Bomber Offensive

VERY SCARCE INDEED IN THIS CONDITION. Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris (1892-1984) was Commander in Chief Bomber Command from 1942 (when he replaced Richard Peirse) to 1945. Based on his experiences in London during the Blitz, Harris developed a belief in intensive incendiary bombing as a means not merely of destroying cities but of undermining civilian morale. His new concept of 'area bombing' was put into practice with the first 'thousand-bomber' raid on Cologne in May 1942. Like most large-scale innovations this was a major gamble, but its undoubted success (colossal damage inflicted for the loss of forty aircraft) paved the way for Britain's bombing strategy for the rest of the war. Eventually this policy (which remains controversial to this day) brought him into direct conflict with both Portal and Churchill, but Harris pursued it doggedly until the surrender. Arguably the greatest RAF commander of WWII, Harris was an outstanding and inspiring leader, achieving almost iconic status among staff and crews alike. After the war he refused a peerage but accepted a baronetcy in 1953. Enser, p.65.