Clouds of Fear by Roger Hall: 1977 Paperback

Author: Roger Hall DFC

Publisher: 1977, Coronet Books

Pagination: 155

Format: Paperback

Condition: Very good, with some shelf wear and slight creasing and a small inscription inside the front cover. 

"CLOUDS OF FEAR" is Roger Hall's story of his struggles to retain his sanity, having weathered 2 nervous breakdowns over a 5-year period.

Upon the declaration of war in September 1939, Hall was in training with his battalion in England. Six months later, he was given the opportunity to transfer to the Royal Air Force (RAF) and accepted the offer. He was then placed into an accelerated pilot training program and by September 1940 - training complete -- Hall was assigned to a fighter squadron flying Spitfires in the Battle of Britain. He would fly in combat without letup for the next 3 months. By then, the stress of combat made him question his ability to be an effective fighter pilot. He had seen several of his squadron mates killed or wounded. He admitted what unnerved him the most was to see one of his squadron mates - who had seen considerable combat and was highly regarded as one of the most courageous in battle, with several enemy planes to his credit -- break under the strain one day after returning from a mission, crying like a baby in full view of the squadron. (He would later be transferred to another unit and given a rest.)

It was at this time - December 1940 -- that a call was made for day fighter pilots to volunteer for service with the RAF night fighter squadrons in response to the increasing night bombing of Britain that was being carried out by the Luftwaffe as part of the Blitz. Hall volunteered, seeing it as a chance for him to convince himself that he could meet the challenge of being a night fighter pilot. He was moved to Northern England, where he underwent training for a month in the 2-seat Boulton Paul Defiant fighter. (Earlier in the war, the Defiant had been used as a day fighter and had a brief spell of success in taking on the Luftwaffe, whose fighter pilots had often mistaken the Defiant as a conventional fighter plane, until being shot at by the Defiant's rearward hydraulically powered turret, which boasted four 30 caliber Browning machine guns, manned by a gunner. But the Luftwaffe fighter pilots quickly wised up to the fact that the Defiant lacked additional armament and could easily be attacked head-on, rather than from the rear. Consequently, Defiant squadrons suffered appallingly high losses in day combat and were relegated to service as a night fighter.)

Hall shares with the reader his impressions about his service as a night fighter pilot, which was highly interesting. He's a very honest writer and struck me as someone who tried to do the best job that he could, while trying to keep his fears from getting the best of him His service with night fighters proved to be a short one, however, because he would be posted back to a day fighter squadron, this time in Norfolk, England. He also renewed his relationship with Anne. (There's a lot to be said for that relationship, but it would be better for the reader of this review to find out for him/herself what happens with Hall and Anne by reading this book.)

Hall would return to Southeast England in the spring of 1941, flying Spitfires on fighter sweeps and bomber escort missions over Occupied France for the remainder of the year. He would continue flying combat for another year before suffering another breakdown, prompting RAF authorities to take him off operational flying for the remainder of the war.

"CLOUDS OF FEAR" is a story about a man tested by war and his own self-doubts and fears, who nevertheless manages to overcome and lead a normal life. Roger Hall has earned my admiration and respect both for his candor and for his service. This is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who loves human interest stories.