Blue: A Shropshire Lad in the RAF. Volume 1 is titled, Preparation For Flight, while Volume 2, On The Buffet, is about my flying training. Free sample chapters of these can be read using the links below. I've also written numerous short stories, articles and poems, many published and some prize-winning. Samples of some of these appear on my Short Story page.
Wings Over Summer
Wings Over Summer is a work of historical fiction set at RAF Biggin Hill over 14 days at the height of the Battle of Britain. At its heart, two young Spitfire pilots struggle to survive savage battles in the air, and to find love and fulfilment on the ground. Several times a day, they fly into action against overwhelming odds, witnessing the death and disfigurement of friends and enemies, and wrestling with the knowledge that the same could happen to them at any moment. Brief periods on the ground offer little respite as Biggin Hill is subjected to frequent air raids, during which many more friends are killed. Both find love, but the Battle takes its toll. The first Chapter of Wings Over Summer can be downloaded here.
The title is available on Amazon as an ebook, audio book or paperback, and the cover design is based on Paolo Camera's Spitfire In Cloud.
Reviews: Just a small sample of the overwhelmingly positive reviews
The finest historical fiction book of the Battle of Britain ever written.
I've read many books about the Battle of Britain, but this is by far the best.
The best description of aerial combat I have ever read.
A masterpiece of historical fiction
I can't remember the last time a book moved me so much.
There were times when I was almost too scared to turn the page - but alas couldn't stop myself.
Unputdownable. I read it over one day.
Brilliant book, the best I have ever read.
The title is available on Amazon as an ebook, audio book or paperback, and the cover design is based on Paolo Camera's Spitfire In Cloud.
Reviews: Just a small sample of the overwhelmingly positive reviews
The finest historical fiction book of the Battle of Britain ever written.
I've read many books about the Battle of Britain, but this is by far the best.
The best description of aerial combat I have ever read.
A masterpiece of historical fiction
I can't remember the last time a book moved me so much.
There were times when I was almost too scared to turn the page - but alas couldn't stop myself.
Unputdownable. I read it over one day.
Brilliant book, the best I have ever read.
Wings Over Malta
In March 1942, Battle of Britain ace, Jack Williams, is one of 15 pilots flying the first Spitfires to reach the most heavily bombed place on Earth, the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. Their task is simple: regain control of the air. But when not sheltering from incessant bombing by overwhelming Luftwaffe forces based only minutes to north on Sicily, the Spitfire pilots are hunted from take off to landing by tens of Messerschmitt 109Fs. Can they, and the Island, survive?
The novel is dedicated to the people of Malta and the pilots from all over the world who fought to protect them. The cover by Martin Butler is based on the image, Spitfire Flypast, by Paolo Camera.
Wings Over Malta is available as an ebook audio book or paperback from Amazon.
Reviews:
Brought the desperate struggle for survival on that embattled island home far better than anything I'd read before.
An excellent story brilliantly interwoven about real events and people.
You can almost feel the g-forces at work as you spin through the pages.
A real insight into the lives of the heroic pilots struggling to defend Malta.
Puts you in the seat of a Spitfire in troubled times.
In March 1942, Battle of Britain ace, Jack Williams, is one of 15 pilots flying the first Spitfires to reach the most heavily bombed place on Earth, the tiny Mediterranean island of Malta. Their task is simple: regain control of the air. But when not sheltering from incessant bombing by overwhelming Luftwaffe forces based only minutes to north on Sicily, the Spitfire pilots are hunted from take off to landing by tens of Messerschmitt 109Fs. Can they, and the Island, survive?
The novel is dedicated to the people of Malta and the pilots from all over the world who fought to protect them. The cover by Martin Butler is based on the image, Spitfire Flypast, by Paolo Camera.
Wings Over Malta is available as an ebook audio book or paperback from Amazon.
Reviews:
Brought the desperate struggle for survival on that embattled island home far better than anything I'd read before.
An excellent story brilliantly interwoven about real events and people.
You can almost feel the g-forces at work as you spin through the pages.
A real insight into the lives of the heroic pilots struggling to defend Malta.
Puts you in the seat of a Spitfire in troubled times.
Preparation For Flight
Shropshire Blue: A Shropshire Lad in the RAF, Volume 1, Preparation for Flight is now also available as an e-book or paperback through this link to Amazon. In its entirety, Shropshire Blue will cover all 32 years of my career in the Royal Air Force, but this first volume travels from my birth, the son of a dustman, to my commissioning as a flying officer 24 years later.
My interest in the RAF was sparked by a headstone in a local cemetery and I joined the Service as a Halton apprentice, suffering under a harsh regime preparing me to parade before HM The Queen just five weeks later - a duty I performed 11 times during my apprenticeship. After graduation I worked on a Cold War air base servicing Vulcan nuclear bombers that were poised to fly into the heart of the Soviet Union. Selected as a potential pilot, I entered officer training, suffering under another harsh regime, but ultimately gaining my commission.
The chapter describing my first six weeks in the RAF, including parading before the Queen, can be downloaded here.
Reviews: And here is a small selection of my Amazon reviews.
I loved this book and can't wait for the next instalment.
Oh what a great book of memories.
