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| CLICK HERE FOR A FULL LIST OF ALL NICOLAS TRUDGIAN PRINTS BY TITLE |
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Nicolas Trudgian Prints  Royal Air Force  Spitfire |
[UP] - Spitfire - Hurricane - Lancaster - Mosquito - Vulcan - Typhoon - Hunter - Kittyhawk - Sopwith Camel - Halifax - SE5a - Gladiator - Bristol - RAF Print List |
Spitfire Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954. |
| Nicolas Trudgian Spitfire Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Art |
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Head to Head by Nicolas Trudgian A classic head-to-head combat between Squadron Leader Sandy Johnstone in his Spitfire and an Me109 over the south coast of England on 25th August, 1940. With 602 Squadron scrambled to intercept an approaching raid. The Commanding Officer notches up his second victory of the day. Published 2000. |
First Flap of the Day by Nicolas Trudgian. HM Stephen - one of the Battle of Britains top scoring fighter pilots, brings down two Me109s in quick succession over the White Cliffs of Dover, early on August 11, 1940. Flying a Spitfire with 74 Squadron, HM shot down five German aircraft on this day, and damaged a further three. The note in his log book starts First flap of the day at 0600 hrs ... Published 2000. Sadly, all of the pilots who signed this edition have since passed away. |
Patrolling the Beaches by Nicolas Trudgian. Issued to commemorate the 55th anniversary of D-Day, this print captures the moment as 401 Squadron Spitfires cross the beachhead for their fourth, and last, patrol on D-Day itself - June 6. |
Safely Home by Nicolas Trudgian. An Avro Lancaster bomber of Bomber Command is escorted back over the English coast by two Spitfires after a night bombing mission. |
Combat Over Beachy Head by Nicolas Trudgian. Mickey Mount, flying his 602 Squadron MkII Spitfire, successfully attacks a Messerschmitt Me109 low over the cliffs of Beachy Head on the south coast during the Battle of Britain in the summer of 1940. Spitfires and Me109s were so evenly matched at this early point in the war that the outcome of such contests were usually decided by the skill of the competing pilots. |
Heroes Return by Nicolas Trudgian. In a classic image of wartime England, Mk V Spitfires, symbol of the RAF, defiant against the threat of the Luftwaffe return to their base in the heart of the beautiful rolling English countryside. |
September Victory by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Spitfires pass above a downed Me110 as they return to base at Biggin Hill in September 1940, the most intense and crucial phase of the Battle of Britain. |
Victory Over Gold by Nicolas Trudgian. Frustrated by the absence of Luftwaffe aircraft over the Normandy beaches on D-Day, Allied fighter pilots were spoiling for a fight. When a dozen Ju88s appeared over Gold Beach on the following morning, June 7, 1944, the patrolling Spitfires of 401 Squadron wasted no time in getting into the fray. At just after 0800 hours twelve Junkers Ju88s appeared out of the 2000ft. cloud base, intent on making a diving attack on the heavily populated beachhead. Wheeling their Spitfires into the on-coming attack, Squadron Leader Cameron, C.O. of 401 Squadron, called his pilots to pick their own targets, and all hell broke loose. In the ensuing dogfight 401 Squadrons Canadian pilots destroyed no fewer than six of the Ju88s, and the attack on the beach was averted. Nicolas Trudgian recreates the scene as Flying Officer Arthur Bishop, son of WWI Ace Billy Bishop, brings down one of the Ju88s that day. With its starboard engine on fire, and its hydraulics shot away, the doomed Luftwaffe fighter-bomber begins its ultimate uncontrollable roll. F/O Arthur Bishop hurtles past the stricken bomber, Nicks superb study showing every detail of his Mk IX Spitfire. Below the pockmarked landscape and beachhead is packed with detail and activity: No fewer than fifty vehicles of all description can be counted, with as many ships and landing craft offshore. Some thirty aircraft are visible in the sky. A massively comprehensive image that will keep collectors endlessly absorbed in a wholly realistic atmosphere, created by a hugely talented and highly respected aviation artist. |
Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. The success of Operation Bodenplatte, on January 1, 1945, was to be achieved by mass surprise attacks on British and American bases in France, Belgium and Holland. It was a battle fought at great cost to the Luftwaffe. During the battles some 300 Luftwaffe aircraft were lost. Though 200 Allied aircraft were destroyed, most on the ground, pilot losses were light. Nicolas Trudgians brilliant painting takes us right into the action above the Allied air base at Eindhoven. Me262 jets join a concentration of Me109s and Fw190s of JG-3 fighter wing, as they hurtle across the airfield in an assault that lasted 23 minutes, while Spitfires from 414 Sqn RCAF do their best to repel the attack. On the ground Typhoon fighters of 439 Sqn take a hammering. Signed by four top Luftwaffe pilots who flew in Operation Bodenplatte. Published in 1998, this great art print sold steadily through the following 12 years and now very few are available. Due to the outstanding signatures sadly none of whom are with us anymore the value has increased from the issue price to nearly double in the first 14 years . This is certainly one to add to your collection. Nicolas Trudgian's early releases were very under priced and many had fantastic signatures. Many collectors recognised this fact in the early years and wisely took advantage of these great initial offer prices, meaning many of these sought after editions soon became hard to find. |
Fighter Legend - Johnnie Johnson by Nicolas Trudgian. A special tribute to fighter Ace Johnnie Johnson who personally signed this entire edition - published late 1980s. |
Normandy Fighter Sweep by Nicolas Trudgian. Johnnie Johnson leads his Canadian Wing Spitfires over the Normandy beaches on D-Day, 1944. |
Their Finest Hour by Nicolas Trudgian. Situated on the south eastern tip of Kent, RAF Hawkinge was the most forward airfield in Fighter Command. It was not surprising therefore that when Reichmarshal Goering began his fierce attacks on airfields - part of his softening up campaign in preparation for Hitlers Adler Tag (Eagle Day) - Hawkinge would be among the first in his sights. The Luftwaffe were putting up massive raids - over 1700 aircraft crossed the coast on August 16th - and RAF bases in the south-east were taking a pounding. Hawkinge, a satellite of Biggin Hill sector station, and vital to front line defences, lay right in the path of the raiding Luftwaffe hordes. When on August 12th it was bombed for the first time, its effect was only to harden the resolve of its pilots and groundstaff. MkI Spitfires of No.610 County of Chester Squadron are seen scrambling out of RAF Hawkinge in late August 1940. refuelled and re-armed, with scarlet patches covering the gunports, all serviceable aircraft roar off the grass strip and head back to the fray. With aerial battles raging all the way from 2000 to 20,000 feet, within minutes they will be back in the action. Ground crews in the foreground work frantically to get more Spitfires airworthy. In the background Hurricanes from No.32 Squadron are at readiness, and will be called into action as the primitive radar picks up the next incoming raid. |
Home at Dawn by Nicolas Trudgian. When No 49 Squadron Lancasters bombed the S.S. barracks at Berchtesgaden on 25th April 1945, its aircrews completed a campaign that had begun 5 and a half years earlier in September, 1939. From the very beginning, 49 Squadron were in the thick of the action with one of their pilots, Roderick Learoyd, winning Bomber Commands first Victoria Cross. In 1942 it was Lancasters of 49 Squadron that led the epic raid on Schneider armament and locomotive works at Le Creusot. In 1943 they flew the shuttle-bombing raids to Friedrichshafen and Spezia, attacked the heavily defended rocket sites at Peenemunde, and in preparation for D-Day, bombarded the coastal batteries in Normandy and the V-1 sites in the caves by the river Loire, north of Paris. Later in 1944 the squadron notably took part in the raid on German Baltic Fleet, continuing to fly important bombing missions against the Nazi war machine until the final collapse of the Third Reich. So it was fitting that an RAF squadron whose history went right back to 1916, should make the coupe de grace at Berchtesgarden. Northern Europes short summer nights, with darkness lasting but a few hours, often saw the RAF bomber crews returning to England at dawn, and it is one such scene which is caught up over the river Orwell at Pin Mill, Lancasters of No. 49 Squadron descend low over Suffolk, heading towards their base at Fiskerton. The night raid on Hamburg is almost completed. Spitfires from No. 129 Squadron, based at Hornchurch, having made an early morning attack on German installations in Holland, have picked up the bombers and escorted them home. |
Summer of 44 by Nicolas Trudgian. As the Allied invasion of northern France drew nearer, the entire length of southern England had seemingly become one huge army camp. While the local population went about its daily business as best it could, British and American troops massed at every point near the coast in readiness for the imminent crossing of the Channel. Though the RAF fighters of 10 Group were tasked in the Air Defense role, like all RAF squadrons that could be spared, they became involved with the softening up process, a pre-requisite of any large scale landing on enemy occupied territory. Under the leadership of Wing Commander Peter Brothers, 10 Groups Spitfire Wing based at Culmhead was heavily involved flying shipping patrols over the beachhead and Rhubarbs - low-level strikes of opportunity - disrupting enemy movements and communications.Nicolas Trudgians comprehensive painting Summer of 44 recreates with such realism a scene in southwest England just a few days before the Normandy landings in June 1944. Mark IX Spitfires of No. 126 Squadron, returning from combat over France, sweeps low over the local branch line railway station on their way back to Culmhead. Below, as the GWR Prairie tank engine pulls out of the station, American troops are assembling their equipment in readiness for the impending invasion. Adding great atmosphere to his composition, Nick has painted a classically peaceful English landscape, highlighting the unique contrast between war and peace that pervaded Britain during that summer of 44. Published 2000. Only 8 prints of this edition remain. Signed by two of the most outstanding Spitfire Wing Leaders of World War II. |
Normandy Breakout by Nicolas Trudgian. Spitfires of No. 132 Squadron rush towards the Front to give ground support to the advancing Allied forces following breakout from the Normandy beaches, June 1944. Published 2003. Signed by three highly decorated fighter pilots who flew combat missions on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and during the Battle for Normandy. |
Back from Normandy by Nicolas Trudgian. Like the Messerschmitt 109, its great adversary throughout almost six years of aerial combat, the Spitfire was a fighter par excellence. Good as many other types may have been, these two aircraft became symbols of the two opposing air forces they represented. Their confrontation, which began in 1940 during the Battle of Britain, continued without interruption until the last days of World War Two. From an air force teetering on extinction in the dark days of 1940, by the summer of 1944 the pilots of RAF Fighter Command had fought their way back to become top dogs. And when the invasion of northern France came, they swept over the beaches in force, cutting deep into enemy occupied territory, hammering the enemy in the air and on the ground. Key to this air superiority was the supreme performance of the Spitfire, its ability to out-fly the Luftwaffes best, and the wily leadership of the pilots who had survived the early air battles of the war. Among the best was 26 year old Pete Brothers, by 1944 a highly successful and experienced fighter pilot commanding his own Wing. Having fought through the battles of France and Britain, now with a clutch of air victories to his credit, in 1944 he took command of first the Exeter Wing, and then the Culmhead Wing, ideally placed to support the coming invasion of Normandy. Nick Trudgians striking painting recreates a typical scene as Mk IX Spitfires of 126 Squadron, led by Wing Commander Pete Brothers flying his Mk V11 Spitfire wearing high altitude paint scheme, race back to base at RAF Culmhead after a low-level attack on enemy transport in Normandy. The Culmhead Spitfire Wing flew constant armed Rhubarb attacks in support of the invasion from D-Day - June 6 1944 - till the first improvised strips were established in France a few weeks following the invasion. This beautiful aviation print, contrasting the frenetic pace of war with a restful English coastal landscape, evokes the memory of a legendary fighter aircraft that, flown by gallant pilots, helped change the course of history. Prints are signed by Pete Brothers and two other pilots who flew Spitfires in combat during World War II. |
