Winged Crusaders: The Exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-45

Formed in 1915 and still operational today, 14 Squadron is one of the RAF's longest serving and most senior Squadrons. Spending the first thirty years of its operational life in the Middle East, the history of this Squadron is a rich one, but one that, until now, has gone largely unrecorded. Napier effectively brings together all the historical scraps and shreds of stories, which make up the collective history of this unit, from 1915 -1945, a period of great military and social upheaval. The author himself attests to the fact that the work is not merely about the airplanes operational history during this period, or the stark military facts (although enthusiasts of both these areas will find much here); rather, the work concerns itself largely with the people who flew such aircraft. Recording the dramatic trials and tribulations of the people who were 14 Squadron, Napier provides a sympathetic and engaging account of this period of Military History.

The elder son of an army officer, Michael Napier joined the RAF in 1978 and served with 14 Squadron as a Tornado pilot in the late 1980s and again in the early 1990s. These two tours engendered a deep interest in 14 Squadron’s distinguished history. He was appointed as Honorary Secretary of the 14 Squadron Association in 2003 and since then has carried out extensive research into the Squadron’s heritage. Michael, who is now is an airline captain, lives in the Cotswolds with his wife and two children.