Fear In The Night - RNZAF

[Dave Homewood]

Fear In The Night - by Errol Brathwaite

This is an excellent novel, but is almost completely unknown. Published in 1959, it was Errol's first book, and he drew on what he knew. He had been an air gunner in the RNZAF, serving in the Pacific on Ventura bombers.

In this fictional book, he sets up a really tense story where a Ventura crew are hit by flak and cannot limp back to an Allied airfield. The pilot chooses to put the kite down on a disused strip on an island, which is not too far from the Japanese lines.

One of the five crew members is badly wounded. The aircraft is badly damaged, and while three of them endeavour to strip the Ventura of all unnecessary weight, and to fix the broken engine so they can take off again, the upper gunner has to scan the perimeter constantly for any Japanese activity.

The Japs know they are there and are on their way.

This is a really tense, psychological book, that deals with each man's thoughts at a time of terror, and their relationship as a crew and in past lives, as some had known each other before the war.

I discovered this book by chance on the internet and saw it for sale for US$75. An incredible amount for a novel. Two weeks later it came up on TradeMe and I got it for NZ$8 Yippee.

I can really highly recommend this if you want an exciting read by someone who knew what it was like. He goes into much technical detail of the Ventura, which is really interesting in itself.

For a first book, this was great, and Mr Brathwaite of course went on to write many more excellent books, some of which were also RNZAF themed.

Highly recommended.

[clint]

This sounds like a great book! I want to get my hands on a copy, I never knew it existed! I have a strong interest in RNZAF Ventura bombers but there never seems to enough info out there on the bomber itself or any stories from the men who flew in them so I would love to get my hands on a copy. I had a great uncle serve on Ventura bombers as a Air Gunner but he died in the 1970's so I never knew him nor do I have any info on his service or even his squadron, so this book would fill me in on what he went through.

[Dave Homewood]

Welcome to the forum Clint.

I have seen the book come up a few times on TradeMe.com for auction - which is where I picked mine up. You could also ask shops like Rare Books in Auckland to seek out a copy I suppose though that may be a dearer option.

I agree there is little on the RNZAF Venturas and those who served in them. I hope to rectify this myself as I have just begun a project now to try to record the history of the General Reconnaissance squadrons of the RNZAF. This will cover from the earliest days from the Baffins and Vincents throught the Hudson era and onto the Bomber Reconnaissance days with the Venturas up till the war's end.

This is a very new project, I have only just in the past ten days begun in earnest contacting a couple of veterans, but it is a great interest of mine and i am determined to record as many memories as I can of those who flew in these squadrons, and those who served in them on the ground too.

I can recommend a book if you haven't seen it yet, 'Pacific Twins' by Malcolm Laird from Ventura Publications. A small book but it covers the RNZAF Venturas nicely, plus a little of the Hudsons too.

Another book I highly recommend is 'Wings Over The Pacific' by Alex Horn, which covers among other RNZAF units in NZ and the Pacific, the GR and BR Squadrons with reminiscences from a number of people.

Most books that do cover the operations of the RNZAF GR and BR Sqns in the Pacific really brush on them amongst a much wider topic - usually the whole RNZAF. My intention is to make my book/project much more specific to just the GR and BR squadron's histories and the people who served in those squadrons.

Does your family have your great uncle's 'log book? That would tell you a great deal about what he was doing I'd think.

[Dave Homewood]

I just found this review in The Press newspaper, dated 19th of September 1959

NEW FICTION

Fear In The Night. By Errol Brathwaite. Caxton Press. 165 PP-

Mr Brathwaite’s first novel will be read at a sitting and with increasing excitement. It is an unpretentious but firmly constructed story; the crew of a R.N.ZA.F. bomber, brought down on an island occupied by the Japanese are working feverishly to get their plane in the air again. Hour by hour the tension grows, as they check the engines and seek to repair the damage. While this is going on, a Japanese patrol is making its way towards them across an almost impenetrable jungle. It is here that Mr Brathwaite achieves his greatest triumph. The atmosphere of suspense becomes very real for the reader. It is more powerful probably because of the economy of means and the plainness of the author's style. However, in his preoccupation with the master problem he has to solve and to put with the utmost urgency to his readers, Mr Brathwaite has not been able to penetrate deeply into the characters of the various members of the air crew. He makes an attempt to differentiate them; but the effect is not as strong as he might have wished. The background tends to blur. This is perhaps inevitable. As the Japanese come closer, no-one has time to remember that back in New Zealand Beatty read heavy books, besides playing a good forward game on the football field and being “a dexterous and slippery boy on the indoor basketball court.” But “Fear In The Night” will be long remembered in New Zealand for its extremely capable narrative style.

[camtech]

It is a great read and is still in my book case.

[Dave Homewood]

Same here. As is the follow up, An Affair of Men, and his other RNZAF book Long Way Home.

[snaphead]

i'm not sure but I recall hearing this story on the wireless . Idon't know if it was a radio serial or a ANZAC day story. but it was in the late 1950's early 1960's.

[pd1]

Most books that do cover the operations of the RNZAF GR and BR Sqns in the Pacific really brush on them amongst a much wider topic - usually the whole RNZAF. My intention is to make my book/project much more specific to just the GR and BR squadron's histories and the people who served in those squadrons.

Hi Dave

As the son of a BR (4 and 8 SQN’s) pilot (you have an electronic copy of his logbook) I applaud your efforts to attempt to document the history of the GR and BR squadrons and their personnel. In my opinion the absence of this record represents a significant deficit in the history of the RNZAF. I wish you all the best with this venture and if a book, manuscript, or podcast is the fruit of your labour I will be very keen to purchase a copy.

[Dave Homewood]

Thanks. I need to find another 24 hours per day to get everything done!

[clint]

Fear in the Night and Wings Over the Pacific are on my bookshelf. Have you read 'My Pacific Star' by Harry Deane? That's also a good read by someone who flew GR and BR Operations.

I'd definitely buy a copy of your book as well. Is there anyway we can assist?

[Dave Homewood]

At this stage, I don't think so. Copies of GR and BR aircrews' logbooks are always welcome though.