IanCampbell has had a lifelong interest in military history. Growing up behind theAustralian War Memorial in Canberra, he spent many hours wandering the hallsthoroughly absorbed in the displays. His wise mother fostered his love ofreading and history by introducing him very early to the works of PaulBrickhill. Ian hasqualifications in History and Politics from the Australian National University.After a varied career in the government, private and not-for-profit sectors, heretired to research and write. His first book, Thinks He's a Bird, aboutAustralian Pathfinder and Lancaster pilot, Flight Lieutenant Keith Watson, wasreleased in 2022. Ian iscurrently curator of the Bennett/Vial Archive at the Queensland Air Museum.This archive comprises three collections, of which AVM Don Bennett's privatecollection is one. Ian andhis wife, Kathy, have lived in many places in Australia, as well as New Zealandand Canada. They now live in Brisbane. When circumstances permit, they love totravel, but he has vowed never to move house again.

• Foreword iIntroduction iiiAcknowledgements ixMaps xiiAuthor'sNote xv1.Decision Time at 'Kanimbla' 12.A Glimpse of the Future 43.The Last Hope of the Bennetts 74.Nil Sine Labore - the Brisbane Years 195.The Hinkler Effect 256.Entering the New World 337.Fighter Boy 508.Boats That Fly 599.Under Harris's Wing 6810.Back to the Future 7811.The Invisible Barrier Over the Horizon 8312.The Unshackling Begins 9013.The Vega's Leg 9414.Ly and her Complete Air Navigator 10715.Imperial, Empire and 'Empires' 11916.Mercury and the Atlantic 13617.Mercury and an Obsession with Records 17118.War 18719.Rescuing the Polish General Staff 19620.Fast Tracking the Ferry 20621.Beaten by Bottlenecks and Bowhill 22322.A Very Short Hiatus 23423.77 Squadron - Enter the 'Hot' War 24024.Bureaucracy Sows the Seeds of Bitterness 26125.Shot Down 26726.Escape 277Appendix1 Chronology 289Appendix2 Aircraft Don Bennett flew to July 1942 292Aboutthe Author 293Bibliography 294Endnotes 310IndexPeople 342Places 351AirForce 359Aircraft 362General 366

"Thoroughly researched and vigorously written, this long-overdue biography is the remarkable story of one of the world's greatest aviators and wartime leaders, whose true contribution to aviation history is still yet to be fully recognised. Ian Campbell is to be congratulated, for Bennett was an important man, and this is an important book:' Sean Feast Author of Pathfinders - the Definitive Story Trustee of The RAF Pathfinders Archive