When Ollie's plane is downed behind enemy lines, both know that the chances of a reunion are very remote. The mission aims to air-drop hundreds of homing pigeons in German-occupied France, where many will not survive.Īs the mission date draws near, the friendship between Ollie and Susan deepens. His quest brings him to the National Pigeon Service, where Susan is involved in a new, covert assignment. Thousands of miles away in Buxton, Maine, a young crop-duster pilot named Ollie Evans has decided to travel to Britain to join the Royal Air Force. Duchess has proven to be the most extraordinary of all Susan's birds, as the two share a special bond and an unusual curiosity about the world. After losing her parents as a child, Susan found comfort in raising homing pigeons.

This was just 16-and-a-half hours after the coronation commenced at 11am. The Duke of Sussex caught a British Airways flight shortly after King Charles service finished and arrived at Los Angeles International Airport at about 7.30pm local time (3.30am UK). It is September 1940, and as German bombs fall on Britain, fears grow of an impending invasion.Įnemy fighter planes blacken the sky around Epping Forest, the home of Susan Shepherd and her grandfather, Bertie. Prince Harry has landed back in California just 16 hours after his fathers coronation. Inspired by fascinating, true, yet little-known events during World War II, The Long Flight Home is a testament to the power of courage in our darkest hours.

A moving, masterfully written story of love and sacrifice, perfect for fans of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Dear Mrs Bird.

The long flight home book