Before I Forget

Before I Forget by John MacNeil is an intimate Australian military memoir that brings RAAF service to life with dry humour, plainspoken warmth and a navigator’s eye for detail. Spanning a Melbourne childhood through 31 years in uniform, MacNeil writes from inside the routines and pressures of aviation—training, briefings, long patrols and the steady readiness that shapes a career in the air.

Accepted for aircrew as WWII ended, he returns during the Korean War and moves into high-responsibility maritime patrol work, flying Neptunes through the anxious decades of the Cold War. Alongside the operational tempo, he traces friendships built on base, postings across Australia and overseas, and the family life that travels with every relocation.

Ideal for readers of Australian aviation history, wartime memoir, and anyone curious about life in the Royal Australian Air Force beyond the headlines.

Add it to your shelf and discover the people behind the flights.