Harry L. Gill, of Fredericton, New Brunswick, enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1940 at the age of 18. During his short but adventure-filled career, he flew a Hurricane fighter bomber over France, England, and India and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. In 1943 his airplane was shot down over Burma, and he died in the crash.

Hurricane Pilot captures the perspective of a young man in the middle of a war in Europe and Asia. Drawing extensively on Gill's correspondence with his parents and his siblings, this very personal account of war shows how Gill was transformed from a small-town boy to a mature fighter pilot serving in a global war on another continent. His letters depict the enthusiasm of youth, a strong sense of humour, his plans for the future, and this continuing attachment to home.

Hurricane Pilot is volume 10 in the New Brunswick Military Heritage Series.

J. Brent Wilson worked at the Centre for Conflict Studies and the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick for thirty-five years, where he was director of the New Brunswick Military Heritage Project, editor of the New Brunswick Military Heritage Book Series, and taught military history. He has conducted battlefield tours in France, Belgium, Canada, and the United States with the Canadian Battlefields Foundation, the Canadian Armed Forces, and commercial tour companies. His publications include Hurricane Pilot: The Wartime Letters of Harry L. Gill, DFM, 1940–1943 and A Family of Brothers: Soldiers of the 26th New Brunswick Battalion in the Great War.

J. Brent Wilson's profile page

Barbara J. Gill lives in Fredericton, New Brunswick. She is a poet, writer, visual artist, and registered nurse. Her service-oriented background includes political, labour, and human rights activism. Her poetry has been published in Canada, USA, and Israel. In 2006, she published Soul Gifts: The World's Self-Help Book and its companion Soul Rubbing™ Exercises: A Personal Vision Quest. Barbara is the oldest niece of Harry L. Gill.

Barbara J. Gill's profile page

"A rare glimpse into the heart and mind of an adventurous youth and skilled fighter pilot."

<i>Daily Gleaner</i>

"A war-time memoir in its purest and most personal form."

Canadian Press