In Britain's struggle to survive in World War II, the role of Coastal Command was as vital as that of Fighter Command. But whereas the Battle of Britain was brief, dramatic and fulsomely glamorous, the Battle of the Atlantic was unending, for the most part deadly monotonous, and Coastal Command's 'aces' went largely unsung. The struggle against the U-boat began on the first day of the war and continued until the last. It involved Coastal's crews in ceaseless patrols over the unforgiving sea - by day and by night, in fair weather and foul, often in aircraft ill-adapted for their purpose. Yet Coastal's results were remarkable of the 727 U-boats sunk in World War II, no less than 192 were sunk by Coastal Command's aircraft.

In fulfilling its charge of ensuring 'the safe and timely' arrival of convoys, Coastal Command had also to counter foes other than the unbiquitous U-boat - the menace of the surface raider and the scourge of the Condor. Nor was the Coastal role entirely defensive. From 1940 onwards its strike squadrons with bombs, rockets and torpedoes carried the battle into enemy waters and inflicted mounting losses upon enemy shipping.

In this latest addition to Ian Allan's celebrated 'at War' series, Royal Air Force historian Chaz Bowyer relates the story of all Coastal Command's varied roles as seen through the eyes of the crews who took part. His fascinating text is illustrated with a wealth of photographs, many of which have not been published before.