Book description
The true story of Keith Bennett D. F.C, his crew and a Dutch girl s
letter that would change their warThis is the true story of the
Lancaster G2 bomber crews in World War II and their humanitarian drops
over Holland hrough the eyes of one,19 year-old Australian pilot, Keith
Bennett D. F.C. Dubbed the "Flying Grocer" by the Dutch
recipients of their supplies that were dropped over Holland in what was
called Operation Manna, Keith Bennett passed away in late 2003. However,
Flight Officer Bennett's amazing story remains alive through revealing
flight logs, personal photographs and correspondence - itself rich in
military history. There is also the correspondence Bennett had with
Dutch survivors especially one Jannie van Splunde. Bennett and other
crews in Bomber Squadron 460 devastated cities like Dresden and Cologne
and scarred any romantic ideal about the war. However, from the 30
sorties he carried out for Squadron 460, Bennett was certainly proud of
the last three he made - the humanitarian drops over Holland. Until the
food drops, hundreds of thousands of Dutch survivors had been left
starving by the soon to be defeated Germans who had cut off their
supplies. At the time - mid-1945 - a truce was formed between the Allies
and the Germans that would allow the giant Lancaster bombers to fly
through a designated corridor without coming under fire from enemy fire.
Despite the no fire truce, the sight of German guns keeping aim as they
flew, reminded the Allies of how precarious their mission was. The
Flying Grocer is an intimate portrait of Keith Bennett and his crew and
of the Dutch who were saved by their food drops. But while reflective of
one man's courage that saw him awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross, it
is also the story of so many Australians who fought in the war -
especially those of Squadron 460. Rupert Guinness is a Walkley Award
commended senior sports writer who writes for the Sydney Morning Herald
and who has covered 15 Tours de France. He is a former editor of Winning
Bicycle Racing Illustrated magazine, European correspondent for VeloNews
(USA) and a contributor to Cycling Weekly (UK) and Velo (France). He is
also the author of six books on cycling including The Foreign Legion and
The Dean Woods Manual of Cycling. Rupert, who lives in Sydney, also
writes on rugby union and rowing and has covered two Olympic Games.
