Wings of contrition: A tale of young men coming of age in the maelstrom and horror of the world's first air war (Doomed youth)

Born to a world of patriotism and privilege, James Caulfield thought he understood the difference between cowardice and courage. He thought he understood a lot of things. As the First World War ignites across Europe, eighteen year old James leaves the playing fields of Rugby School to join the Royal Flying Corps as a pilot. The spirit of gentlemanly amateurism that distinguishes the early months of the airborne conflict, gives way to an encroaching darkness as the British realise their flimsy planes and inadequate weaponry are no match for a prepared and determined enemy. Outgunned and outclassed a handful of young pilots on the cusp of manhood fight desperately to hold back the tide of war. As the squadron’s casualties mount, James comes to question the very meaning of sacrifice. Are the burnt blackened bodies of his friends really those of heroes or the inevitable result of a callous and indifferent allied leadership? Is honour anything more than just a platitude used to fool men into suicidal bravery? In this exciting and emotionally charged novel, Leon Hughes turns the lens from the outer drama of war to the inward struggle of the human spirit to survive, asking us what, above all, is worth dying for?