Bloody April

By Peter Hart,

Book cover of Bloody April: Slaughter in the Skies Over Arras

Book description

The story of the decimation of the Royal Flying Corps over Arras in 1917

As the Allies embarked upon the Battle of Arras, they desperately needed accurate aerial reconnaissance photographs. But by this point the Royal Flying Club were flying obsolete planes. The new German Albatros scouts massively outclassed them…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Why read it?

1 author picked Bloody April as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Bloody April was a month well-named. The Royal Flying Corp lost one in three of its pilots, with the average life expectancy of a newly arrived airman dropping to less than two weeks. Pushed by the commanders and planners at HQ, they continued to rise against these horrible odds in flimsy biplanes without parachutes. Their young lives were gambled away for the prize of the reconnaissance photographs that the survivors might bring back, grainy images upon which the planning for the ground battle so depended. Hart mixes the hard facts and figures with the personal recollections of those that fought…

Want books like Bloody April?

Our community of 10,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Bloody April.

Browse books like Bloody April

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in the British Royal Air Force, World War 1, and presidential biography?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about the British Royal Air Force, World War 1, and presidential biography.

The British Royal Air Force Explore 35 books about the British Royal Air Force
World War 1 Explore 878 books about World War 1
Presidential Biography Explore 18 books about presidential biography