It kept me amused, entertained and interested right to the end.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Enjoyed it immensely
My interest in the RAF was sparked by a headstone in a local cemetery and I joined the Service as a Halton apprentice, suffering under a harsh regime preparing me to parade before HM The Queen just five weeks later - a duty I performed 11 times during my apprenticeship. After graduation I worked on a Cold War air base servicing Vulcan nuclear bombers that were poised to fly into the heart of the Soviet Union. Selected as a potential pilot, I entered officer training, suffering under another harsh regime, but ultimately gaining my commission.
The chapter describing my first six weeks in the RAF, including parading before the Queen, can be downloaded here.
Reviews: And here is a small selection of my Amazon reviews.
I loved this book and can't wait for the next instalment.
Oh what a great book of memories.
It kept me amused, entertained and interested right to the end.
A thoroughly enjoyable read.
Enjoyed it immensely
On The Buffet
Shropshire Blue: A Shropshire Lad in the RAF, Volume 2, On The Buffet, is available as a paperback or ebook through this link to it on Amazon. The cover design is by Martin Butler.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to train as an RAF pilot, this is the book for you. But don’t expect a tale of seamless progress and glamour. Ron Powell had a difficult journey.
Following on from Preparation For Flight, this second volume of memoir follows Ron’s progress during the run up to first solo and on to the thrills of spinning and aerobatics, the advanced skills of navigation and formation flying, and his personal demon, flying on instruments. Much of the time it seemed that no matter how hard he worked on the ground, he just couldn’t produce the results in the air.
And yet, after three demanding courses, he gained his wings and could look forward to flying on the front line.
You can read a short extract on spinning through this link.
Reviews:
Makes the reader feel as if they're right there with him in the cockpit.
He has captured perfectly the rollercoaster of emotions and physical stress that the trainee pilot undergoes.
Excellent read and great insight into flying training.
Difficult to put down.
Shropshire Blue: A Shropshire Lad in the RAF, Volume 2, On The Buffet, is available as a paperback or ebook through this link to it on Amazon. The cover design is by Martin Butler.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to train as an RAF pilot, this is the book for you. But don’t expect a tale of seamless progress and glamour. Ron Powell had a difficult journey.
Following on from Preparation For Flight, this second volume of memoir follows Ron’s progress during the run up to first solo and on to the thrills of spinning and aerobatics, the advanced skills of navigation and formation flying, and his personal demon, flying on instruments. Much of the time it seemed that no matter how hard he worked on the ground, he just couldn’t produce the results in the air.
And yet, after three demanding courses, he gained his wings and could look forward to flying on the front line.
You can read a short extract on spinning through this link.
Reviews:
Makes the reader feel as if they're right there with him in the cockpit.
He has captured perfectly the rollercoaster of emotions and physical stress that the trainee pilot undergoes.
Excellent read and great insight into flying training.
Difficult to put down.
The Battle of Britain, Hitler's First Bloody Nose
The Battle of Britain was an event of tremendous historical importance. It gave Hitler his first bloody nose of the Second World War and left the British Isles free to become the springboard for his eventual overthrow.
In a fresh format of concise narrative supported by tens of illustrations, The Battle of Britain, Hitler's First Bloody Nose, I cover the opposing forces, their key personalities, equipment and tactics, and the way the Battle unfolded. Alongside, I highlight the experiences of some of the fighter pilots, the ‘glorious radiant boys’ who flew into combat day after day, never knowing whether they’d be one of those that ‘didn’t come back’. These include Laurie Whitbread, a Spitfire pilot from my home town, shot down and killed in September 1940; and two celebrated survivors, Geoffrey Wellum and Tony Iveson. Between them, they inspired not only my RAF career, but also Wings Over Summer and Wings Over Malta.
Most of all, I hope the book will provide a fitting tribute to all the pilots who flew in the Battle and became known as The Few.
Reviews
If I could keep only one book on the Battle, it would have to be this.
Devoured your book. I loved it. A fascinating account of a desperately important period.
The most balanced history of the Battle I have read.
The Battle of Britain was an event of tremendous historical importance. It gave Hitler his first bloody nose of the Second World War and left the British Isles free to become the springboard for his eventual overthrow.
In a fresh format of concise narrative supported by tens of illustrations, The Battle of Britain, Hitler's First Bloody Nose, I cover the opposing forces, their key personalities, equipment and tactics, and the way the Battle unfolded. Alongside, I highlight the experiences of some of the fighter pilots, the ‘glorious radiant boys’ who flew into combat day after day, never knowing whether they’d be one of those that ‘didn’t come back’. These include Laurie Whitbread, a Spitfire pilot from my home town, shot down and killed in September 1940; and two celebrated survivors, Geoffrey Wellum and Tony Iveson. Between them, they inspired not only my RAF career, but also Wings Over Summer and Wings Over Malta.
Most of all, I hope the book will provide a fitting tribute to all the pilots who flew in the Battle and became known as The Few.
Reviews
If I could keep only one book on the Battle, it would have to be this.
Devoured your book. I loved it. A fascinating account of a desperately important period.
The most balanced history of the Battle I have read.
Short Story Page
You can get to my short story page and read some of my prize-winning stories here.