Spitfire Country by Nicolas Trudgian. A typical scene from a bright August morning in that momentous summer of 1940. Having climbed into the dawn sky at daybreak, the Spitfires of No 603 Squadron have already been in action, and with more heavy raids on the plotters table, they scurry back to Biggin Hill to re-arm and refuel. A Messerschmitt Me109, shot down during the previous days fighting, lies discarded in a hay field, its lucky pilot having escaped with his life. Meanwhile, the beautiful Kent countryside comes awake as it prepares for the toils of another glorious summers day. |
Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the Supermarine Spitfire and the Messerschmitt Me262. Both in their day represented enormous advances in aircraft design and power, and both have continued to capture the imagination of aviation enthusiasts ever since. As the war progressed the Spitfire continually upgraded its performance and by the time the Luftwaffes new Me262 turbo-jet arrived on the scene the sleek new Mk XIV, powered by the awesome Griffon engine, was among the fastest piston-engine fighters of the war. The stage was set for a clash between the most powerful piston-engine fighter and the worlds first turbojet, and it was not long before the pilots of these two most advanced combat aircraft met in the hostile skies over western Europe. Ill-advisedly employed by Hitler as the wonder-bomber, the Me262 was initially issued to Bomber Units, one of which being KG51. Tasked with undertaking lightning fast raids upon advancing Allied ground forces, the shark-like jets employed their spectacular speed advantage to surprise, strike and escape. Not to be outdone, the RAF responded with their supremely fast Spitfire XIVs which had already proven themselves highly effective against Germanys V1 flying bombs. In his painting, Nick Trudgian recreates a typical moment: Spitfire Mk XIVs of 41 Squadron have intercepted and damaged a Me262 of KG51 and, with smoke and debris pouring from its damaged Jumo 004 Turbojet, the stricken Luftwaffe jet will be lucky to make it home. A dramatic painting and a fine tribute to the RAFs contribution to the Victory in Europe. |
Winter of 41 by Nicolas Trudgian. With the Battle of Britain won, and the first chinks in Goerings armour exposed, RAF Fighter Command is at last able to carry the war to the enemy. It is the bittersweet winter of 41. Mk Vb Spitfires, having taken off as the first streaks of dawn spread across the morning sky, return to a snow-covered airfield after a dawn patrol over the Channel. Inhabitants of the sleepy English village begin to stir with the familiar sound of Merlin engines, counting each and every one of their fighter boys home. |
| Known Aces for this aircraft |
| Ace Name | Victories |
| James E "Johnnie" Johnson | 36.91 |
| Adolf Gysbert Malam | 35.00 |
| Marmaduke Pattle | 34.00 |
| Brendon E "Paddy" Finucane | 32.00 |
| George Frederick Beurling | 31.50 |
| Robert Stanford-Tuck | 29.00 |
| Clive Caldwell | 28.50 |
| James Harry "Ginger" Lacey | 28.00 |
| Neville F Duke | 28.00 |
| Francis S Gabreski | 28.00 |
| Colin Falkland Gray | 27.50 |
| Eric Stanley Lock | 26.50 |
| Pierre H Closterman | 26.00 |
| Lance C Wade | 25.00 |
| Douglas Bader | 23.00 |
| Don E Kingaby | 23.00 |
| Harbourne M Stephen | 22.50 |
| Alan Christopher Deere | 22.00 |
| Evan Dall Mackie | 21.50 |
| Archibald Ashmore "Archie" McKellar | 21.00 |
| James E Rankin | 21.00 |
| Raymond Hiley Harries | 20.00 |
| John Cunningham | 20.00 |
| Dominic S Gentile | 19.83 |
| Duane W Beeson | 19.33 |
| James S Varnell Jr | 17.00 |
| W G G Duncan-Smith | 17.00 |
| James Francis Edwards | 16.50 |
| R N Baker | 16.50 |
| Ronald Berry | 16.00 |
| Agorastos "John" Plagis | 16.00 |
| Brian John George Carbury | 15.50 |
| Donald James Mathew Blakeslee | 15.50 |
| Ian Richard Gleed | 15.00 |
| Peter Malam Brothers | 15.00 |
| Robert Francis Thomas Doe | 15.00 |
| James A Goodson | 15.00 |
| Samuel J Brown | 15.00 |
| Archie Glenn Donahue | 14.00 |
| Robert C Curtis | 14.00 |
| Tom Neil | 14.00 |
| John Connell Freeborn | 13.50 |
| Claude Weaver III | 13.50 |
| George Carpenter | 13.33 |
| Roderick Illingworth Alpine Smith | 13.20 |
| John Donald Rae | 13.00 |
| James L Brooks | 13.00 |
| John J Lynch | 13.00 |
| Tony Gaze | 12.50 |
| David C Fairbanks | 12.50 |
| Alan Geoffrey Page | 12.50 |
| Howard D Hively | 12.00 |
| Pierce W McKennon | 12.00 |
| James Averell Clark Jr | 11.50 |
| George Harman "Ben" Bennions | 11.00 |
| Hugh Spencer Leslie Dundas | 11.00 |
| Charles Milton McCorkle | 11.00 |
| John B Lawler | 11.00 |
| Leland P Molland | 11.00 |
| Norman L McDonald | 11.00 |
| Robert J Goebel | 11.00 |
| Bobby Gibbes | 10.50 |
| Richard Joseph Audet | 10.50 |
| George C "Grumpy" Unwin | 10.00 |
| Albert Ulrich Houle | 10.00 |
| Michael Gladych | 10.00 |
| Spiros N Pisanos | 10.00 |
| Sylvan Feld | 9.00 |
| Arthur G Johnson Jr | 8.50 |
| Carroll W McColpin | 8.00 |
| Dale E Shafer | 8.00 |
| James O Tyler | 8.00 |
| J M Ainley | 8.00 |
| John Bisdee | 8.00 |
| Paul Farnes | 8.00 |
| Wallace 'Jock' Cunningham | 8.00 |
| MacArthur Powers | 7.50 |
| Francis Dawson-Paul | 7.50 |
| James Douglas Lindsay | 7.00 |
| Arnold E Vinson | 7.00 |
| Carl W Payne | 7.00 |
| Chesley G Peterson | 7.00 |
| Daniel J Zoerb | 7.00 |
| Frank A Hill | 7.00 |
| Gregory A Daymond | 7.00 |
| John Harvey Curry | 7.00 |
| Murry D McLaughlin | 7.00 |
| Reade Franklin Tilley | 7.00 |
| Ripley Ogden Jones | 7.00 |
| Bob Foster | 7.00 |
| Wilf Sizer | 7.00 |
| Richard F Hurd | 6.09 |
| Fred F Ohr | 6.00 |
| Henry L Mills | 6.00 |
| James Eldridge Peck | 6.00 |
| J D Collinsworth | 6.00 |
| Lewis W Chick Jr | 6.00 |
| Merriwell W Vineyard | 6.00 |
| Raymond C Care | 6.00 |
| Raymond F Harmeyer | 6.00 |
| Roy William Evans | 6.00 |
| William J Dillard | 6.00 |
| William R Dunn | 6.00 |
| D M Pieri | 6.00 |
| Basil Gerald 'Stapme' Stapleton | 6.00 |
| Walter Lawson | 6.00 |
| Frederick O Trafton Jr | 5.50 |
| Joseph P Lynch | 5.50 |
| Oscar Hoffman Coen | 5.50 |
| Keith Ashley Lawrence | 5.00 |
| Harrison R Thyng | 5.00 |
| Arthur B Cleaveland | 5.00 |
| Charles R Fischette | 5.00 |
| David C Wilhelm | 5.00 |
| Edward L Gimbel | 5.00 |
| George G Loving Jr | 5.00 |
| Jackson B Mahon | 5.00 |
| James E Peck | 5.00 |
| James W Empey | 5.00 |
| John H White | 5.00 |
| Kenneth G Smith | 5.00 |
| Richard D Faxon | 5.00 |
| Richard L Alexander | 5.00 |
| Selden E Edner | 5.00 |
| Virgil C Fields Jr | 5.00 |
| V N Cabas | 5.00 |
| P G Johnson | 5.00 |
| H P M Zary | 5.00 |
| R L Burnett III | 5.00 |
| J N Thorne | 5.00 |
| J A Carey | 4.50 |
| R M Davenport | 4.50 |
| M K Fletcher | 4.50 |
| J E Butler | 4.50 |
| J A Adams | 4.50 |
| J Aitken Jr | 4.50 |
| J A Jacobs | 4.50 |
| V J France | 4.50 |
| V H Wynn | 4.00 |
| M G H McPharlin | 3.00 |
| W J Daley | 2.50 |
| Spitfire Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Squadron Leader Cyril Bam Bamberger Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2008 | Squadron Leader Cyril Bam Bamberger Born in Port Sunlight on May 4th 1919, Cyril Bamberger won an electrical engineering apprenticeship at Lever Brothers in 1934. He joined 610 Squadron AuxAF, in 1936 on the ground staff. Accepted for pilot training with the RAF VR in late 1938, he soloed in mid 1939. Bamberger was called up at the outbreak of war and on the 23rd October 1939 was posted to No 8 EFTS, Woodley and later went to 9 FTS, Hullavington to complete his training. He rejoined 610 (F) Squadron at Biggin Hill on July 27th but with no experience on Spitfires, he was sent to Hawarden for three weeks. Back with 610 (F) Squadron, Bamberger claimed a probable Bf109 on August 28th 1940. He was posted to 41 (F) Squadron at Hornchurch, Essex, September 17th and on October 5th he claimed a Bf109 destroyed. After volunteering for Malta, Bamberger left 41 (F) Squadron in mid-October 1940. He sailed from Glasgow on the Aircraft Carrier HMS Argus. Luckily for him, he did not fly off for Malta with the twelve Hurricanes ad two navigating Skuas which did. Only five of the fourteen aircraft reached their destination. Bamberger eventually reached Malta on November 28th on the destroyer HMS Hotspur, and on arrival he joined 261 Squadron. On January 18th 1941 he destroyed a Junkers JU87 Stuka and another the following day. 261 Squadron was dispended on May 21st 1941. Bamberger moved on the 12th to the newly formed 185 (F) Squadron at Hal Far. He was posted back to England on June 12th and was sent to Central Gunnery School at Sutton Bridge. Commissioned in February 1942, he was posted to Northern Ireland as a Gunnery Officer with the Americans who were converting to Spitfires. In March 1943 Bamberger volunteered for North Africa where he joined 93 Squadron at Hal Far, Malta in May. On July 13th operating over Sicily, he shot down a Junkers JU87 Stuka. In August Bamberger joined 243 Squadron in Sicily as a Flight Commander. He was awarded the DFC (28.09.43). On October 16th Bamberger damaged a Bf109, his first success after 243 crossed into Italy. On May 25th 1944 he claimed a Bf109 destroyed and on June 15th a Macci 202 damaged. Bamberger came off operations in July for medical reasons returning to the UK. He was sent on an instructors course and in early 1945 was posted to the Gunnery School at Catfoss. Awarded a bar to his DFC (14.11.44). Bamberger received it from the King at Buckingham Palace on July 3rd 1945. Released in 1946, Bamberger returned to Lever Brothers and rejoined 610 Squadron at Hooten Park, becoming its CO in 1950. When the Korean crisis came, he was recalled to the RAF. In February 1951 he was granted a permanent commission and in May 1952 moved to an Intelligence Unit, assessing strike capabilities of the Chinese and Koreans. Bamberger retired on January 29th 1959 as a Squadron Leader, and became managing director of a small packaging materials company – he started in 1954. On retirement he had an antique shop in Hampshire. Sadly, Cyril Bamberger passed away on 3rd February 2008. |
  Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp DFC AFC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2008 | Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp DFC AFC At the outbreak of war Paddy flew obsolete Hinds, Hectors and Lysanders in combat, but converted to Spitfires and joined 602 Squadron at Tangmere. During the Battle of Britain he flew with some of the great aces - Douglas Bader, Sailor Malan, and Bob Stanford Tuck. In 1941 he was a Flight Commander with 610 Squadron. Continuing to fly Spitfires, now with 122 Squadron based at Hornchurch, he flew fighter sweeps and escort missions. On 17th May 1942 he was shot down over St Omer. He baled out but was captured, spending the next three years as a POW. One of the RAFs best known and best loved characters, though the bane of certain senior officers, Paddy Barthropps RAF service spanned the period from bi-planes to supersonic jets. Joining the RAF in 1938, his first squadron was 613 flying Hinds, Hectors and Lysanders. In 1940 he was released to fly Spitfires with 602 Squadron where he shared in the destruction of two aircraft. He was posted to 610 Squadron, and then to 91 Squadron, shooting down two Bf 109s during summer 1941 and receiving the DFC. In August 1941 he returned to 610 Squadron as a flight commander. He was shot down three times, the third time being taken prisoner ofwar. He had by then brought his total to 9. Scraps in the air were accompanied by scrapes on the ground, and appearances in Magistrates Courts for disorderly conduct. Addicted to fast cars and lively ladies - and the sworn enemy of stuffed shirts everywhere - he was the irrepressible life and soul of any party, and a persistant thorn in the side of overweening authority as the Germans were to discover. The war over, he was posted to the Empire Test Pilots School where he flew over a hundred different types of plane in ten months. Soon, he was out in the Sudan and in serious trouble again - under arrest after taking a hippo to an upper-crust party. As a boy, he had been taught to ride by champion jockey Steve Donaghue and now, posted to Hong Kong, he rode winners on the track at Happy Valley, and seriously thought of turning professional. Then it was back to the U.K. to take up an appointment as a Fighter Station Commander, and to lead the Coronation fly-past over Buckingham Palace. He left the RAF to set up his own luxury car-hire firm. He died on 16th April 2008. |
  Raymond Baxter Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2006 | Raymond Baxter Spitfire pilot, and the voice of British aviation broadcasting. Raymond Baxter was born on January 25, 1922 in Ilford, Essex. In 1940 at the age of 18, Baxter joined the Royal Air Force and became a Spitfire pilot with the celebrated 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron, rising to the rank of Flight Lieutenant and being mentioned in despatches for his part in Operation Big Ben, when six of 602s Spitfires, converted to carry small bombs, attacked the Bataafsche petrol company in Holland to try to wipe out the headquarters of the German V2 rocket forces, which were the plague of London at the time. Baxter was also twice mentioned in despatches. In 1945 Baxter joined Forces Broadcasting in Cairo. After the war he was deputy director of the British Forces Network in Hamburg and went on to the BBC. Raymond Baxter is probabaly best known for being in the Tomorrows World TV series which he was involved with since the beginning in 1965. Raymond Baxter stayed with Tomorrows World for 12 years. A regular participant in the Monte Carlo Rally - he competed in no fewer than 14 of them - he showed his professionalism in the 1954 event when the car in which he was travelling skidded into a ditch in central France. Although shaken by the incident and sustaining a cut over his eye, Baxter immediately recorded a description of what had happened. On three occasions he was a member of a winning rally team. He was also an accomplished Formula 1 commentator. Baxter would also commentate at many major historical moments, the funerals of Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten of Burma, the 1953 Coronation and the the annual Festival of Remembrance. He also commentated at many aviation events and also is know for his commentary for Concorde's first flight. A favourite recreation was boating. He served on the management committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and was vice-president from 1987 to 1997. As honorary admiral of the Association of Dunkirk Little Ships he took a prominent part in events to mark the 60th anniversary of the Dunkirk evacuation in June 2000. Baxter was appointed OBE in 2003. Sadly Raymond Baxter died on September 15, 2006, aged 84. |
