Night Madness chronicles the incredible story of Ron Pyves, a teenager who fought as a tail-gunner over the wartorn skies of Europe during those last deadly months to eliminate Hitler's hold over Europe. For 35 harrowing nights, Ron and his crew flew out from the Scottish coast, deep into the Rhineland. Despite skies dark with Messerschmitts and deadly anti-aircraft flak, they returned to home-base, only to face the fight, night after night.
Breaking all odds for a tail-gunner, Ron made it through the war physically intact, only to face a new battle on the homefront -fighting Post Traumatic Stress Disorder caused by the memories of battle and his participation in the deadly bombing of Dresden.
Based on interviews, painstaking archival research, and a long-distance love affair captured in daily correspondence, Rick Pyves weaves together a touching love story and one man's very personal war.
Richard Pyves is an avid historian and genealogist. He grew up in Montreal and is a graduate of McGill University. He now lives near Toronto. Night Madness is the story of his father.