ISBN 1-871187-45-1
480 pages

Introduction; Notes; Sources; Acknowledgements; Order of Battle; photos; Index

   When the first volume of Fighter Command War Diaries appeared in 1997, the importance of the series immediately became apparent to everyone who was paying attention. Since then the volumes have only grown thicker and better, so that newly released volume five represents the lengthiest and strongest as well as the final installment.
   Over the past seven years we've reviewed the previous four volumes:

Volume one

Volume two

Volume three

Volume four

   The structure of this book exactly matches the earlier ones. Each daily chronology begins with paragraphs noting the overall war situation and outlining all the air activities for that day. Foreman then provides a statistical summary for each squadron, showing claims as well as losses. While this data represents the core of the book, the pages are liberally sprinkled with thumbnail biographies, contemporary battle reports, OB material, aircraft information, and similar sidebars related to the daily activities.
   This volume covers the following territory:

1. Battles for Caen and St Lo
2. Breakout: Mortain and Falaise
3. Belgium, Holland and 'Market Garden'
4. Winter Stalemate
5. Snow, Jets and the Battle of the Bulge
6. Germany at Bay
7. Into Germany
8. Gotterdammerung: The Final Collapse

   Here's a typical day:

2nd October 1944

Day: General: The awaited advance by the US 1st Army started north of Aachen, attacking the Siegfried Line. Offensive Operations: Overlapping morning Spitfire sweeps by 421 and 401 Squadrons engaged German fighters in a running battle between Nijmegen and Arnhem. The pilots claimed 2:1:6 for the loss of Flight Lieutenant R.R. Bouskill of 401, while a 421 pilot baled out into Allied lines and another returned with his aircraft eventually classified as a write-off. The Luftwaffe claimed seven Spitfires, the only known losses being two Bfl09s of 9./JG 53. Morning sorties cost two more Spitfire pilots, one to Flak near Calais and the other being killed at Mansion on return from a shipping strike. There was one further combat, when an Me262 was claimed damaged over Nijmegen during an evening patrol by 442 Squadron. As usual, the Typhoon units were operating. Squadron Leader J.D. Wright of 266 Squadron force-landed in Holland after his aircraft was damaged by debris on shipping strike. He was captured. A 439 Squadron pilot crash-landed in no-mans-land near Geldern and was rescued, but another from 198 Squadron was killed in a take-off crash at B.53. Wing Commander Roland Beamont of 122 Wing notched up another Tempest victory˜his sixth and last˜by claiming an FW190 near Nijmegen, but 501 Squadron suffered a blow when Squadron Leader Joseph Berry, top-scoring V-1 killer (59 1/2 destroyed) lost his life to Flak gunners near Leeuwarden. Mustang pilots, on a Ramrod to Ardorf, found parked Ju88s and claimed four by strafing. Further afield, four 605 Squadron Mosquito crews flew a Ranger that ended with a 'benefit' for Flight Lieutenant Roy Lelong. He was credited with destroying five Do24s and damaging two more on Jasmunder Bay and also damaging a BV138 off Rugen Island. A US Thunderbolt pilot claimed a 'Mosquito in German markings' and actually destroyed a 140 Squadron photo-recce aircraft. USAAF Operations: Kassel, Koln and Hamm.

Spitfires
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
127 Sqn	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
229 Sqn	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-
401 Sqn	-	-	1	1	1	-	1	-
421 Sqn	2	1	5	-	1	-	-	-
442 Sqn	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-

Typhoons
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
198 Sqn	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-
266 Sqn	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
439 Sqn	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-

Tempests
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
501 Sqn	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	-
122 Wg	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Mosquitos
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
605 Sqn	5[G]	-	3[G]	-	-	-	-	-

Mustang IIIs
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
316 Sqn	-	-	4[G]	-	-	-	-	-

USAAF Fighters
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
P-47s	-	-	-	4	-	-	4	-
P-51s	-	-	-	1	4	1	1	-

Night: Offensive Operations: An unidentified aircraft was claimed damaged by strafing at Erding, but two crews failed to return. Defensive Operations: 219 Squadron crews, patrolling over Holland, claimed an FW 190 and three Ju87s destroyed.

Mosquitos
Unit	Dest	P.D.	Dam	MIA	Cat E	KIA	MIA	WIA
219 Sqn	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
418 Sqn	-	-	1	1	-	-	2	-
605 Sqn	-	-	-	1	-	-	2	-

   As with volume four, the new volume ramps up the monthly introductions, the daily text, the monthly summaries, and the number of sidebars. The blend of hard statistical data and thoughtful, informative text makes this series by far the best account of Fighter Command's long, bloody war in Europe.
   Given everything written here since 1997 about this series (see links, above, to four other reviews), there's not much else to say. Volume five is simply more of a very good thing, and another terrific job by John Foreman and Air Research, both of whom showed a great deal of patience and determination to see this through to a very commendable conclusion. Highly recommended.
   Those who've been following the series will jump at the opportunity to grab the concluding tome. For those who haven't caught up with Foreman's excellent work yet, don't delay. The early volumes are already difficult to track down, and an important set of books like this, with relatively small print runs, won't become any easier to locate and acquire.
   Available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from Air Research.
   Thanks to Air Research for providing this review copy.