John Holmes was a schoolboy when World War II broke out in 1939, but even then he knew his destiny lay in the skies. "Boys from these parts don't join the RAF," he was told on more than one occasion. But they were wrong. After many months undergoing selection and training he eventually made it into the air crew of 196 Squadron. It was there he embarked on a love affair with the Stirling Bomber, and it was there that he met up with his crew—his brothers in arms. With in-depth research, Steve Holmes' inspirational, harrowing and at times humorous book charts the wartime exploits of his father, John "Sherlock" Holmes, and his flight crew. Through many hours of research and contact with living relatives of "Sherlock's Squadron" Steve has pulled together a unique and personal insight into the most brutal and devastating armed conflict in history. Verified and independently confirmed by the MOD, War Office, Bomber Command and preserved navigators' records and pilots' log books of the time, this is a comprehensive and compelling account of World War II from the eyes of a group of young RAF men from distant corners of the globe.