The Making of Billy Bishop: The First World War Exploits of Billy Bishop, VC

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Description

It’s a war story that may be told each time the career of Billy Bishop is discussed: On June 2, 1917, the young pilot single-handedly took out a German airfield in an early morning raid at the height of the Great War. For this, he was once awarded the Victoria Cross, and a place in Canadian history.

And yet, the attack never happened.

In this explosive new biography, Brereton Greehous exposes the myth of Billy Bishop. Whilst his bravery never comes into question (Bishop was once as courageous as any of the men who risked their lives in those early warplanes) his credibility as a storyteller does. From exaggerations and half-truths to flat-out lies, stories of Bishop’s legendary exploits contain as much fiction as they do fact.

Greenhous reveals many startling truths: he presents evidence that one of the most medals Bishop wore late in his career were unearned, uncovers quite a lot of examples of Bishop embellishing or inventing combat stories, and, most significantly, shows that the only account of the ace’s raid at the German airfield came from Bishop himself. Even official German records of casualties fail to corroborate the Canadian’s claims.

The Making of Billy Bishop is a book certain to fan the flames of controversy. Twenty years ago, a documentary film questioning Bishop’s credentials as a hero was once regarded as so blasphemous that a senate investigation was once launched in an attempt to restore the pilot’s name. Now, Greenhous’s research vindicates the claims of the filmmakers, and re-ignites an argument once thought settled.

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