The Pathfinders cover art

The Pathfinders

The Elite RAF Force that Turned the Tide of WWII

 Preview
This Season's Biggest Deal

$0.99/mo for 3 months + $20 Audible bonus voucher

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.
Get this deal
Offer ends on 28 December, 2026.
More purchase options

The Pathfinders

By: Will Iredale
Narrated by: Richard Burnip
Get this deal

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo after 3 months. Offer ends 28 December, 2026. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $24.29

Buy Now for $24.29

This Season's Biggest Deal | $0.99/mo for 3 months + $20 Audible bonus

Auto-renews at $8.99/mo. after 3 months - terms apply.
Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Military History Matters Book of the Year Bronze Award Winner
'Compelling... sensitive, colourful and moving' -- Saul David, Telegraph

The incredible story of the crack team of men and women who transformed RAF Bomber Command and helped the Allies deliver decisive victory over Nazi Germany.

The Pathfinders were ordinary men and women from a range of nations who revolutionised the efficiency of the Allies' air campaign over mainland Europe. They elevated Bomber Command - initially the only part of the Allied war effort capable of attacking the heart of Nazi Germany - from an impotent force on the cusp of disintegration in 1942 to one capable of razing whole German cities to the ground in a single night, striking with devastating accuracy, inspiring fear and loathing in Hitler's senior command.

With exclusive interviews with remaining survivors, personal diaries and previously classified records, The Pathfinders brings to life the characters of the airmen and women - many barely out of their teens - who took to the skies in legendary British aircraft such as the Lancaster and the Mosquito, facing almost unimaginable levels of violence from enemy fighter planes to strike at the heart of the Nazi war machine.

© Will Iredale 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

 20th Century Air Forces Armed Forces Europe Great Britain Military Modern War Aviation

Critic Reviews

Book of the Year Bronze Award Winner
They were the bravest of the brave... [an] absorbing history
A sensitive, colourful and moving account... Compelling (Saul David)
Another excellent book by Will Iredale, delving into the story of Bomber Command's Pathfinder Squadrons with drama and pace. The human stories, and the incredible advancements in aerial warfare, leap from the page from start to finish
Fascinating and utterly gripping ... Will Iredale's painstaking research is impeccable, as is his storytelling. This stunning book is scored with unforgettable characters, reminding us this is a human story of resourcefulness, ingenuity, and above all, extraordinary courage (James Holland)
Painstakingly researched and brilliantly told: Will Iredale has really captured the essence of the RAF's elite pathfinder force
A highly-readable account of raw courage and technical innovation, brought to life by a master historian
A superb book full of evocative stories
Mesmeric ... their contribution to Britain's victory was vital ... skillfully interweaves details of the brave pilots' lives with a weighty account of British military strategy
All stars
Most relevant
Great overall story and many solid facts to support it. A few rather peripheral small topics distracted slightly from this and felt unnecessary

Surprising facts on how personalities and politics stood in the way of the Pathfinder’s creation and development

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This offered a great insight into the trials and tribulations of the pathfinder airmen and women. The additional information from veterans diaries added a very human element which I found quite moving especially as I grew up around the derelict 8 Group airfields many years after the war.

A great insight into the activities of the pathfinders.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Horrific losses to secure civilisation. Well read and written. Does not glorify conflict but emphasises the inhumanity imposed on very human ordinary people.

Makes war personal and real

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Well presented giving insight into the horrors of war including genius to bring about subjection to the intentions of an evil regime, involving the best of talents and flying skills

The high cost of victory

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Right mixture of fact and background testimony, riveting from start to finish.
I recommend it for all those interested in what it took for our young people who participated in this tragic episode of our history.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.