Shot Down and in the Drink

Book excerpt: Enthralling stories of adventure and bravery from RAF pilots shot down in the sea during World War II – and those who rescued them. The RAF's Air Sea Rescue Service saved thousands of RAF, Commonwealth and Allied airmen between 1939 and 1945. Those shot down at sea faced terrifying dangers, from weather extremes to enemy fighters, and rescue by airborne or seaborne craft was fraught with difficulty. This fascinating account draws on first-hand interviews, photographs and official documents to reveal some of its most dramatic missions in northwest Europe, the Mediterranean and the Far East. These incredible stories celebrate the courage, persistence and ingenuity of the men who found themselves 'in the drink' and those who saved them.