  Squadron Leader Ben Bennions DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £70 Died : 2004 | Squadron Leader Ben Bennions DFC Ben Bennions joined the RAF in 1929 and after pilot training he was posted to 41 Squadron. He was already a seasoned Spitfire pilot by the outbreak of World War Two. During the Battle of Britain he destroyed 12 enemy aircraft and 5 probables before being shot down on October 1st 1940. Ben baled out, and badly wounded with one eye destroyed and serious head injuries underwent plastic surgery by Archie McIndoe. He is the sole surviving Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot who is both a member of the Caterpillar Club (using silk parachutes) and a founder member of the Guinea Pig Club (those who underwent plastic surgery) Ben Bennions died 30th January 2004. |
  Flying Officer Arthur Bishop RCAF Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2013 | Flying Officer Arthur Bishop RCAF Arthur Bishop is the son of Billy Bishop VC, perhaps the most famous of all the First World War Canadian Aces. Arthur joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. Arriving in England he joined 401 Squadron RCAF flying Spitfires as part of 83 Group in the then recently formed 2nd TAF. After D-Day the Squadron was based in France, where he continued intensive flying. After the war he became a distinguished Canadian author, whose books include The Splendid Hundred - the story of Canadians who flew in the Battle of Britain. Arthur Bishop died 14th February 2013 aged 89. |
  Colonel Don Blakeslee Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2008 | Colonel Don Blakeslee Joining the RAF in 1940 Don Blakeslee flew Spitfires with 401 Squadron. When the Eagle Squadron were formed he transferred as an experienced flight commander with several victories to his credit. An aggressive and fearless fighter pilot, Blakeslee was promoted to lead 133 Squadron, and was described as the best fighter leader the war produced. Already an Ace, he transferred to the USAAF 4th Fighter Group. By the war end he had over four years of continuous combat flying, and 14.5 air victories to his credit. Colonel Don Blakeslee sadly passed away on 3rd September 2008. |
 Captain Richard Braley Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2006 | Captain Richard Braley Richard Braley joined the Royal Air Force as a volunteer in March, 1942. He flew Spitfires with 64 Squadron before being personally recruited by by General McColpin to join 133 Squadron - the third 'Eagle' squadron to be formed by the RAF. On September 12, 1942, the Eagle Squadrons were transferred to the USAAF and activated as the 4th Figher Group. Richard Braley was one of the squadron P-51 strafing experts - attacking and destroying numerous trains, a bridge and an electrical plant. He flew over 210 combat missions, first in Spitfires, then in P-47s and P-51s - including 3 missions as Flight Commander of 336 Squadron on D-Day. He died on 24th January 2006. |
  Captain Jim Brooks Our estimated value of this signature : £45 | Captain Jim Brooks Jim Brooks joined the 31st Fighter Group in Italy in early 1944, flying the P51 against Me109s, Fw190s, and the Italian Macchi Mc202. He scored his first victory on a mission to Ploesti. Later, leading the 307th Fighter Squadron on a Russian shuttle mission, they engaged a large formation of Ju87 Stukas, shooting down 27 enemy aircraft, Jim Brooks accounting for three of them. He ended his tour with 280 combat hours, and 13 confirmed victories. |
  Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2008 | Air Commodore Peter Brothers CBE, DSO, DFC* Learnt to fly at the age of 16 and joined the RAF two years later in 1936. He first saw action in 1940 when as a Flight Commander in 32 Squadron, based at Biggin Hill, he flew his Hurricane against the fighters and bombers of the Luftwaffe. He recalls this as an intensely busy period, during which he shot down an Me109 - his first enemy aircraft; by the end of August that same year his tally of enemy aircraft shot down increased to eight. Awarded the DFC, he was transferred to 257 Squadron where he joined Bob-Stanford Tuck as a Flight Commander. Promoted in 1941 to Squadron Leader, Pete Brothers then took command of 457 Squadron RAAF, equipped with Spitfires. A year later when 457 Squadron returned to Australia, Pete took command of 602 Squadron. In the early autumn of 1942 he went on to become Wing Leader of the Tangmere Wing, succeeding his old friend, Douglas Bader. By the end of the war Pete Brothers had amassed 875 operational hours over a 44-month period. He was credited with having personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He later went on to command 57 Squadron during the Malaya campaign. Upon return to the UK Pete Brothers joined the V-Force, flying Valiant-4 jet bombers. He retired in 1973. Sadly, Pete Brothers died 18th December 2008. |
  Squadron Leader Maurice Peter Brown Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2011 | Squadron Leader Maurice Peter Brown Maurice Peter Brown (known as Peter) was born in London on 17th June 1919. On leaving school he qualified for entry in the civil service with an appointment in the Air Ministry. But in April 1938 he left to join the Royal Air Force with a short service commission. In September 1939 he was posted to 611 West Lancashire Squadron with Spitfires in 12 Group, initially at Duxford and then Digby. His initiation into battle was over Dunkirk. He was at readiness throughout the Battle of Britain, including with the controversial Ducford Big Wing on 15th September, when the Luftwaffe's morale was broken, and then in late September with 41 Squadron at Hornchurch where the fiercest fighting with highest casualties had taken place. It was a quantum leap. In June 1941, after serving as a flight commander in the squadron, Peter was posted as an instructor to 61 Operational Training Unit at Heston and other OTUs and then at AFUs as a Squadron Leader Flying. He left the RAF with the rank of Squadron Leader and was awarded the Air Force Cross. In his flying career, Maurice Peter Brown flew Spitfire Mk.I, Mk.II and Mk.V. We have learned the sad news that Maurice Peter Brown passed away on 20th January 2011. |
  Lt Col Bob Curtis Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2021 | Lt Col Bob Curtis Bob Curtis arrived in North Africa in 1943, moving to Sicily soon after, flying Spitfires with the 52nd Fighter Group. He scored his first air victory over an Me109 flying his Spitfire, and later survived a bail out when his fighter was badly damaged after a building he strafed exploded beneath him. Moving across to the 15th Air Force, the 52nd Fighter Group re-equipped with the P-51 and Bob Curtis became a Squadron Commander. He added 13 more to his score flying the P-51, ending his war with 14 victories. He died on 31st March 2021. |
 Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £80 Died : 1995 | Air Commodore Alan Deere DSO DFC* Top scoring New Zealand Ace with 22 victories, Deere was born in Auckland on December 12th 1917. Alan Deere would become one of the RAFs finest pilots. Joining the RAF in 1937, in September 1938 Al Deere was posted to No.54 Sqn at the time flying Gloster Gladiators, then in early 1940 the Squadron converted to Spitfires. His first brush with death happened when his oxygen failed while at altitude and ke blacked out, coming to only in time to pull his aircraft out of a dive and certain death. At the beginning of May 1940 Deere took part in the intensive air war over Dunkirk and on 23rd May 1940 Deere took part in a daring rescue operation. He and Pilot Officer Allen escorted their flight commander, James Leathart, to France where he was to land a Miles Master trainer and pick up the CO of 74 Squadron who had made a forced landing on the airfield at Calais-Marck. While the pick up was made, Alan Deere was at low level with Pilot Officer Allen at 8000 feet. As Flight Commander James Leathart prepared for take off in the Master, Pilot Offcier Allen spotted a flight o Bf109s coming their way. Deere scored his first victory, as a strafing Bf109 pulled out of its dive, presenting a perfect target. Deere fired a short burst and the aircraft stalled and then crashed into the sea. Deere, climbing to help Allen, crossed the path of two 109s, one of which turned towards him. Deere also turned, firing at the second one, which rolled over and dived away. Pursuing the first one, he caught up at treetop height and pursued him, firing off his remaining ammunition before the German headed for home. During the whole event Deere and Allen accoutned for three Bf109s shot down and three damaged. All three aircraft returned to their base at RAF Hornchurch. During four days - 23rd to 29th May - Deere shot down three Bf109s and three Bf110s but his luck ran out and he was shot down over Dunkirk while attacking a Dornier Do17 and luckily managed a forced landing in Belgium where he optained a bicycle and cycled to Dunkirk where he managed to get on a destroyer and returned to Hornchurch within 30 hours of taking off. In June he was decorated with the DFC by the King at a special ceremony at Hornchurch. Alan Deere destroyed seven more enemy fighters and one bomber during the Battle of Britian and was awarded a Bar to the DFC. In January 1941 became an Operations Room Controller. He returned to operations on 7th May 1941, joining 602 Squadron in Scotland as a Flight Commander. On August 1st 1941 Alan Deere took command of 602 Squadron and on that day destroyed a Bf109. When his second operational tour ended in January 1942 Deere went to the USA to lecture on fighter tactics. In May 1942, he took command of 403 Squadron, commanding the squadron until August before being posted to staff duties. During a temporary attachment to 611 Squadron in February 1943 Deere destroyed an Fw190. Some days later he was appointed Wing Leader at Biggin Hill. He flew 121 sorties during his six months leadership and by this time his tally was twenty-two confirmed victories, ten probables and eighteen damaged. He was also awarded the DSO and a bar to his DFC. Alan Deere was also awarded the Croix de Guerre and the DFC (USA) and in May 1945 He was awarded an OBE. In December 1977 Air Commodore Deere retired form the Royal Air Force. Iin 1959 Air Commodore Alan Deere wrote of his experiences in his book, 'Nine Lives'. Sadly, he passed away on 21st September 1995. |
  Colonel Archie G Donahue USMC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2007 | Colonel Archie G Donahue USMC Archie Donahue was born in Casper, Wyoming in 1917. He attended schools in Wyoming until 1934 when his family moved to Texas. He had his first airplane ride at the age of eight and the flying bug bit him. Archie completed three years of engineering studies at the University of Texas before joining the Navy as an Aviation Cadet. During his training Archie was stationed at Kansas City, Jacksonville, and finally Corpus Christi. He requested a transfer to the Marine Corps, and upon his graduation he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in February of 1942. After a short posting to Norfolk, Archie was assigned to VMF-112, which was nicknamed the 'Wolfpack.' The squadron was sent to Guadacanal in September where they commenced combat missions flying the Grumman F4F Wildcat. Archie would soon transition to the state-of-the-art F4U-1 Corsair. Between September 1942 and June of 1943 Archie was credited with nine aerial victories. One of these was achieved in the Wildcat with the balance attained while piloting the Corsair. On May 13, 1943 Archic would down five A6M3 Zeros during a single mission. In June of 1943 VMF-112 returned to the States, and the squadron was disbanded. Serving as a flight officer at El Toro Air Station in California, Archie was given the assignment of carrier qualifying VMF-451. In February of 1945 VMF-451 began combat operations flying from the deck of the USS Bunker Hill. For the next three months Donahue and his squdroninates flew numerous missions in support of the landings at lwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as strikes at the Japanese mainland, and in the process earning the nickname 'Angels of Okinawa.' On April 12, 1945 Donahue was once again credited with five victories during a fierce aerial battle over Okinawa. On May 11 th Archie's flight of 16 Corsairs had just returned to the carrier, and as the pilots completed their debriefing the Bunker Hill was hit by two Kamikaze aircraft, setting off a huge fire and killing 346. The Bunker Hill had to be withdrawn from action. Donahue returned to the States where he was made Commander of a squadron at El Toro. He was later transferred to Quantico, a large Marine base near Washington, DC. Archie flew a total of 215 combat missions during WWII including 56 from the deck of the Bunker Hill. He was credited with a total of 14 confirmed aerial victories. He had more than 4000 flying hours in military aircraft and 110 successful carrier landings. Although he never crashed an airplane, Archie was reported killed during aerial gunnery training when a student made a beautiful run and cut the tail off Archie's plane about five feet behind his head. Archie is a recipient of the Navy Cross, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and five Air Medals. Archie has also been an active participant in the Confederate Air Force, and in 1990 he piloted an SBD with an unusual pilot, Saburo Sakai, the high scoring Japanese ace who was shot down in WWII by the rear gunner of a SBD. Following his retirement from military service in 1958 Archie began a long and successful career in real estate development. Archie lives in Texas with his wife Mary. They have five children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Sadly, he passed away on 30th July 2007. |
  Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2010 | Group Captain Byron Duckenfield AFC Byron Duckenfield started at Flying Training School on 25th November 1935 in a Blackburn B2 at Brough. As a Sergeant, he joined No.32 Sqn at Biggin Hill on 8th August 1936 and flew Gauntlets and Hurricanes. He joined 74 Squadron at Hornchurch on 11th April 1940, flying Spitfires, and on 5th May was posted to 501 Squadron flying Hurricanes at Tangmere. On the 11th of May at Betheniville, he survived a crash in a passenger transport Bombay aircraft in an aircraft in which he was a passenger, While comin ginto land the aircraft at 200 feet the aircraft stalled and the aircrfat fell backwards just levelly out as it histhe ground. 5 of th epassengers were killed when the centre section collapsed and crushed them. Duckenfield was fortunate as he had moved position during the flight. as the two passengers sitting each side of where he was sitting had died in the crash. (it was found later that the Bombay had beeb loaded with to much weight in the aft sectiion. ) recovering in hospital in Roehampton. On 23rd July 1940, he rejoined No.501 Sqn at Middle Wallop, then moved to to Gravesend two days later, scoring his first victory, a Ju87, on the 29th of July 1940. During August and September he scored three more victories. After a spell as a test pilot from 14th September 1940, he was posted to command 66 Squadron on 20th December 1941, flying Spitfires. On 26th February 1942 he took command of 615 Squadron flying Hurricanes from Fairwood Common, taking the squadron to the Far East. In late December 1942 he was shot down in Burma and captured by the Japanese. He remained a POW until release in May 1945. After a refresher course at the Flying Training School in November 1949, he took command of No.19 Squadron flying Hornets and Meteors from Chruch Fenton. After a series of staff positions, he retired from the RAF as a Group Captain on 28th May 1969. Duckenfield would write later his details : Burma At first light, 12 Hurricanes IIC aircraft of 615 Squadron, myself in the lead, took off from Chittagong for central Burma to attack the Japanese air base at Magwe, 300 miles away on the banks of the River Irrawaddy. Arriving at Yenangyaung, we turned downstream at minimum height for Magwe, 30 miles to the South and jettisoned drop tanks. Just before sighting the enemy base, the squadron climbed to 1200 feet and positioned to attack from up sun. On the ramp at the base, in front of the hangers, were 10 or 12 Nakajima KI - 43 Oscars in a rough line up (not dispersed) perhaps readying for take. These aircraft and the hangars behind them were attacked in a single pass, before withdrawing westward at low level and maximum speed. A few minutes later perhaps 20 miles away form Magwe, I was following the line of a cheung (small creek), height about 250 feet, speed aboput 280 mph, when the aircraft gave a violent shudder, accompanied by a very lound, unusual noise. The cause was instantly apparent: the airscrew has disappeared completely, leaving only the spinning hub. My immediate reaction was to throttle back fully and switch off to stop the violently overspeeding engine. Further action was obvious: I was committed to staying with the aircraft because, with a high initial speed, not enough height to eject could be gained without the help of an airscrew. So I jettisoned the canopy and acknowledged gratefully the fact that I was following a creek; the banks of either side were hillocky ground, hostile to a forced landing aircraft. Flying the course of the creek, I soon found the aircraft to be near the stall (luckily, a lower than normal figure without an airscrew) extended the flaps and touched down wheels-up with minimum impact ( I have done worse landings on a smooth runway!) My luck was holding, if one can talk of luck in such a situation. December is the height of the dry season in that area and the creek had little water, it was shallow and narrow at the point where I came down: shallow enough to support the fusalage and narrow enough to support wing tips. So I released the harness, pushed the IFF Destruct switch, climed out and walked the wing ashore, dryshod. The question may occur -Why did not others in the squadron see their leader go down? - the answer is simple, the usual tatctic of withdrawal from an enemy target was to fly single at high speed and low level on parallel courses until a safe distance from target was attained. Then, the formation would climb to re-assemble. Having left the aircraft, I now faced a formidable escape problem? I was 300 miles from friendly territory: my desired route would be westward but 80% of that 300 miles was covered by steep north-south ridges impenetrably clothed in virgin jungle; these were natural impediments, there was also the enemy to consider. Having thought over my predicament, I decided the best I could do - having heard reports of mean herted plainspeope - was to get as far into the hills as possible and then find a (hopefully sympathetic) village. I suppose I may have covered about 15 miles by nightfall when I came upon this small hill village and walked into the village square. Nobody seemed surprised to see me (I suspect I had been followed for some time) I wa given a quiet welcome, seated at a table in the open and given food. Then exhaustion took over, I fell asleep in the chair and woke later to find myself tied up in it. Next day I was handed over to a Japanese sergeant and escort who took me back to Magwe and, soon after that, 2.5 years captivity in Rangoon jail. Sadly we have learned that Byron Duckenfield passed away on 19th November 2010. |
  Squadron Leader Neville Duke, DSO, OBE, DFC*, AFC, CzMC Our estimated value of this signature : £75 Died : 2007 | Squadron Leader Neville Duke, DSO, OBE, DFC*, AFC, CzMC Neville Duke flew Spitfires as wingman to Sailor Malan in 92 Squadron. In November 1941 he was posted to 112 Squadron in the Middle East. After a second tour in the Desert, he flew a third tour, with 145 Squadron in Italy. He was the top scoring Allied Ace in the Mediterranean with 28 victories. After the war, in 1953, he captured the World Air Speed record. He died 7th April 2007. |
  Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £70 Died : 2010 | Wing Commander John Freeborn DFC* Wing Commnader John. C. Freeborn was born on the 1st of December 1919 in Middleton, Yorkshire. John left grammar school at 16 and joined the RAF in 1938, where he made 14 shillings a week and shot pheasant in his spare time. He later visited his classmates after flight school by landing his plane on a nearby cricket pitch. In March 1938 John Freeborn was commissioned in the RAFO, and on the 9th of April 1938 went to Montrose and joined 8 FTS, where he completed his training before going to 74 'Tiger' Squadron at Hornchurch on 29th October. He relinquished his RAFO commission on being granted a short service one in the RAF in January 1939. Johnie Freeborn flew Spitfires with 74 Squadron over Dunkirk, and claimed a probable Ju 88 on May 21st 1940. On the 22nd of May 1940 he destroyed a Junkers 88, and a probable Bf 109 on the 24th of May followed soon after on the 27th by a Bf 109 destroyed and another probably destroyed. On one occasion his Spitfire was badly damaged over Dunkirk and he crash-landed on the beach near Calais but managed to get a lift home in a returning aircraft. His squadron flew relentlessly during the Battle of Britain. In one eight-hour period, its pilots flew into combat four times, destroying 23 enemy aircraft (three by John Freeborn) and damaging 14 more. Five kills denoted an Ace and by the end of the Battle of Britain, John had seven to his credit and won the DFC. John claimed a Bf 109 destroyed on 10th July, shared a probable Dornier 17 on the 24th, shot down a Bf 109 on the 28th, destroyed two Bf 110s, a Bf 109 and probably another on 11th August, destroyed a Do 17 on the 13th, destroyed another on 11th September and damaged an He 111 on the 14th. Freeborn was made a Flight Commander on 28th August. He shared a Bf 109 on 17th November, shot down two Bf 109s, shared another and damaged a fourth on 5th December, and damaged a Dornier 17 on 5th February and 4th March 1941. John Freeborn had been with his squadron longer, and flown more hours, than any other Battle of Britain pilot and on the 25th of February 1941 John freeborn was awarded a Bar to the DFC. In January, 1942 John Freeborn was posted to Army Air Force Base in Selma, Alababma which was home to the South East Training Command in America. After two months as RAF liaison officer he went to Eglin Field, Florida where he helped in testing various aircraft, including the new fighters the Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang. He returned to the UK in December 1942 and went to Harrowbear, Exeter, and then to Bolt Head as Station Commander. John Freeborn joined 602 Squadron in 1942, and commanded 118 Squadron in June 1943 at Coltishall, leading it until January 1944. In June 1944 he was promoted Wing Commander (the youngest Wing Commander in the RAF) of 286 Wing in Italy. John Freeborn scored 17 victories and left the Royal Air Force in 1946. Sadly, we have learned that John Freeborn passed away on 28th August 2010. John Freeborn was truly one of the great Fighter Pilots of world war two and his autograph is certainly a major additon to any signature collection, as he did not sign a great deal of art pieces. |
  Colonel Bob Goebel Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2011 | Colonel Bob Goebel December 1943 found Bob Goebel in North Africa flying Spitfires in preparation for joining the 31st Fighter Group. As soon as they arrived they re-equipped with P51 Mustangs and flew to Italy, where Bob flew a total of 62 combat missions, including 16 hazardous trips to the Romanian oilfields. During his combat operations he led his squadron into action seven times, and his entire Group twice, whilst still only aged 21. He ended the war with 11 air victories. Sadly, Bob Goebel passed away on 20th February 2011. |
Flight Lieutenant John Golley Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2000 | Flight Lieutenant John Golley John Golley flew Hurricanes, Spitfires and Typhoons during World War II, commencing his combat flying with fighter sweeps and ground attacks over Northern Europe. During the run up to D-Day his No. 245 Squadron Typhoons were equipped with rockets, specializing in tank-busting in the Normandy Campaign. He has written several best-selling military books including The Day of the Typhoon. He died in December 2000. |
  Lieutenant Colonel Jim Goodson Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2014 | Lieutenant Colonel Jim Goodson Jim Goodson joined the RAF in 1940. Posted to re-form 133 Eagle Squadron RAF flying Spitfires, he transferred to the USAAF 4th fighter Group in September 1942, commanding 336 Squadron. Flying P47s and then P51s, Jim Goodson flew continuously until he was shot down ten months before the end of the war. He was one of the most highly decorated Aces in the USAAF, with 32 enemy aircraft to his credit. He died on 1st May 2014. |
  Squadron Leader Iain Hutchinson Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2007 | Squadron Leader Iain Hutchinson Squadron Leader Iain Hutchinson was born in Charminster. Posted to join 222 Squadron at Hornchurch, Iain Hutchinson flew with them from June 1940 throughout the Battle of Britain. He said of his experience; 'On our first sortie we lost half the squadron. I myself was shot down the next day. I was flying again the next day but I was shot down five times during the next month, though I didn't end up in hospital until the last time.' That happened when he was shot down in flames over south west London, miraculously managing to bale out, although he was badly burned. Hutchinson was treated for burns at RAF hospital Uxbridge where he was one of the last to receive a tannic acid treatment then used for burns. He said: 'The acid produced great scabs that covered my face and legs while the whites of my eyes turned bright red.' As the fighting grew towards its crescendo, on 30th August his Spitfire was damaged in fighting and he force landed unhurt in Essex. Returning to the fray he downed an Me109 on 6th September, another the following day, and a third a week later. On 18th September, after combat over Kent, he was forced to bale out near Canterbury, and then on 30th September following action over London he was wounded and made a forced landing at Denham. His Battle of Britain totals were three Me109 German fighters as confirmed kills, one Heinkel bomber, an Me109 and one Me110 twin-engined heavy fighter as probably destroyed and one Me109 damaged. It was Hutchinson who shot down the German Ace Oberleutenant Eckhardt Priebe, who was taken prisoner and sent to Canada Squadron leader Hutchinson conitnued his service flying reconnaissance un armed spitfires. He was on a long range mission in a specially adapted Mosquito when he was shot donw by a Me109 over Norway. He landed despite the tail being shot off and his navigator fired a Verey pistol into a pool of petrol, blowing up the Mosquito. Hutchinson spent the rest of the war in Stalag Luft 3 the prisoner of war camp of Wooden Horse and Great Escape fame. After the war he returned and stayed with the RAF flying the Vampire jet aircraft and helped pioneer innovations in aircraft safety, finally retiring form the Royal Air Force in 1957. Sadly he died on April 27th 2007 in Dorchester aged 88. |
  Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2013 | Squadron Leader Tony Iveson DFC Tony Iveson fought in the Battle of Britain with RAF Fighter Command, as a Sergeant pilot, joining 616 Squadron at Kenley flying Spitfires on 2 September 1940. On the 16th of September, he was forced to ditch into the sea after running out of fuel following a pursuit of a Ju88 bomber. His Spitfire L1036 ditched 20 miles off Cromer in Norfolk, and he was picked up by an MTB. He joined No.92 Sqn the following month. Commissioned in 1942, Tony undertook his second tour transferring to RAF Bomber Command, where he was selected to join the famous 617 Squadron, flying Lancasters. He took part in most of 617 Squadrons high precision operations, including all three sorties against the German battleship Tirpitz, and went on to become one of the most respected pilots in the squadron. He died on 5th November 2013. |
  Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £70 Died : 2001 | Air Vice Marshal Johnnie Johnson CB, CBE, DSO**, DFC* James Edgar Johnson was born in Barrow on Soar near Loughborough on 9th March 1915. He lived in Melton, the first house on the left of Welby Lane as you leave Nottingham Road, with his parents - his father being a local Police Inspector. Johnnie qualified as a Civil Engineer at Nottingham University in 1937. He joined the RAFVR and did his flying training at 21 E&RFTS, Stapleford before enlisting for full-time service in the RAF at the beginning of WWII. He first went to ITW at Jesus College, Cambridge, completed his ab initio flying at 22 EFTS, Cambridge and his intermediate and advanced flying at 5 FTS, Sealand. Johnnie Johnson joined 92 Spitfire squadron in August 1940, but it was with 616 squadron that he scored his first victory on June 26th 1941 while flying with Douglas Baders Tangmere Wing. He was squadron leader of 610 squadron in July 1942, but it was as Wing Commander of the Kenley Wing in 1943 that his scores really started to mount. He was W/C of 144 wing during D-Day and led 127 and 125 wings until the end of the war when we has the topscoring allied fighter pilot with 38 air victories. Inspired by the great British WW 1 aces like Bishop and Ball, Johnnie Johnson dreamed often as a child of becoming an R.A.F. pilot. The young Johnson enthusiastically joined the Volunteer Reserve at the first opportunity. After completing his initial flight training Johnson was posted to 616 Squadron at Kenley. However, this Squadron had been hit hard with the loss of six pilots and five wounded, and the unit was withdrawn to Coltishall prior to Johnson encountering combat. With only 12 hours of flight time in a Spitfire this was no doubt advantageous. In February 1941 Billy Burton moved the Squadron to Tangmere. Douglas Bader then arrived to take over the Tangmere Wing, and fly with the 616 Squadron. Johnnie, Alan Smith and Cocky Dundas were chosen to fly with Bader. During the summer of 1940 the Battle of Britain was at its peak. Bader took the time to instruct Johnson carefully in both the art of flying and the skills necessary to attain success in aerial combat. Baders idea of an afternoon off duty, according to Johnson, was to take his section over the Channel in hopes of running into Adolph Galland and his Abbeyville Boys. On August 19, 1941 Bader failed to return from a mission when 616 Squadron was hit hard by a group of Messerschmitt 109s. Johnson flew on in Baders absence, and in the summer of 1942 he was promoted to command of the 610 Squadron. In 1943 he was promoted again to Wing Commander of the Canadian Spitfire Wing in Kenley. By that time Johnson had attained eight confirmed victories. During the spring and summer of 1943 Johnnie led the Canadian unit on more than 140 missions over Northwest Europe. Johnsons squadron attained more than 100 victories during this period, and Johnnies own personal score rose to 25. After a short leave, Johnson was posted to lead the 144 Canadian Spitfire Wing. On D-Day Johnson led his Wing on four missions in support of the Allied invasion. On June 8, Johnsons Wing was the first Spitfire group to land in newly liberated France. Johnson continued fighting in France through September 1944 when he achieved his 38th and final victory. Patrolling the Rhine Johnsons unit jumped nine 109s which were flying beneath them in the opposite direction. Five of the 109s were downed. Early in 1945 Johnson was promoted to Group Captain and put in command of the 125 Wing, which was equipped with the Spitfire XIV. Flying from former Luftwaffe airfields the 125 Wing assisted in the final Allied push to Berlin. Johnson attributed much of his aerial combat success to his ability to make tight turning maneuvers. Johnsons tightest call came on August 19, 1942 when he was unable to dislodge an Me-109 from his tail during the raid on Diepppe. Johnson raced his Spitfire flat out at a group of Royal Navy ships. The usual barrage of flak and tracer fire came right at him, and fortunately for the ace, missed his Spitfire but effectively eliminated the brave pilot on his tail. During the Korean War Johnson flew fighter-bombers with the USAF. Following his retirement from the R.A.F. in 1966 Johnson founded the Johnnie Johnson Housing Trust that has provided homes for more than 4000 disabled and elderly persons, and his sixth book Winged Victory was published in 1995. Johnson flew many of the Spitfire models. His favorite was the beautiful Mark IX, the best of them all. Johnnie passed away in 2001 at the age of 85, in Derbyshire, England. |
  Air Vice Marshal Sandy Johnstone CB DFC AE DL Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2000 | Air Vice Marshal Sandy Johnstone CB DFC AE DL Early in 1938, Johnstone was a civilian navigation instructor at Scottish Aviation, moving later to the Civil Air Navigation School at Prestwick. In August 1939 he was called to full-time service with 602 Squadron. After some Spitfire engagements off the Scottish coast, he received command of 602 - he was still only 24 - and led it south to the tiny airfield at West Hampnett, in West Sussex, where it was stationed throughout the Battle of Britain. Sandy was in command of no. 602 squadron during the critical days of the Battle of Britain, flying with the squadron before the war though to 1941, when he was posted to the Middle east, he also served with 229 and 249 squadrons in Malta during the Islands most fateful days of the war. Sandy became a successful author and resided near Ipswich in Suffolk. Sandy Johnstone died 13th December 2000, aged 84. |
  Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2012 | Flight Lieutenant Richard L Jones Richard Jones was born in 1918 and in July 1940 Richard Jones was posted to 64 Squadron at Kenley, flying Spitfires. He was involved in heavy fighting over the Channel during the Battle of Britain, with the squadron suffering many losses during July and August. Towards the end of the Battle of Britain, in October, he moved to 19 Squadron flying Spitfires from Fowlmere, and was heavily involved in the fighter sweeps taking place at that time. Near the end of the Battle of Britain, Pilot Officer Richard Jones was shot down during a dogfight over Kent with Me 109s. Jones crash landed his Spitfire in a field, colliding with a flock of sheep - he would go on to write in his log book 'Crashed into a load of sheep. What a bloody mess!' After the Battle of Britain, Richard Jones became a test pilot for De Havilland at Witney in Oxfordshire, and test flew thousands of Hawker Hurricanes and other types, including civil types. After the war Richard Jones joined the RAFVR and started a long career in the motor industry. Sadly Richard Jones passed away on 7th March 2012. |
Group Captain Brian Kingcome DSO DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 1994 | Group Captain Brian Kingcome DSO DFC Brian Fabris Kingcome was born in Calcutta on May 31st 1917. Brian Kingcome was educated at Bedford and in 1936 entered the RAF College, Cranwell. Soon after he began his pilot course he was seriously injured in a car accident and was told by the RAF medical board that he would never fly again as he was expected to suffer permanent double vision. But after months in hospital and with Brians strength of character he proved the board wrong. In 1938 he was posted to No 65, a biplane Gladiator fighter squadron based at Hornchurch. Brian Kingcome took part in the Battles of France and Dunkirk but transferred to 92 Squadron as a flight commander and flying Spitfires in May 1940 scoring his first victories in June 1940. Brian Kingcome became acting commanding officer during the latter stages of the Battle of Britain. During this time he and his pilots achieved the highest success rate of any squadron in the entire Battle of Britain. After being shot down by Me109s and wounded, he returned to active operations. In February 1942 he was posted to command 72 Squadron, followed by promotion to Wing Leader at Kenley. In May 1943 he was posted to lead 244 Wing in the Mediterranean during the invasion of Sicily. An Ace, Brian Kingcome flew Spitfires in combat continually until the end of 1944, his tally finishing at 8 and 3 shared destroyed, plus a score of probables and damaged. One of the prewar Cranwell elite, Brian Kingcome was to become one ofthe Second World Wars great fighter leaders, alongside such immortals as Douglas Bader, Bob Stanford Tuck and Johnnie Johnson. At the outbreak of war he was serving in 65 Squadron, but in May 1940 was posted to 92 Squadron as flight commander. On 25 May he shared a Do 17 and on 2 June destroyed two He l l Is and damaged a third. He shared a Ju 88 with two others on I0 July, and again on the 24th. On 9 September he probably destroyed a Bf 110 and two days later shot down a He 111. On the 14th he damaged another. He shot down a Bf 109 on the 23rd and next day probably destroyed another and damaged a Ju 88. Three days later he shared a Ju 88 again, damaged two others, probably destroyed a Do 17, and damaged one of these also. Around this time he was awarded a DFC for six victories, and on 11 October got a Bf 109 He claimed another next day, and also damaged one. In 1941 he became commanding officer, having frequently led the squadron. It will be noted that he claimed many probables and damaged during the Battle of Britain, and this was due to his view that it was more important to hit as many as possible than to try and confirm victories. On 16 June 1941 lie probably destroyed a Bf 109, and on 24 July shot one down. He was then rested until late in the year, when he was posted to command 72 Squadron, and in February 1942 gave escort cover to the Fleet Air Arm pilot Eugene Esmonde, who won the VC trying to attack German capital ships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and and the cruiser Prinz Eugen with Swordfish during the Channel Dash. In atrocious weather Kingcome caught a fleeting glimpse of tbe Scharnhorst - Oh what a beautiful battleboat! he exclaimed, just as a shell made a hole the size of a dustbin lid in his port wing. During 1941 he received a Bar to his DFC, having brought his score to 10. He was promoted to lead the Kenley wing, and on 15 April 1942 damaged a Fw 190. He probably destroyed a Bf 109 on 28 May, and during the year was awarded a DSO, having added another victory to his score. In 1943 he was posted to North Africa to lead 244 Wing, and lead this for 18 months, becoming a Gp. Capt. after the invasion of Italy. By the end of his stay with the wing he had brought his score to 18, and was then posted as SASO of a Liberator group, and flew an operation as a waist gunner over northern Yugoslavia after taking up this appointment. Sadly Group Captain Brian Kingcome passed away aged 76 in 1994. |
  Air Commodore James Leathart Our estimated value of this signature : £85 Died : 1998 | Air Commodore James Leathart After flight training, he joined No.54 Squadron flying Gauntlets. He became the commanding officer of No.54 Squadron as they re-equipped with Spitfire MkIs. In a remarkable event, he was awarded the DSO when he rescued the stranded CO of No.74 Sqn. Commandeering a Miles Master training aircraft, he flew to France escorted by other pilots from No.54 Sqn, and rescued the CO before returning across the Channel. It was for this action that he was awarded the DSO in June 1940. Died in 1998. |
  Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2004 | Squadron Leader Arthur Leigh DFC, DFM Another RAFVR pilot, The son of a regular soldier, Arthur Leigh was called up at the outbreak of war. After finishing his flying training he was posted to 7 OTU and then on to convert to Spitfires in August 1940. Arthur Leigh flew with 64 Squadron at Leconfield and 72 Squadron at Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain before transferring to 611 Squadron. Awarded the DFM in September 1941, Leigh had then completed 50 sweeps, had destroyed two Bf 109s, probably destroyed another four and shared in the destruction of a Do 17. After a spell instructing and ferrying Hurricanes from Gibraltar to Cairo, he returned to operations with 56 Squadron flying Typhoons from Manston. He was shot down on his first sweep by flak, near Calais but was picked up by an ASR launch. In late 1943 Leigh was posted to 129 Squadron at Hornchurch and was awarded the DDC on completing his second tour in December 1944, spending the rest of the war as an instructor. He died on 3rd July 2004. |
  Flight Lieutenant Derek Lovell Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Flight Lieutenant Derek Lovell Volunteered for the RAFVR in January 1941. He trained in Canada on Tiger Moths and Oxfords. He received his wings in April 1942 and was posted to Central Flying School. Following graduation, he taught Fleet Air Arm trainees on Harvards. He returned to the UK in March 1943 and flew Masters at AFU and Hurricanes at OTU. He taught Lancaster crews fighter evasion prior to posting to 84 GSU to fly Typhoons. He joined 197 Squadron at Needs Oar Point in the New Forest in June 1944 and was involved in close support operations and tactical dive bombing and low level bombing throughout the Normandy campaign and on through to VE-Day. He completed 135 operations and in August 1945 was posted to an OTU to instruct on Typhoons and Tempest Vs. He was demobbed in June 1946 and flew weekends in the VR on Tiger Moths and later Chipmunks. He was called up on the G Reserve in July 1951 and flew Harvards, Spitfire XXIIs and then Vampire Vs. He stood down in September as the Korea situation eased. |
  Lt Gen George Loving Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2016 | Lt Gen George Loving General George Loving was born in Roanoke, Va., in 1923, graduated from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, Va., and attended Lynchburg College. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama and holds a master's degree from The George Washington University. During the academic year 1969-70, he was a research associate with the Council on Foreign Relations. He entered military service in March 1942 as an aviation cadet and graduated from flying school in 1943 with a commission as second lieutenant and his pilot wings. He flew 151 combat missions as a fighter pilot with the 31st Fighter Group during World War II, flying Spitfires and P-51 aircraft over Italy, Southern France, Germany, Czechoslovakia and the other occupied countries of Eastern Europe. He became a fighter ace during this period, shooting down five enemy aircraft and damaging two others. He returned to the United States in October 1944 and served as a P-47 fighter pilot instructor and base armament officer at Millville Army Air Field, N.J. He was next assigned as squadron commander and instructor at Shaw Field, S.C. In July 1946 he went to Itazuke Air Base, Japan, to serve in the occupation forces. Initially assigned as a personnel staff officer, he later served as commander of the 433d Fighter Squadron and as operations officer of the 475th Fighter Group. In January 1949 he became operations officer at the Air Force Reserve Training Center, Byrd Field, Richmond, Va. He was transferred to Headquarters Ninth Air Force, Langley Air Force Base, Va., in June 1949 and assigned as a staff officer in the Personnel Directorate. Shortly after the beginning of the Korean War, he volunteered for combat duty and in July 1950 went to Taegu, Korea, where he served 13 months, initially as base operations officer, and then as commander of the 9th Fighter-Bomber Squadron. He flew 113 missions against North Korean and Communist Chinese forces and participated in five major campaigns. Between September 1951 and July 1955, he was assigned to the Air Proving Ground Command at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. As a senior project officer, he was responsible for the operational suitability testing of the F-84F, KB-29 Phase II Outing Tanker, KC-97 Drogue Tanker, and various other systems and munitions. After graduation from Air Command and Staff College in June 19569 he joined the faculty as an instructor and curriculum planner with responsibility for the college's correspondence course, which had an enrollment of more than 5,000 students. He was transferred to Taiwan in April 1960 and for two years was U.S. adviser to the Republic of China's National War College. General Loving went to Headquarters Tactical Air Command at Langley Air Force Base, Va., in July 1962 and served for two years as a staff officer with the Policy Division (Plans), during which time he was concerned with formulating tactical air doctrine. He attended the Air War College during 1964-65 and subsequently was assigned to Headquarters U.S. Air Force in the Aerospace Doctrine Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Operations, as a staff officer and branch chief. He was responsible for the development of Air Force and Joint doctrinal publications which form the fundamental basis for war plans and for organizing, training, equipping and employing U.S. military forces. He served as commandant, Air Command and Staff College from June 1970 to January 1973. General Loving was assigned as deputy director of plans in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and operations at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in January 1973, and served as director of plans from April 1973 to January 1975. He was appointed Joint Chiefs of Staff Representative for Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction in January 1975 and served as the senior military member of the U.S. delegation to the international conference in Vienna on MBFR. During the period August 1975 to June 1977, he served as commander, Sixth Allied Tactical Air Force, with headquarters at Izmir, Turkey. He was reassigned to Japan and assumed command of U.S. Forces Japan and Fifth Air Force in June 1977. A command pilot, his military decorations and awards include the Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 24 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with oak leaf cluster, and the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. He was promoted to the grade of lieutenant general Sept. 1, 1975, with date of rank Aug. 26, 1975. He died on 31st December 2016. |
  Major General Carroll W McColpin Our estimated value of this signature : £75 Died : 2003 | Major General Carroll W McColpin Carroll Warren McColpin was born in Buffalo, New York on November 15th 1914 and was raised and educated in Los Angeles. Carroll McColpin participated in civilian flying activities in Los Angeles, he started to learn to fly in 1928 and in 1936 obtained his pilots certificate. As a young man, he had built his own airplane and taught himself the basics of stick flying and aerial acrobatics by the age of sixteen. Carroll Red McColpin volunteered for the RAF in 1940 despite official US disapproval, going via Canada to England. After serving with No.607 Squadron, he became the second Eagle Ace after shooting down two ME-109s on October 2, 1941 and is the only pilot known to have fought in aerial combat to a draw - with Werner Molders, the high-scoring German Ace. Red McColpin commanded 133 Eagle Squadron up to the transfer to the USAAF in September, 1942, General McColpin was the only American to fly combat in all three RAF American Eagle Squadrons. His total missions in these Squadrons exceeded three hundred counting the ones he flew with the 607. He was a double ace before Pearl Harbor and was the first American to be decorated, in Buckingham Palace by King George during World War II. McColpin joined the 4th Figher Group. He later led the 404th Fighter Group in support of the D-Day invasion and the drive across Europe. In 400 missions, he recorded 11.5 victories and collected 29 awards for gallantry. Following the war, McColpin remained in the Air Force, serving in several command and senior staff positions, ultimately becoming the commander of the 4th Air Force. He retired as a Major General in August, 1968. Sadley Major General Carroll Warren McColpin passed away on November 28, 2003. |
  Air Commodore Micky Mount CBE DSO DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2002 | Air Commodore Micky Mount CBE DSO DFC Flying Officer Christopher John (Micky) Mount joined NO.602 squadron on August 8th 1940 after a brief conversion course on Spitfires. On August 18th his Spitfire L1005 was severely damaged in combat with JU 87s and BF109s over Ford. Micky was unhurt. he again escaped injury when his Spitfire X4270 was damaged landing at Tangmere. he served in many of the theatres of WW2 and he flew Hurricanes in Malta and North Africa and Wellingtons in the Middle east. Micky retired and lived in Ascot in Berkshire. He died 23rd July 2002. |
  Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2018 | Wing Commander Tom Neil DFC* AFC Tom Neil was born on 14th July 1920 in Bootle, Lancashire. Tom Neil (also to become known in the RAF as 'Ginger') joined the RAFVR in October 1938 and began his flying training at 17 E and RFTS, Barton, Manchester. Tom Neil was called up on the 2nd os September 1939 being sent to 4 ITW, Bexhill in early November. On 1st December 1939, he was posted to 8 FTS and on completion of the course he was commissioned and posted to 249 Squadron in May 1940 flying Hurricanes just before the start of the Battle of Britain flying from North Weald. On 7th September 1940, Tom Neil encountered and claimed a Bf109 destroyed. On the 11th an He111, on the 15th two Bf109s and a Do17 destroyed and another Do17 shared, on the 18th an He111 damaged and on the 27th a Bf110 and a Ju88 destroyed, a Bf110 probably destroyed and a Ju88 shared. On 6th October Tom Neil shared a Do17, on the 25th claimed a Bf109 destroyed, on the 27th a Do17 probably destroyed, on the 28th a Ju88 shared and on 7th November a Ju87 and two Bf109s destroyed. He was awarded a DFC on 8 October, but on 7 November, after claiming 3 victories over the North Sea off the Essex coast, he collided in mid-air with Wing Commander Francis Beamish and his aircraft lost its tail. He baled out of his Hurricane unhurt, Beamish force-landing unscathed. Tom received a Bar to his DFC on 26 November, and on 13 December was promoted flight Commander. The squadron was posted to Malta in May 1941, flying off HMS Ark Royal on the 21st. During a summer of frequent scrambles, he claimed one further victory in June, while on 7th October he led a fighter-bomber attack on Gela station, Sicily. He departed the island in December 1941, returning to the UK via the Middle East, South and West Africa, and Canada, finally arriving in March 1942, when he became tactics officer with 81 Group. A spell as an instructor at 56 OTU, before being posted as a flying liaison officer with the 100th Fighter Wing of the US 9th Air Force in January 1944. He managed to get some flying in over France with this unit, claiming a share in 6 aircraft destroyed on the ground before D-Day, and a dozen or so more later, plus a number of other ground targets. In January 1945 he was sent to the school of Land/Air Warfare as an instructor. In March 1945 he was posted out to Burma, where he undertook some operations with 1 Wing, Indian Air Force, to gain experience of the operations in this area. Returning to the UK in April, he resumed instructing at the school until the end of the year. In January 1946 he attended the Empire Test Pilots School, undertaking No.4 short course and No.5 course, a total of 18 months. Posted briefly to Farnborough, he sought a move to Boscombe Down, where he stayed for some 3 years. In 1948 in went to Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, to take part in the first high altitude pressure suit experiments, as a precursor to the aerospace programme. 1950-51 he was a staff officer at HQ, Fighter Command, while in 1952 he attended the staff college at Bracknell. He was then given command of 208 Squadron in Egypt, which he led until 1956, leaving just before the Suez operation. He returned to the UK to become W/Cdr Operations, Metropolitan sector, until 1958, when he attended the flying college at Manby. He went to the British Embassy in Washington for 3 years from 1959, returning to the Ministry of Defence but retiring from the service as a Wing Commander in 1964. Meanwhile he had added the US Bronze Star to his decorations in august 1947, and an AFC in January 1956. Tom Neil died on 11th July 2018. |
  Wing Commander Peter Olver DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2013 | Wing Commander Peter Olver DFC Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot, 611 and 603 squadrons. Wing Commander Peter Olver served with 603 Squadron on the 24th of October and on the following day his Spitfire was shot down but he baled out with only light injuries. When returning to duty he was transferred to 66 Squadron based at Biggin Hill and promoted to Flight Commander. He was posted to North Africa commanding No.238 and No.213 Sqn flying the Hurricane, and destroyed three Italian fighters on the ground. Flying with No.1 Sqn South African Air Force he scored another two kills before being shot down and taken prisoner for the rest of the war. He died on 14h February 2013. |
