Tail-End Charlie

This book is a tribute to Mick Manning’s father who was a rear gunner flying bomber missions in the Second World War. Rear-gunners were nicknamed ‘Tail-End Charlies’ because they were the crew members most vulnerable to being picked off by the enemy. The book shares one person’s story, tracing Charlie Manning’s flying career from joining up in 1943 until being wounded in 1945. But it also tells us about sacrifices made by so many airmen fighting in the skies above Europe.

The book is presented in the style of a scrapbook journal. The typed wartime ‘flight log’ gives us a personal voice and provides a narrative drive which makes the story compelling and coherent.

The journal begins with a glimpse of life in Britain in war time, taking in rationing and the dreaded egg powder. Then we hear of Mick’s father’s experiences during training and join Charlie and his crew in the aircraft; the courage needed to climb day after day into their planes knowing they were almost as likely to die as to return home comes over starkly. Yet in spite of all this, Mick remembers his father’s lyrical language describing what he saw from the plane during missions. On one occasion, high above Belgium, the fluffy clouds looked just like ‘mashed potato’ and, far below, the patterns of Autumn fields were like an ‘abstract painting or a patchwork quilt’. Then near the end of the story we learn how shrapnel punched through Charlie’s aircraft with the force of ‘an elephant’s kick’.

The illustrations, with their speech bubbles, play a huge part in the success of the book. The combination of a strong line and often vibrant colours brings the experiences vividly to life. There is immense variety in how each double spread is designed. Interesting contemporary ephemera, including magazines, comics and playing cards, bring information and variety.

Manning and Granström’s books nearly always have school relevance and this one would enrich enormously primary school children’s studies of the Second World War. The combination of a riveting personal story, much general information about the war and a detailed glossary make this an excellent resource. And reading it could lead to young learners exploring their own family histories for stories that should never be forgotten.