Smiddy, Paul Moonlight Crusaders

Special Duties Pilots over Occupied Europe

In 1940, Winston Churchill founded the famous Special Operations Executive. However, the creation of secret agent networks required a secret transport infrastructure to support the burgeoning resistance movements in occupied Europe. With only the moon to guide them, the daring pilots of Squadron 161 were constantly exposed to danger: their positions could be discovered, they had to contend with German night fighters and anti-aircraft guns, and, of course, they had to cope with the worst weather conditions in Europe. Despite these additional risks, these special duties pilots were remarkably successful. Packed with first-hand accounts and expert research, this book delves into the history of the men who flew these dangerous missions and the key aircraft they used unarmed Lysanders. Author Paul Smiddy, an RAF-trained pilot, examines the origins of the Lysander, the dangers it posed to its pilots, and how the operational techniques were developed. Despite political interference and limited resources on the part of the RAF, these courageous and little-noticed pilots played a crucial role in the war bringing back agents with vital information that helped Britain and the Allies defeat the Germans.