  Wing Commander Geoffrey Page DSO OBE DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £85 Died : 2000 | Wing Commander Geoffrey Page DSO OBE DFC Geoffrey Page was born in Boxmoor on 16th May 1920. Geoffrey Page developed an early interest in aviation, which is not surprising as he had an uncle who flew during the Great War and another uncle was Sir Frederick Handley Page, the great aircraft manufacturer. Page went to Dean Close School in Cheltenham, Glouscestershire, and later went to the Imperial College to study engineering. It was at college he joined the University Air Squadron at Northolt. Two weeks after the outbreak of the Second World War, Geoffrey Page received his call-up papers and joined the RAF with the rank of Acting Pilot Officer and went to Cranwell for advanced training. In May 1940 after a short period of instructing, Page was posted to 66 Squadron, flying Supermarine Spitfires but was almost immediately re-assigned to 56 Squadron where he was to fly the Hawker Hurricane. Whilst as a pilot officer with 56 squadron he took part in the Battles of France and Britain, and had accounted for three kills by the time he was shot down on the 12th August 1940 during the Battle of Britain. Flying behind his commanding officer, who was attacking a large formation of Dornier Do17 bombers, his Hurricane was hit and caught fire. Burning high-octane fuel sprayed into the cockpit, covering Page, resulting in very bad burns to his face and hands. Page parachuted out and his Hurricane crashed into the sea. After being picked up from the sea he was taken to the burns unit at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead, where he was treated by Sir Archibald MacIndoe, a pioneering plastic surgeon. He spent the next two years in hospital undergoing numerous plastic surgery operations. Both of his hands were burnt down to the bone, and his head had swollen to three times its normal size. Page had also received gunshot wounds to his legs. Page became a founding member of the Guinea Pig Club, where Sir Archibald MacIndoe was elected life time president and Geoffrey Page was its first chairman. In late 1942 he re-joined operations again as a Flight Lieutenant. He joined No.132 Squadron as a supernumerary Flight Lieutenant, before volunteering for service in North Africa, but returned to the UK as the desert heat caused problems on his skin grafts. In July 1943 he won his first DFC. Later in the year he joined 122 Squadron as a Flight Commander, before re-joining No.132 Squadron in January 1944 as Commanding Officer. On 29th April 1944 Page led his squadron to strafe Deelen airfield in Holland, and attacked a Bf110 night fighter that was landing. Despite the odds, the Bf110 shot down two Spitfires, before Page forced the aircraft down and destroyed it. The pilot of the Bf110 was the famous Major Hans-Joachim Jabs, who survived. Page was later promoted Wing Leader of 125 wing, and after another DFC he won the DSO at the end of 1944. Page had achieved his goal of 15 victories (10 solo, 5 shared, and 3 damaged). After the war on a tour of the United States met his wife to be, the daughter of a British Hollywood actor. He left the R.A.F. in 1948 joining Vickers Armstrong. In retirement, Page remained the driving force of the Guinea Pig Club, and also founded the Battle of Britain Trust. This raised more than one million pounds, with which the Battle of Britain memorial was erected overlooking the Straits of Dover. In 1995 he was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. Sadly Alan Geoffrey Page DSO, OBE, DFC and Bar died 3rd August 2000. |
Sqn Ldr Hugh Parry Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 1990 | Sqn Ldr Hugh Parry Hugh Parry joined the RAF from Northern Rhodesia in December 1939, and after training in England was posted in February 1941 to join 260 Squadron flying Hurricanes. In April he transferred to 266 Squadron flying first Spitfires and then Typhoons. In March 1943 he went to Malta with 601 Squadron on the USS Wasp, flying the Spitfire Vc, where he remained until July. After a spell as a test pilot, he returned to combat with 41 Squadron flying Spitfire MkXIIs. On 24th September 1943 he was shot down near Beauvais and managed to evade capture for the next five months until he was eventually captured by the Gestapo in Paris. After a month in prison he was sent to Stalag Luft III until the end of the war. He died on 31st December 1990. |
  Colonel Steve Pisanos Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2016 | Colonel Steve Pisanos Born Nov. 10, 1919, in the Athens suburb of Kolonos, Spiros Nicholas 'Steve' Pisanos, the son of a subway motorman, arrived in America in April 1938 as a crew member on a Greek merchant tramp steamer. Arriving in Baltimore speaking no English, he worked in a bakery and hotels to earn money for flying lessons at Floyd Bennett Field. In August 1940, he settled in Plainfield, New Jersey, and continued flying lessons at Westfield Airport. He earned a private pilot's license and, though still a Greek national, in October 1941 he joined the British Royal Air Force sponsored by the Clayton Knight Committee in New York City. Pisanos began his military flight training at Polaris Flight Academy in Glendale. Upon graduation, Pilot Officer Pisanos was transferred to England where he completed RAF Officers Training School at Cosford, England, and OTU (Operational Training Unit) at Old Sarum Aerodrome in Salisbury. Pisanos was posted to the 268 Fighter Squadron at Snailwell Aerodrome in Newmarket flying P-51A's. He later transferred to the 71 Eagle Squadron, one of three Eagle squadrons in the RAF, comprised of just 244 American volunteers flying Spitfires at Debden RAF Aerodrome. When the USAAF 4th Fighter Group absorbed the American members of the Eagle Squadrons in September and October 1942, Pisanos was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Air Forces. Flying his first mission in his P-47 'Miss Plainfield' out of Debden Aerodrome with the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, Lt. Pisanos, 'The Flying Greek,' scored his first shootdown on May 21, 1943, when he targeted a German FW-190 over Ghent, Belgium. By Jan. 1, 1944, he had become an ace with five confirmed downings. On March 5, 1944, he obtained his 10th shootdown and while returning from that B-17 escort mission to Limoges and Bordeaux, France, Pisanos experienced engine failure in his P-51B and crash-landed south of Le Havre. For six months he evaded the Germans and fought with the French Resistance and the American OSS, sabotaging the German war machine in occupied France. Lt. Pisanos returned to England on Sept. 2, 1944, following the liberation of Paris. Because of his exposure and knowledge of the French Resistance operations, Pisanos was prohibited from flying additional combat missions because the Air Force could not risk him being captured. Upon returning to the United States, Capt. Pisanos was assigned to the Flight Test Division at Wright Field, Ohio. He attended the USAF Test Pilot School and served as a test pilot at Wright Field and Muroc Lake, California, testing the YP-80 jet aircraft, America's first operational jet. During his Air Force career, Pisanos graduated from the University of Maryland, attended the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College. Pisanos also served tours of duty in Vietnam (1967-68) and with NORAD before retiring from the USAF with the rank of colonel in in December 1973. Colonel Steve Pisanos died on 6th June 2016. |
  Wing Commander Jack Rose CMG MBE DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2009 | Wing Commander Jack Rose CMG MBE DFC Jack Rose was born on January 18 1917 at Blackheath, London, and was educated at Shooters Hill School before studying Science at University College London where he represented the university at rugby. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in October 1938, completing his training as a fighter pilot just before the outbreak of war. With the British Expeditionary force under constant air attack, fighter reinforcements were requested and Jack Rose flew one of the Hurricanes sent to Merville to reinforce No.3 Squadron. He was in action immediately and on the 15th he shared in the destruction of a Messerschmitt Bf109 as the air battle reached its climax. For the next few days the Hurricane squadrons operated at maximum intensity. During the afternoon of the 18th Rose intercepted a lone Messerschmitt Bf110 fighter over Douai and shot it down. A few hours earlier, his elder brother Tommy, of No 56 Squadron, had been shot down and killed in his Hurricane. The following day Rose attacked a Heinkel 111 and closed to within a few yards to shoot the bombers port engine. Oil from the engine covered the windscreen of his Hurricane so he climbed away, slowed the aircraft down to almost stalling speed, loosened his harness, stood on his seat and leant out of the cockpit in an attempt to clean the windscreen. As he did, tracer from an enemy fighter hit his aircraft. Seeing Rose standing in the cockpit, the German pilot claimed he had shot down the Hurricane, but Rose managed to break away. His aircraft was badly damaged but he managed a forced landing at a forward airfield where the aircraft was destroyed. Orders were given to evacuate the Hurricanes on the 20th. Without an aircraft, Rose joined others on a French transport and was flown to England. In the 10 days of the air war, No 3 Squadron lost seven pilots killed with another taken prisoner. A further nine Hurricanes were lost. He formed the new 184 Squadron in 1942, initially on Hurricanes, later Spitfires. In late 1943 the squadron converted to rocket firing Typhoons, and were heavily involved in the build up to D-Day, moving to France in late 1944. He later transferred to the Far East, finishing the war with 3 victories. Leading the rocket-firing Hawker Typhoons of 184 Squadron, Jack Rose swept down on German armour concentrations south of Caen on D-Day, the first of many such sorties over Normandy Constantly on call during the battle, the squadrons targets ranged from enemy armour and convoys, to gun and mortar positions, bridges and railway targets. From June 14, they operated from Advanced Landing Grounds in France, with the enemy close enough to fire at them on landing and take-off. Rose joined his first squadron, No 32, at Biggin Hill flying Hurricanes. In the Battle for France he scored three victories before returning to England to take part in the Battle of Britain. In 1942 he formed 184 Squadron from scratch, leading it until October 1944. He later flew Hurricanes again in the Far East. He left the RAF in October 1945. Sadly, Jack Rose died on 10th October 2009. |
  Squadron Leader Stuart Nigel Rose Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2017 | Squadron Leader Stuart Nigel Rose Originally from Elswick in the north east of England, Rose moved south to join the RAFVR in March 1939, called up at the outbreak of war he was commissioned in June 1940 joining No.602 Sqn in June 1940 flying Spitfires and serving with the unit throughout the Battle of Britain, claiming three victories. Squadron Leader Nigel Rose was then posted to 54 Sqn at Hornchurch in September 1941 before becoming an instructor in 1942, and also serving in the Middle East. Afterwards he moved to No.54 Sqn before taking on positions in training units. He died on 10th September 2017 aged 99. |
  Warrant Officer Norman Samuels Our estimated value of this signature : £50 | Warrant Officer Norman Samuels Initially flying Typhoons with 193 Sqn, Norman then transferred to 610 Sqn flying Spitfires on fighter sweeps over France, heavy-bomber missions, and operations against VIs. Returning to ground attack Typhoons over Europe with 193 Sqn, he was shot down in March 1945 and taken prisoner of war. Mr Samuels was born in Newbury in 1921 and grew up in the West Berkshire market town. In 1940, aged 19, he joined the Royal Air Force Oxford University Air Squadron. At that time the UK had no place for trainee pilots. So, after six weeks of basic training he was sent to America to learn to fly under the Arnold Scheme, a training programme run by United States Army Air Corps General 'Hap' Arnold. In 1941, at ease in the cockpit of almost any flying machine, he says, he was sent back to the UK. He said: I joined 193 Squadron in Devon, and that was where I met my future wife, Barbara Lean, on Christmas Day 1942. A Spitfire squadron had lost six of its 12 pilots in one day, so they moved us across to 610 Squadron. They were marvellous planes to fly, and I enjoyed every moment. We had Spitfire MkVs then - they weren't fast enough for war really at that time. We cleaned them with car polish, and that gave us an extra 5mph, then they clipped the wings and that gave us another 5mph. Of course we were still 100mph short of the Germans' speeds, but what could you do? He helped defend London, and fought over Beachy Head, but with losses elsewhere he was drafted back to 193 Squadron, which was by now in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1944. After surviving the ill-fated Battle of Arnhem in Holland in September, 1944, his luck ran out in a Typhoon near the same town in 1945, just weeks before the end of the war. He said: It was the last push by the Germans and on March 18 I was shot down. I'd already fought in the Battle of Arnhem, when we suffered heavy losses. Going back, I wasn't so lucky. He continued: I didn't have time to think if I was going to die. I must have been knocked out clean by my gun sight. I'd put rubber on it because I was always hitting it with my hand. I'd seen men die in crashes; they hit their head and it killed them. The rubber must have saved my life. To be honest looking back I should have died many times over. I ended up walking through Germany, got on a train, and that was bombed by the Allies. I walked and walked, right up to the Baltic Rhine, I scavenged for food and did what I could to survive. It was a long time between being shot down and being captured. Every day was 'live or die'. The Germans eventually caught up with him and sent him to Stalag Luft I, a camp filled with about 9,000 PoWs. He said: I had lost weight by the time I arrived, and we didn't have a lot of food. I remember a battle with a Welshman who kept stealing my bread. Luckily I was only there a few weeks before we were liberated, by the Americans, on my wife's birthday, April 30, 1945. I started the war with the Americans, and finished it with the Americans. After the war he worked as an engineer for the Southern Electricity Board. |
