RAF missions in World War II will forever remain the stuff of folklore.

Everyone remembers the Dambusters raid led by dashing Guy Gibson as the crews blasted dams wide open to flood valleys in the Ruhr and devastate heavy industry there.

But there was far more than that of course, and this book pulls them all together.

It is packed with quotes and anecdotes from the crews who took part. Some are previously unpublished accounts.

And that’s when the Boy’s Own thoughts fade as the sheer terror of what they went through kicks in.

The other raids include a highly dangerous precision mission by Mosquitoes to bomb the walls of Amiens prison in France, allowing more than 250 members of the French Resistance to escape. Many were due to be executed.

Bombers also blasted the barges waiting to invade Britain during the dark days of 1940, blew up a secret research station at Peenemunde where rocket bombs were being launched and sunk the Tirpitz battleship. Thousands of American aircrew died on high risk daytime missions over Germany.

Every one is outstanding for its daring or pioneering tactics – or their sheer ability to totally catch the enemy out.

Although many have gone down in history, never forget that they cost many lives, bringing misery to the families of aircrew who died trying to liberate others.

ANDREW HIRST