Eyes of the Night

A history of 9 Group, Royal Air Force Fighter Command, formed specifically to protect Liverpool and Manchester during the darkest hours of WWII.

In the early years of World War II, two of Britain’s most important industrial cities, Liverpool and Manchester, were woefully unprotected from enemy bombing raids. Once the capitulation of France had occurred after Dunkirk, the Luftwaffe was able to base its vast bomber fleet at forward airfields that brought these strategic targets within their range. The effect was catastrophic and the two cities and surrounding industrial centers bore the brunt of the Nazi airborne blitz. It was clear that more anti-aircraft guns and fighter aircraft were desperately required to stop the slaughter of the population and vital industries. Thus was conceived 9 Group of the Royal Air Force, charged with the air defense of the entire region.

This book relates how the Group was formed and the immense difficulties involved—due to shortages of suitable aircraft, guns and operational infrastructure. Fought mostly at night during a period when night-fighter tactics were in their infancy and inexperienced aircrew were having to fly over difficult mountainous terrain and in appalling weather conditions resulting in a high casualty rate.

Eventually things improved and the Squadrons within 9 Group started to bring down significant numbers of raiding bombers whether they approached from the East or took advantage of neutral Ireland’s street lights to guide them via the Irish Sea to their intended targets.