  Wing Commander Wilfred M Sizer DFC* Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2006 | Wing Commander Wilfred M Sizer DFC* Born on 23rd February 1920, at the outbreak of war Bill Sizer was flying Hurricanes with 213 Squadron, after flying Guantlets with No.17 Squadron. The squadron flew to France in May 1940, where he scored his first victories, before being attacked by five Me109s and shot down. Rejoining his squadron soon after, he took part in the air battles over Dunkirk before again being shot down and escaping back to England. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain. Based at Exeter, on the 11th of August, he shot down a Ju88, and the next day he shot down a fighter escorting a large formation of bombers. As the attacks intensified, the pilots of 213 Sqn fle wup to four patrols a day. On the 15th of August he shot down two Ju87 Stukas. He also shared in the destruction of a Ju88 in October 1940, bringing it down over Beachy Head. He was awarded the DFC for scoring 7 and 5 shared victories. In April 1941 he was posted to join 1 Squadron, and then 91 Squadron. In April 1942 he joined 152 Squadron flying Spitfires, with whom he went to North Africa. In January 1943 he was given command of 93 Squadron and took part in the Sicily landings. While leading 93 Squadron he shot down two Italian fighters and damaged several others. He was awarded a Bar to the DFC. He finished the war with 7 and 5 shared victories. He died 22nd December 2006. |
  Wing Commander Bob Stanford Tuck DSO DFC** Our estimated value of this signature : £85 Died : 1987 | Wing Commander Bob Stanford Tuck DSO DFC** Bob Stanford Tuck was a flamboyant fighter pilot, his dashing good looks, courage, and success in the air coming to epitomise the young flyers who fought and won the Battle of Britain. To the British public he was a hero in the mould of the knights of old, and today his name is legend. In the early stages of the Battle of Britain Bob fought with 92 Squadron flying Spitfires, quickly becoming one of the leading aces. Promoted to command 257 Squadron, now flying Hurricanes, Bobs dashing style of leadership inspired his pilots to great success. He went on to command the Duxford and Biggin Hill Wings, taking his personal score to 29 air victories before being shot down by ground fire over Northern France in 1942. He died on 5th May 1987. |
  Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2010 | Squadron Leader Basil Stapleton DFC Born in South Africa, Basil Gerald Stapleton joined the RAF in Jan 1939, being posted to 603 Sqn flying Spitfires. He first saw action off Scotland, sharing in the destruction of two bombers, before the Squadron was posted south to Hornchurch during the height of the Battle of Britain. By Nov 1940 his tally had risen to 6 and 2 shared victories and 8 probables. In March 1942 he was posted to 257 Sqn as flight commander. In August 1944 he commanded 247 Sqn flying Typhoons, taking part in the Arnhem operations. In December 1944, whilst attacking a train, debris hit his aircraft forcing him to land behind enemy lines where he was taken prisoner of war. Stapme Stapleton had scored 6 victories, plus 2 shared, 5 probable and 2 damaged. Sadly, we have learned that Basil Stapleton passed away on 13th April 2010. |
  Wing Commander Harbourne Stephen CBE, DSO, DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2001 | Wing Commander Harbourne Stephen CBE, DSO, DFC Flying Spitfires with 605 squadron he took part in the air battles over France and Dunkirk and throughout the thick of the Battle of Britain. He was one of the top scoring R.A.F. pilots at the end of 1940 with 22 and a half air victories. In 1942 he was posted to the far east where he took command of 166 wing, remaining in fighters until the end of the war. After the war he had a successful career in newspapers where he became managing Director of the Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph. He died on 20th August 2001. |
  Wing Commander George W Swanwick Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2011 | Wing Commander George W Swanwick George Swanwick was born on 10th November 1915 and was an air-gunner on Wallaces and Hinds with 504 squadron at RAF Hucknall during the 1930s. In May 1936, 504 became part of the Auxiliary Air Force, and in October 1938 converted to a fighter unit, equipped with Gauntlets. In 1938 George re-trained as a pilot, and was promoted to Sergeant Pilot in August 1939. In May 1940 George Swanwick joined 7 BGS, and on 7th September was posted to 54 Squadron at Catterick flying Spitfires. He then went to 41 Squadron at Hornchurch. Commissioned in late 1941, he was posted to 222 Squadron at North Weald in April 1942 as a Flight Commander. In July George Swanwick joined 603 Squadron in Malta and in September 1942, George was posted to 7 OTU at Port Sudan as Flight Commander. In July 1943, he joined 81 Squadron in Malta as a supernumerary. George was invalided back to the UK and following his discharge from hospital in 1944, George held various staff appointments until the end of the war. George Swanwick was granted a Permament Commission in 1949 and retired on 30th April 1970, as a Wing Commander. Sadly, George Swanwick passed away on 4th January 2011. |
  Squadron Leader Laurence Thorogood DFC AE Our estimated value of this signature : £65 Died : 2005 | Squadron Leader Laurence Thorogood DFC AE Joining 87 Squadron on June 14th 1940, Laurence Thorogood was thrown straight into the Battle of Britain, destroying a Ju88 on 25th August. Commissioned in 1941 he then was posted to India and remained in the Far East until the end of the war. He served with No 9 Sqn Indian Air Force (Hurricane IIc) and 67 Sqn RAF (Spitfire VIII) in the campaign down the Arakan Coast. Staying in the RAF after the war, he served in Singapore and Sumatra with 155 Sqn before converting to Vampires on 130 Sqn, after two years instructing on Oxfords at Middle Wallop, we was Adjutant with 615 Sqn, Biggin Hill before moving to Germany in 1951 to fly Vampires with 118 and 94 Sqns. He served on the Thor missile system before finishing his career as a civilian in Whitehall. Sadly Laurence Thorogood passed away in December 2005. We would like to thank Dr John Thorogood for supplying the photo of his father. |
  Wing Commander George Grumpy Unwin, DSO, DFM* Our estimated value of this signature : £75 Died : 2006 | Wing Commander George Grumpy Unwin, DSO, DFM* George Unwin joined the RAF in 1929, and in 1936 was posted to Duxford with 19 Squadron as a Sergeant Pilot. He was one of the first pilots in the RAF to fly the Spitfire. With the outbreak of war 19 Squadron moved to Hornchurch and George, now one of the Squadrons most experienced pilots, took part in the great air battles over France and Dunkirk, scoring 3 and a half victories. He flew with 19 Squadron continuously during the whole of the Battle of Britain. He was commissioned in 1941. After a period instructing, he resumed operations, flying Mosquitoes with 16 Squadron. George finished the war with 13 victories, 2 shared, 2 unconfirmed, and 2 probables. He died 28th June 2006. |
 Flight Lieutenant William Walker Our estimated value of this signature : £60 Died : 2012 | Flight Lieutenant William Walker Born on August 24 1913, William Walker joined the Royal Air Force Voluntary reserve on September 2 1938 at Kidlington, Oxford as an Airman u/t Pilot. William Walker joined the RAF on September 1st 1939 and posted to 1 ITW, Cambridge on November 15. He went to 2 FTS, Brize Norton on February 17 1940 and after training was posted directly to 616 Squadron on June 18th, flying Spitfires. The month of August saw an increased tempo of fighting as the Battle of Britain intensified. On the 15th, the Luftwaffe launched a major attack from Norway and Denmark against the north of England. No 616 was scrambled and intercepted a large force of bombers approaching the Yorkshire coast. Walker, who had only recently joined, flew on the wing of his section leader as they attacked the force. By the end of the engagement, six enemy bombers had been shot down. Four days later, No 616 moved to Kenley, where Walker was immediately in action. During the late morning of August 26 1940, Walker and his squadron colleagues of No 616 (South Yorkshire) Auxiliary Squadron were scrambled from Kenley to intercept a raid of 40 enemy bombers approaching Dover. Too low to attack the raiders, the squadron turned north to gain height but were ambushed by a large formation of Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighters. Within minutes, three Spitfires had been shot down. As Walker attacked a Bf 109 his Spitfire was hit from behind and he was wounded in the leg. The controls were shot away and Walker was forced to bail out at 20,000ft from his Spitfire MK II, R 6701 He landed in the English Channel very close to a sandbank, which he was able to reach. Shortly afterwards, suffering from hypothermia, he was picked up by a fishing boat. A large crowd cheered as he was landed at Ramsgate, but the badly damaged hospital there was unable to deal with his wound. He was taken to Ramsgate Hospital suffering from hypothermia, he was then transferred to the RAF Hospital at Halton, where they operated to remove the bullet from his ankle. ( a souvenir he kept for the rest of his life ) On May 2nd 1941 he rejoined. Walker returned to hospital at Halton on September 23 1941 and after convalescence at Torquay, he rejoined 1 ADF on November 17. He was posted to 116 Squadron on July 8 1942, on anti-aircraft co-operation duties. He remained with the squadron until July 6 1944. He then went to the Sector Gunnery Flight at Gatwick until October 4, when he rejoined 1 ADF. He served with the unit at various locations until released from the RAF at Uxbridge on September 1 1945, as a Flight Lieutenant and received the Air Efficiency Award. Post-war, he returned to the brewing trade and rose to become chairman of Ind Coope, a role previously held by his father. Sadly Flt Lt William Walker died on October 21st 2012. |
  Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2018 | Squadron Leader Geoffrey Wellum DFC Joined the RAF with a Short Service Commission in August 1939. He joined 92 Squadron flying Spitfires in June 1940 at the time of Dunkirk. He flew throughout the Battle of Britain, later completing over 50 fighter sweeps and escorts over northern France and Belgium until August 1941. He then joined 65 Squadron as Flight Commander in March 1942 operating over northern France and flew off aircraft carrier HMS Furious on Operation Pedestal, to Malta. Geoff was a Flight Lieutenant during Operation Pedestal. He returned to the UK as a test pilot for Gloster Aircraft and finished the war as a Pilot Attack Instructor. Geoffrey was credited with three destroyed, four probables and several damaged and was awarded the DFC in July 1941. Geoffrey Wellum died on 18th July 2018. |
| Spitfire Squadron details |
31st Fighter Group Country : US | 31st Fighter Group |
No.111 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , JU, TM, | No.111 Sqn RAF Adstantes - Standing by |
No.126 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1946 Known Codes : , 5J, MK, MT, TD, | No.126 Sqn RAF Persian Gulf Foremost in attack |
No.129 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 1st September 1946 Known Codes : , DV, | No.129 Sqn RAF Mysore I will defend the right |
No.132 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 15th April 1946 Known Codes : , FF, | No.132 Sqn RAF City of Bombay Cave leopardum - Beware the leopard |
No.41 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , EB, PN, | No.41 Sqn RAF Seek and destroy |
No.501 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , SD, RAB, ZH, | No.501 Sqn RAF County of Gloucester, City of Bristol (Auxiliary) Nil time - Fear nothing |
No.54 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , KL, DL, HF, | No.54 Sqn RAF Audax omnia perpeti - Boldness to endure anything |
No.601 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , UF, HT, YN, | No.601 Sqn RAF County of London (Auxiliary) |
No.602 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , LO, ZT, DU, | No.602 Sqn RAF City of Glasgow (Auxiliary) Cave leonem cruciatum - Beware the tormented lion |
No.603 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , XT, RL, | No.603 Sqn RAF City of Edinburgh (Auxiliary) Gin ye daur - If you dare |
No.610 Sqn RAF Country : UK Disbanded 10th March 1957 Known Codes : , DW, JE, | No.610 Sqn RAF County of Chester (Auxiliary) Alifero tollitur axe ceres - Ceres rising in a winged car |
No.74 Sqn RAF Country : UK Known Codes : , GM, JH, 4D, ZP, | No.74 Sqn RAF Trinidad I fear no man |
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