The list of books about the Gallipoli Campaign is endless and always growing. However, this is the first book to focus the aviation aspects of the campaign, which is usually treated as an afterthought, or not at all, by most authors.
With a book of this nature I first turn to the bibliography and sources. It is clear that the author, who has a history masters from Oxford, has done extensive research in both UK and Australian archives. He also provides an long list of books and articles, although he has the title of my book on Ben-my-Chree incorrect. There are two theatre maps and a useful index. A small selection of photographs is gathered in a single section. They are well reproduced, but a Sopwith Tabloid is misidentified as a Nieuport 11 and a Sopwith Schneider is a ‘fast single-seater.’
The author served with the RAAF as an intelligence officer during the 2003 Gulf War. Which fact he repeatedly brings into his coverage of the Gallipoli air war. I accept that he is trying to draw parallels between 1915 and 2003 but that should have been done in the Introduction, at length if necessary, and left there. He also has an unfortunate habit of using nick names and given names rather than full names and ranks for the principle characters. Thus Commander Robert Clark Hall, HMS Ark Royal, becomes ‘Clarkee’ throughout, and Charles Samson (The author seems unaware of his full name.) is constantly referred to as Charles and on one memorable occasion as Charles ‘Captain Kettle’ Samson! I find this distracting, and belittling to the men concerned.
The text has too many errors, although mostly minor, but if the author had made full use of his research most could have been avoided. For example, he refers to HMS Ark Royal as an aircraft carrier, in the official records she is always a seaplane carrier, an important difference. To the author’s credit the balloon ships, HMS Manica and HMS Hector, do receive due recognition. But, John Dolben (not Philip) Mackworth commanded 1 Kite Balloon Section on Manica. He also refers to Hector’s balloon section as 2 Kite Balloon Section. All documents that I have seen are from 3 KBS on Hector, 2 KBS was at this time serving in France.
A book intending to cover the air war of a specific campaign should attempt to look at both sides, if not in equal depth, at least accurately. The role of Major Erich Serno in organizing the Ottoman air services receives due recognition, but the Fokker fighter unit at Çanak is referred to as ‘Jasta 6’ and the machines as Fokker E3 (page 366). In his bibliography the author lists Ole Nikolajsen`s Ottoman Aviation 1909-1919, referring to this would have shown the unit to be 6nci Harp Bölük and the aircraft as Fokker E.I.
Despite all my criticisms there is much of interest in this book, and I will be using it (with care) as a reference source until something better comes along. However, given the cost of obtaining a copy from Australia, this is not a book I would recommend for the general reader. ( )